I was so looking forward to this book after loving her previous book, Stay with Me. I don’t know if it was my high expectations or the fact that I listened to the audiobook instead of reading the physical book but I
struggled to finish this one.

I’ve actually had Ayobami Adebayo’s debut novel Stay With Me on my TBR for a while, but unfortunately, despite the best of intentions, I never got around to picking it up (classic case of “too many books, too little time”). Well, a few weeks ago, when an ARC of her second book, A Spell of Good Things, landed in my email box, I was determined that, this time, I will get around to it. And I am so glad I did because Adebayo’s writing here is amazing — poetic, lyrical, completely immersive and engaging. I also appreciated getting to learn about Nigeria and a culture that I knew next to nothing about prior to reading this book — though I will admit that the sentences and phrases written in an untranslated Nigerian dialect throughout the book did throw me for a loop in that I had to stop and look stuff up at times in order to fully understand what I was reading.

With that said though, the book’s subject matter is actually quite heavy. The story revolves around two main characters — a female doctor in her twenties named Wuraola and a teenage boy named Eniola — from two Nigerian families at opposite ends of the economic spectrum (the extremely wealthy vs the devastatingly impoverished, the “haves” vs the “have-nots”) whose paths unexpectedly yet inevitably intertwine, amidst a backdrop of economic strife, political corruption, violence, and tragedy (and that’s just scratching the surface). Even though there were moments of levity (manifested primarily through one of the Wuraola aunties and a few other relatives) interspersed primarily throughout the first half of the story, much of the second half had an undercurrent of bleakness and sadness to it that I actually found difficult to shake even after I had turned the last page.

I don’t want to say too much about this one, as I feel this is the type of story that you have to actually experience for it to be most impactful. What I will say is that this is one of those quiet, slow-burn type stories that takes its time to build up and play out — thoughtfully, meticulously, carefully — then in the last quarter or so of the book, the story suddenly hits you in the gut and you’re left reeling a bit. For me, I found myself still thinking about that last quarter of the book even long after I had finished reading — I kept playing though different scenarios and wondering, if certain people had acted differently, if some circumstances had been different, would that have changed things in the end?

While this was not an easy read by any means (especially emotionally), I’m glad I picked it up, as it was a unique, thought-provoking experience that doesn’t come around too often. I know for sure now that I need to go back and read Adebayo’s debut, sooner rather than later.

Received ARC from Knopf via NetGalley.

This is not the type of book that I would normally pick up and read but it caught my eye and I decided to give it a try.

There are basically two alternating stories. The first is about a school aged boy whose father loses his job. As a result, the boy is worried about how he will pay his education fees. He begins an apprenticeship as a tailor but he knows that's not what he wants to do. He becomes angry with his father for not providing and starts to make some decisions that he may regret. In the second story, there is a woman (29 years old) who is practicing as a first year doctor. She is also engaged to become married much to her parents delight. Her fiancé's parents are involved in politics and her parents are ecstatic that she will be marrying into this wonderful family. Everything is not as it appears however.

The book was a slow start for me. I struggled a bit with the pacing. I also had some difficulty keeping the names straight in my head and I didn't always understand some of the terms used (like when addressing a parent or a teacher for example). Once I began to become familiar with the character names and the language differences, I found myself becoming more involved in the story.

In many ways, this book was eye opening. To read about what life is like in Nigeria was new to me. For example, I never thought much about the possibility of a student being whipped for not paying education fees or how much impact political corruption can have on the daily lives of citizens.

Adebayo's writing was amazing. By the end of this book, when both narratives play out and converge into a POWERFUL ending, I couldn't stop reading. I was rooting for Eniola and Wuraola. I had become invested in their stories and needed to know what was going to happen. I wanted them to get the happy endings they both so deserved!

I really enjoyed this book once I got into the groove of reading it. A Spell of Good Things touches upon a broad array of topics: power, wealth disparity, oppression of women, domestic violence, political corruption, romantic discord and more. It also has well developed characters and did a great job shedding light on the Nigerian culture. I would definitely recommend it to others and look forward to reading more by this author!

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book to read and review!

(I would be curious to know how and why the title was selected!)

Ayobami Adebayo’s A Spell of Good Things is a riveting while harrowing story of haves and have-nots in Nigeria. The book stars two characters: Eniola, a 16-year old boy whose dad lost his history teacher job and whose family consistently struggles to put food on the table, pay rent, and pay school fees; and Wuraola, a young doctor from a wealthy family who is engaged to a young man from another wealthy and connected family.

While at first you might expect Wuraola’s life to be all perfect and without troubles, Adebayo soon reminds us that things are not always what they seem.

Eniola struggles to help his family make ends meet, even begging as they grow more desperate to avoid homelessness.

These characters’ lives become interconnected in a way I could never have predicted. This book will stay with me for a very long time.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my opinion.

I read through most of this book today wondering where it was going, and around 70% I was like starting to sort of have some theories and then the ending was absolutely devastating.

The writing in this is amazing, the chapters jump from character to character, and not just the main two, you get the point of view of a handful of different people, and eventually they weave together during one horrific event.

While you meet a LOT of characters in this novel, you become attached to each one and their different ways of life and their experiences.

This book was a heavy one, there’s a lot of narration in some areas and made the pacing a little slow, but the last 20% or so is emotional and fast and everything that has been building up comes together and it’s tragic. I like gasping and so sad and you feel for everything character and what they’re going through and the guilt, omg.

Overall, I thought this was a really good read, it’s super emotional, if you’re a mood reader you’ll need to make sure you’re in the mood for all the feels with this one.

My expectations for this novel were high because I loved Adebayo's debut, and perhaps that's why I struggled with it. There are two main characters, and a few more perspectives, which led to a disconnect. Adebayo's writing is still beautiful.

Ayóbámi Adébáyo’s debut novel, Stay With Me was the most compelling book I read in 2017 and her second novel, A Spell of Good Things is just as powerful. Set in Nigeria, we meet two families, one wealthy and one in poverty, whose worlds collide.


Eniola is a young teen whose family is plunged into poverty when his father is one of 6000 teachers who lost their job. His father comes deeply depressed and he, his mother, and sister are forced into begging family and strangers for money for food, rent, and school tuition.



Wuraola is a doctor from a wealthy family who becomes engaged to longtime family friend. She begins to question her future when her betrothed’s behavior becomes intolerable, knowing that her family will be angry if she calls the wedding off.



Eniola’s involvement with a local group of young men with ties to a powerful politician at first seems to be the answer to his family’s money problems, but soon turns dangerous.



Adébáyo brings the reader directly into this Nigerian setting, with the dichotomy of the poverty of Eniola and the wealth of Wurola’s circle jumping off the page at you. The customs, the food, the education, political, and medical systems provide an eye-opening experience for the reader.



Once again, Adébáyo’s story is heartbreaking and you ache for these characters that you will not soon forget.

This is a book unlike anything I have read before.
The story, the setting, the culture, all of it. It was a page turner for me. Hard to put down. Shining a light on Nigeria and what you get when you have and what you get when you do not have.

Title: A Spell of Good Things


My review:

A Spell of Good Things is one of those novels that portrays society the way it is. There is a distinct line between privileged and poverty, but when politics and money are put in the mix, the lines start blurring.

Set in Nigeria, this story is about Eniola, who is stuck in poverty, and Wuraola, a doctor from a very privileged family who is expected to make an excellent match. We get to read their life progression in parallel, and the conclusion of this novel is powerful and, in some ways, heartbreaking.

This novel tackles class issues, powerful women who are in the background of men trying to save their families, intimate partner violence, money, politics, and manipulation. It is a powerful novel, but be prepared for a slow paced novel. The story does not pick up for quite a long time and does take a bit of patience from the reader to wait to see where the story is going. This is a powerful novel, and the author does done an excellent job of weaving the parallel stories together. The reality of life is cruel, but when fiction and reality blend together, it makes for a potent mix.

This breaks my heart, but this book didn't do it for me. I couldn't quite follow either of the timelines- I suspect it was more of my frame of mind versus the writing, but I didn't love this like I had hoped to. I bet this would lend itself well to audio.

Ayobami Adebayo is a gift to us in the US. She showcases Nigeria and opens eyes to power, class dynamics that so many can relate to. This is different from her debut, but the nuanced and complicated characters and dynamics ring true. A few scenes were a bit heavy handed and the pace started off a bit slow for me, but overall, I highly enjoyed and recommend this novel!

An amazing story of two classes of people in Nigeria. The story is told of a young boy who is experiencing a life of extreme poverty and Wuraola who is surrounded by riches and excess. . Having to chose between paying school fees or eating, Eniola goes through his young life with these daily struggles. Wuraola has her own struggles as she navigates being a doctor and feeling the struggles of getting married to a man who’s character is flawed.
We are told of two different ways of living in both extreme situations but sadness and grief is not only for the rich or the just for the poor. Slightly intertwined, you feel sorrow for both of these beautiful people.
Story is well told with a good flow.

📚Book Review📚
A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
Available Now
332 pages

🇳🇬The Story: This book follows the lives of two Nigerians in totally different circumstances whose lives intersect and will never be the same. Eniola is a boy who is tall for his age living with his parents and sister in poverty. Eniola’s father, a teacher, is fired as part of a mass firing of teachers. He struggles to get out of bed and often does not. Eniola is asked to do so much more than a child should.
Wuraola is a strong, fierce female doctor from a wealthy family. The lack of resources in the hospital, the patients’ dire circumstances and her hours have exhausted her. She’s about to marry the son of a would-be politician to her family’s joy.

💭My Story: This book is quiet, heartbreaking and well-written. I read it in just a few days. I struggled emotionally with how harsh life is for the lower class in Nigeria. Another oddity is that I loved the typeset font Granjon, which I don’t think I have seen before. Note that

I have heard that it is difficult to get into on audio, so I would suggest a hard copy.

A Spell of Good Things is the second novel by Nigerian author Ayobami Adebayo. I have not read her award-winning debut novel but will definitely do so. The current novel focuses on two characters, an educated young woman working as a doctor, from a wealthy family and a young boy from a poor family who only wants a good education. For much of the novel, their stories don’t overlap but eventually it comes together.

Much of the novel develops the main characters but moves the parallel stories forward until they intersect in an unexpected way. The writing is compelling and detailed, painting the scene. I recommend reading this novel - it is time well spent.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher, Alfred A Knopf for the digital ARC.

3.5, rounded up. The two parts to this book read more like separate short stories, despite the way the two families come together at the end; this made the narrative flow tough for me to get through. Regardless, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ writes her many characters beautifully; the way she imbues each of them with a fleshed-out backstory is admirable and doesn't bog the story down--it made me want to read more about all of them. The sense of place and culture is equally impressive and rich.

As you may have surmised from the synopsis, this does not have a happy ending, but it's worth a read for the descriptions of Nigerian politics, culture, and socioeconomic interplay.

A Spell of Good things
By Ayòbámi Adébáyò

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Spell of Good Things is a very well written tale set in modern day Nigeria. Enoila is a 16 year old boy in secondary school who is eager to learn. He is apprenticed to a tailor but finds himself performing menial tasks and learning very little of the trade. When Enoila’s father loses his job, his family begins to fall apart. Wuraola is a young doctor from a wealthy family and is soon to be engaged to the every eligible Kùnlé. Her family is eager to see her married and there is nothing more important than planning the necessary rituals that will set her wedding in motion. Before the story’s end, Enoila’s and Wuraola’s disparate lives will collide in an unexpected and explosive manner. But you are going to have to be patient for the big payout!

Adébáyò takes her time in fully developing these characters for the reader. She unfurls the meaningful details of their everyday life, their small joys and struggles, their unique pressures from family expectations and the sacrifices they must make for family. On it’s surface it may seem a simple tale of haves-and-have-nots but it is much more a story of their shared humanity. I highly recommend A Spell of Good Things for those who enjoy a contemporary character driven novel with a rich depiction of family structure and sheds light on significant societal issues.

Many thanks to the author @AyòbámiAdébáyò, @NetGalley and @aaknopt for the pleasure of reading this eARC.

Pub Date: 07 February 2023 -
.

Rating: 4.5/5

This is a book where you might think you know where the story is going, but you probably do not. After all, it’s written by Nigerian writer Ayòbámi Adébáyò, whose first novel STAY WITH ME surprised and impressed me with its unexpected plot twists, its emotional depth and complex political backdrop. In A SPELL OF GOOD THINGS we are also in for a few surprises, but now with a larger cast of characters and a deeper critique of social inequalities.

The story is split into two narrative strands: in one strand, a teenage boy named Eniolá is pushed into poverty after his father, a history teacher, loses his job when the state removes history from its school curriculum (this happened in Nigeria in 2009). As his depressed and defeated father retreats to his bedroom, Eniolá and his family are forced into humiliating and desperate situations to make enough money for food, rent and school.

In the other storyline, we follow Wúraolá, an overworked medical resident and the daughter of a wealthy family, who is pressured to marry Kúnlé, the charismatic son of her parents’ close friends. Wúraolá has doubts about the marriage, but the political aspirations of Kúnlé’s father and close ties of their two families push her toward an explosive series of events where Eniolá’s and Wúraolá’s paths will cross.

I couldn’t help feeling for both Eniolá and Wúraolá whose odds are stacked against them by their families, social injustice and fate — a spell of good or bad things. But readers might also disagree with choices they make in their lives, and Adébáyò investigates those moral dilemmas in subtle ways.

Adébáyò tackles political corruption, misogyny, violence and greed head on, but this vibrant story is also filled with parties and family celebrations, desire and vengeance, gossiping aunties and unyielding mothers, street vendors, local food and hip hop music. I really enjoyed this vivid, layered and morally complex novel and I hope to see it on many literary prize lists this year.

Many thanks to @aaknopf and @netgalley for providing an eARC and a finished copy in exchange for my honest review. It’s released in the U.S. today, Feb. 7.

I read Ayobami Adebayo's first book, Stay With Me, and really enjoyed it. So I was really excited to see a new book by her. Unfortunately, A Spell of Good Things was not as enjoyable as Stay With Me. The story takes place in Nigeria and the descriptions of the culture are outstanding. The story is about Eniola, a very young, very poor boy and Wuraola, a young woman who is a doctor. Their lives can not be more different from each other. The description of the book says that Wuraola and Eniola's lives become intertwined. However, this doesn't happen until the very end of the book. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and the story seems to move very slow at times.

Eniola runs errands for the local tailor and tries to raise money in order to pay his and his sister's school fees. Wuraola is a young doctor from a wealthy family, engaged to the son of a politician. Their lives collide briefly with a momentous impact.

A Spell of Good Things does offer a rich depiction of family structure, culture, and life in Nigeria for both those who are privileged and those who are not. I just wanted something more. The story did not pick up until about more than half way through. It was heavily character building (and so usually love a character-driven story), with little movement in the storyline. It was hard to continue but I’ve heard so many wonderful things about Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀'s writing I wanted to give it a fair try and I’m glad I did because the last third of the story is when I was engaged more as a reader. Overall, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀'s writing is phenomenal and I would read her work again.

Thank you NetGally and Knopf for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

The corruption in Nigeria is the focus point and how the struggles of people with opposite economic situations traverse when intertwined due to political interference. The first half felt very slow as the author was clearly introducing a new world with interesting characters but the last part was where I felt the author clearly owned it as a storyteller. How much wealth and status impact is clearly felt with this plot.