This mythologically-infused, magical artefact heist by an African minor orisha and a succubus hit all the right spots and pulled all the correct levers for me. I had lots of fun reading this, and I kept sneaking back to read this even as I was supposed to be concentrating on something else. The blending of different mythologies here - the Yoruba orisha pantheon with Christianity's fallen angels and ancient Britain's giants Gog and Magog - worked for me in wonderous ways. The added element that these immortal beings have been diminished by humanity's declining faith, and that they have banded together into orisha prayer companies with corporate rules and bosses who dole out the prayer chips like currency - this reminded me of Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence, with elements of the blending of different mythologies by other fantasy authors.

There's the added plus - for me, at any rate - that at the heart of this heist story is a love story, between a minor orisha, Shigidi, lacking in confidence but not in will, and his succubus partner, Nneoma, who is afraid to fall in love.

This debut fantasy novel has been nominated for the Nebula. My fingers and toes are crossed that it wins!

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon is a character-focused globetrotting urban fantasy read, perfect for fans of David Mogo, Godhunter and The Library of the Dead. The book has a perfect hook for fans of heists, high-octane action flicks, speculative fiction fans and just geeks (affectionate) in general - a bold as brass (ha!) liberation of a powerful Nigerian artefact from the British Museum. If this itself does not make you run, not walk to pick up this book - there's a lot more to it that might intrigue you.

Shigidi opens with a fast-paced high-octane chase scene through the streets of London. As you're reading the first few chapters with the description of the chase you can almost imagine the words from the page being transferred and transformed to the big screen in a high-budget action flick. The author's writing is vivid and glues you to the page.

After the explosive fast-paced opening, the author rewinds to the beginning of the story (nothing unusual and very common in heist/action media) and the pace slows down just a bit while we get to know the main characters in different locations and time periods. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the story was the different locations and the fact that the majority of this urban fantasy happens outside (Western) Europe - which is honestly a refreshing and much-needed sight in urban fantasy.

The author's focus on characters, their development and how it affects and drives the story was fantastic. Talabi managed to create realistic characters that are bursting with life. Their choices and actions will provoke strong feelings and reactions in the readers - you might not agree with the characters or their choices, or you might agree with some, not others, however, wherever you stand you will not feel indifferent toward any of the characters.

A well-written and enjoyable African fantasy novel. I highly recommend this. The world building is great and the dash of romance added the extra kick this book needed.

Have you ever dreamed of being a god? Almighty and without worries? Well, things aren’t as rosy as you might think. With the faith being in short supply, gods had to take a corporate route (trading in belief and supplications). Shigidi, the god of nightmares and a demotivated employee of the Orisha Spirit Company, lives mainly for the next drink. He hates his existence and his appearance, but has no plan to change anything. Then he meets Nneoma, a succubus, and falls in love with her. They go freelance, but life as freelancers is hard; soon they find themselves in debt to a powerful and scheming deity.

But there is a way to pay off all the debts. A heist. Across two worlds and two planes of existence. The story follows Shigidi and Nneoma as they journey through the vibrant streets of Lagos, the rooftop bars of Singapore, and the hidden enclaves of London. Mayhem ensues, but that’s a given. I loved the deep dive into occult lore and African mythology. A risky heist mixed with a unique love story was also fun.

The story jumps in time and geography and builds toward an exciting ending. It spans centuries and continents and there is hardly a dull moment. Although the title suggests Shigidi is the main character, that’s not entirely true. Nneoma gets a lot of attention and while I enjoyed my time with both of them and their perspectives, Nneoma is much more interesting and complex than Shigidi.

I’m not a romance reader, but I loved their complex relationship. It struck the perfect balance between alien and relatable (they’re immortal, after all) and offered no cheap thrills. I found it clever and realistic (given their supernatural circumstances :)).

While I liked the structure of the novel and the frequent time jumps, I must mention that they might be confusing for some readers. However, if you pay attention to the places and dates mentioned at the beginning of each chapter, you’ll be fine.

Overall, Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon is an exciting and imaginative supernatural thriller with strong twists and excellent pacing. Highly recommended.

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi was a mixed experience. It's that type of book where if you decide to pass up on it, the story will creep into the crevices of your mind later.

SATBHOO is a slow-moving book with many intricate woven timelines to get to the bigger picture. The randomness of jumped timelines put me off, but it was something you had to go through to understand the characters and how they moved. Once I figured out the author's writing style, I understood the navigation of the story.

The backstories of Shigidi and Nneoma are what make the book. Though they are immortal, their characters are what makes them human and relatable.

Overall, I rated this book 3-stars. I might even throw in a quarter-star. It wasn't bad, but I understand why so many DNFed it. Hell, I almost DNFed it a few times. It just took too long to get to the damn point. I was more focused on the book's setup than the actual story. I wish the author would have focused more on the heist since that's what I was sold on, but the wrap-up justified all of what the author was getting at.

Dear reader,
This is the sign you've been waiting for to dive into novels inspired by Nigerian mythology

This book was a fun read. The world-building reflects a great deal of work and planning, besides which I love a heist story. The incorporation of traditional Nigerian mythology with modern ideas and structures made for interesting commentary on colonialism and capitalism. The idea of the spirit world structured as corporations with "pray pay" and spirit-eating freelancers was intriguing and a fun way to think about the shadow world. Really well done, there.

I found the regular timeline jumps a bit jarring, rather than the clever device that I hoped they would prove to be. The bouncing around required extra effort from me as a reader and, most of the time, I wasn't invested enough in the story for that to be an easy ask.

While the timeline jumps fleshed out some of the histories of Nneoma and Shigidi, they didn't do enough to get me invested in the relationship. It wasn't a distraction from the main plot, but I also wasn't convinced that it added much to the story either.

Overall, this is an interesting premise and I'd be interested to see more in this genre from Talabi.

I was provided with a free digital copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an incredibly slickly done debut novel. Someone inevitably is going to evoke the vibes of Black Panther here, and actually, the best way to sum up the vibes of this book is to think of that scene where Killmonger does a heist on the museum with the Wakandan artifact. Talabi keeps everything going at a clip, but will still give us side chapters that dive into the past of our heist crew, and the descriptions make you feel like you're there or at least watching it happen in front of your eyes. The crew is great, the politics of the spirit world are fun, and let's be real, the idea of people doing heists on museums to get artifacts back is real appealing these days. Talabi is definitely someone I'll be keeping an eye on in the future.

Unexpected fantasy inspired by African mythology. Shigidi is a god of nightmares, previously in service to the Orisha spirit company. He worked for them for what little spirit pay he could earn until he met Nneoma, a succubus who used her own gifts to free him from his service. Since then, they have worked as partners, taking souls for their own use, not for some uncaring company. However, a debt is still owed to the head of Orisha, and now it's time to collect. Shigidi and Nneoma have just one day to plan and execute a heist of a godly object. If they succeed, their futures will be set. If they fail, they likely won't be making it out alive.

This was such an interesting look into African mythology and different settings that you don't often see. I love the premise of gods having to adapt to the times, forming their own corporations based around prayers. The many sex scenes, were a bit much for my tastes (but I guess that's to be expected when one of the main characters is a succubus). I really did enjoy the love story between the two. Shigidi is more open with his feelings, while Nneoma is very guarded. The heist provides the overarching narrative, but the flashbacks to both Shigidi and Nneoma's pasts and to how they met, really fleshed out the story. I definitely teared up at the end. Would recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Shidigi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi is a fast pace heist story with a Nigerian twist. It takes the American Gods idea of gods interacting in the 21st century and does that through a Nigerian lens with a focus on the Nigerian diaspora. This view incorporates everything you might want from that perspective and Talabi also finds the time to give us a compelling romance.
Hopefully the gods will give us a sequel!

In the book our main character the god Shidigi and his partner Nneoma, a succubus, are thrust in the middle of the Nigerian pantheons corporate machinations. In order to fulfill their side of the bargain they'll have to pull off a deadly heist. If that sounds good to you, you'll love this, if the idea of Nneoma being a succubus or corporate machinations turns you off this may not be it for you. If this book had 1 fan it is me! I was so pleasantly surprised by how worthwhile and complete I felt the story was that I have to stan. I absolutely agree with the author and story comparisons, so keep those in mind when deciding to read.

If you needed a sign to read this, this is it! Now, don't say you weren't warned about the book when everything you need to know is in the synopsis. I'm not saying all the haters read a different book, but I think you have to judge a book on whether it achieved what it set out to do and your personal enjoyment, and it fired on all cylinders for me. It was super unputtable downable FOR ME!

Tengo entendido que es muy importante a la hora de vender una novela que el primer párrafo enganche a la persona que lo está leyendo de forma que capte su interés para seguir leyendo. Desde luego, Wole Talabi se ha tomado esta sugerencia al pie de la letra porque el impacto que causa en el lector una persecución en taxi por las calles de Londres de un semidios con un brazo recién arrancado de cuajo por varios seres mitológicos es de los que no se olvidan fácilmente. El problema puede venir luego si el resto del libro no cumple con las expectativas creadas, como me pasó con Some Desperate Glory, por ejemplo. Afortunadamente, Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon es una novela compensada, que aunque no mantenga el altísimo ritmo con el que empieza siempre mantiene el interés del lector.


No es la primera vez que leo sobre la modernización de los dioses en nuestra época y la comercialización del poder que obtienen de la adoración de sus seguidores, sin ir más lejos, toda la saga Craft Sequence de mi querido Max Gladstone se basa en esta premisa. En esta novela, el protagonista comienza siendo un subalterno de baja categoría en una gran corporación de orishas. Shigidi es un dios de las pesadillas, pero entre el poco poder que tiene y su aspecto repulsivo tiene pocas perspectivas en su inmortalidad. Su relación con la súcubo Nneoma cambiará radicalmente su forma de desenvolverse, pero no será algo fácil escapar de las garras de sus empleadores.

La forma de narrar que escoge Talabi, con muchos flashbacks tanto de la historia de Shigidi como de la de Nneoma para ir completando lo que no sabemos de ellos es convencional, pero muy efectiva. Se manejan distintas líneas del tiempo, pero mientras que el momento “actual” (por llamarlo de alguna manera) avanza muy pausadamente, los relatos del pasado a veces ocupan capítulos enteros, un poco como en Salvation de Hamilton. El autor consigue que los distintos puntos de vista y momentos temporales estén bastante bien compensados, tarea que no debe haber resultado banal.

También seremos testigos de diversas conspiraciones, ya que el hilo conductor del libro es la “recuperación” de una poderosa máscara tribal africana que mira tú por dónde, está en el Museo Británico (como si en este museo hubiera algún elemento que perteneciera a otras culturas, ¡qué imaginación le echan algunos autores a sus obras!).

Mi recomendación es ignorar la poco afortunada elección de la cubierta y dejarse llevar por una novela fantástica de magnífico ritmo que se disfruta de principio a fin.

If you like books inspired by mythology, romance, heists and lots of action, you might like:

✨ Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi ✨

In this contemporary fantasy novel based on Yoruba mythology Shigidi and Nneoma - a retired nightmare god and a succubus - are sent to retrieve the brass head of Obalufon back from the British Museum. We follow their story and developing romance in this world of spirit companies, magicians and intrigue.

🏛️

I absolutely loved the very unique, imaginative world-building: every faith has its own spirit company which works like an actual company and lives on offerings from humans. Because less and less people believe in them, the Orisha spirit company Shigidi works for is struggling. The different deities - and the dynamics and intrigue between them - were captivating, and I couldn't wait to know more about them.

Talabi's beautiful writing style and structuring of the story made it even better. Moments in the present in which the heist was happening were alternated with glimpses into Shigidi and Nneoma's past, which kept me at the edge of my seat. The reflections on stolen art were very gripping as well and added an important layer to the story.

Unfortunately, Shigidi's character wasn't focused enough on for me to really understand his inner thoughts, especially his love for Nneoma. This made it difficult to be invested in their slow-burn romance, which was at the heart of the story. Nneoma, on the other hand, felt like a more complex and multi-faceted character with a well-developed background, and I loved gradually learning more about her and her motivations.

I think the reason I enjoyed the book but didn't completely love it was also because the blurb made it seem as if it was a heist novel with a bit of romance in the background, but it turned out to be the other way around. If you don't mind that, though, I definitely recommend the book!

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW Books for the eARC!

the blurb ad misguided me a little, but nonetheless the story was captivating and I really enjoyed the religion aspect of the book. The pacing was a little off and I had to go back and forth a couple of times not to get lost in between flashbacks, but the story was interesting for me.

In our world, according to Wole Talabi, gods have organized corporations to maximize prayer energy. Shigidi is an ugly nightmare god in a boring job until he meets Nneoma, an ancient succubus makes him handsome. Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon is a heist tale in which Shigidi and Nneoma have to rob the British Museum of a magical relic to get free of a powerful god. The heist is, of course, impossible and lots of fun. I look forward to more adventures.

so you see, the moment this book began with a well-written car chase, i already loved it so much. i was bouncing with excitement thinking of how crazy I'd appear in my review, shoving the book down everyone's throats and plastering the cover on people's houses illegally.

But after the beginning chapters? A straight nosedive into the Bermuda↘️
I didn't like any of the characters. Not even a little bit which has never happened before. Nneoma was just an irritant (through and through)🙂 and Shigidi was seriously whiny, childish, BORING and self-loathing every other line when he wasn't thinking of how he'd been before Naamah (to the point where i couldn't feel any sympathy. Just disdain, second hand embarrassment and eyerolls)

10% into the book left me with headaches.
i took paracetamol and shrugged it off, using one of my favourite Nigerian bookstapals gushing review on the X app as a morale to keep going. Big Mistake. She listened to the audio book and i was READING words. Why did i think we'd have the same reaction?
Error number 1- Believing I would and should like this book because her recs are mostly solid.

15% had me constantly exhausted with a sudden newborn sore throat (yes, this book gave me sore throat please🤧). i guzzled septrin and decided "maybe i was being too harsh and quick to judge African literature"
Error number 2 - gaslighting myself because ah ahn do i really want to join the "it be your own people" confraternity?

30% in and it still dragged on with zero excitement felt in my spirit (I could've sworn even my guardian angel hissed seven times while reading the book above my shoulder).
The prose came too purple and exhausting to read, the sentences and descriptions overly, and may i add unnecessarily lengthy? and repetitive? and distant? isshhh😪 This isn't something i have the patience for. And definitely not something my brain can cope with; re-reading over and over to get 'main' plot points.

So by 50% in, i KNEWW i had to bounce out real quick or suffer a reading slump.
You know when someone's telling a story and all you can think about is "wrap it up, nigga" or random thoughts like "a nap would slap right now"?
That's how reading this book felt like.

I tried. I really tried✋🤚 but this book was not my cup of tea. Maybe I'll give the audiobook a chance some other time and I'll enjoy it.

I'm grateful for this eARC acceptance and this is my honest review until my mind is changed via the audiobook.

This was quite the book. It took me a minute to finish because there was so much to take in. It was so rich and I've never experienced Nigerian (and other gods/mythology) in this way. It did feel a little too modern sometimes but it was really good and refreshing.

I do think it could have been a bit shorter and some of the background stories we got (like for Aleister) were unnecessary.

I can't imagine the amount of work that went into creating this book. I think everyone should absolutely give it a chance. I look forward to reading more of this author's work.

I've been avoiding writing this review, because I was sold on the premise of "a former god and a succubus pull a heist" and I feel embarrassed saying I didn't even finish the novel. It is likely a good fit for other readers, but not for me. Halfway through, I realized that I knew far more about the protagonists sex lives than about their motivations. The mystery of Nneoma's past is intriguing, but not enough to keep me reading. I would have liked to have known more about the Orisha Spirit Company and about the interplay between gods, spirits, and monsters. Sadly, the book I would have liked was not this one. If I do finish the book, I will update this review.

This book started with quite a promising note only to devolve into a flat one dimensional characters who serve the purpose of plot. My biggest disappointment came from the succubus, Nneoma, who is clearly one of the powerful early Gods of the pantheon, but her purpose seems to be seduce, have sex and make some deals so that Shigidi, the nightmare God can learn and, maybe, do something extra.

The writing is quite good, but this needed to be a longer. Though there is some backstory of their relationship origins and its progression, it needs expansion when it comes to their interaction in human world and their other jobs in spirit world.

<i>Thank you to Netgalley and DAW for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

TL;DR

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi is a wonderful debut novel. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but the heist story was great fun. Recommended.

Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.

Review: Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi

Fantasy has a long tradition of mixing pantheons with modern day settings. Most of these offerings in the U.S. are western or christian pantheons for example Good Omens, Thor, or the Iron Druid series. I loved reading these books, but always wanted a different viewpoint. After all, as a reader, I became familiar in general terms with these pantheons. And while authors can put their individual twists upon the gods, generally they all have a lot in common. So, when Wole Talabi’s Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon showed up on my radar, I knew I wanted to read this book. It features gods from the Nigerian pantheon, which I knew nothing about prior to this book. (To be fair, I only know a little more after reading this book.) Talabi didn’t let me down. This is his debut novel, and it shows an author with promise and with many more good stories in his future.

Shigidi finds himself in the back of a British cab dying when the book opens. Nneoma is with him as they’re fleeing on the spirit side of London. Their currently unnamed cab driver is doing his best to avoid the guardians chasing them. Thus opens Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, and like any good heist story, chapter two goes back in time to before everything went pear-shaped. Shigidi is a former nightmare god from Nigeria and former member of the Nigerian spirit company. Nneoma is a succubus who is a freelance spirit, and she also convinced Shigidi to join her as a freelancer. Yep, even the spirit world has corporations and a gig economy. Sadly for Shigidi and Nneoma, they have been exiled from Nigeria by the head of the Orisha Spirit Company, Olorun. When Olorun tracks them down, he makes an offer they can’t resist. Steal an artifact from the British Museum and their exile is finished. Not only that, they’ll be shareholders in the Orisha Spirit Company, which means they’ll partake in the spiritual profits from their human worshipers. The theft could leave them trapped in the museum forever or find them on the spirit side of London dealing with the ancient spirits of England. Shigidi and Nneoma seize their chance to end their exile and strike back at the colonizers. But can they succeed?

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon is a third person novel with Shigidi and Nneoma as the primary narrators. The book switches between past and present to fill out the information needed to advance the heist. Most of the first half of the novel is backstory about the relationship between Shigidi and Nneoma, but it’s an interesting story in and of itself. Recommended with caution.

Shigidi is a Bad Boyfriend

Shigidi and Nneoma’s relationship is complicated. Very complicated beyond the fact that they feed on the souls of humans. Nneoma is a succubus; her magic is sex based. Shigidi loves her, and he’s very possessive. Her nature bothers him greatly. And he’s vocal about it. Nneoma loves him, but it’s not in her nature to say it. Yet, Shigidi continues to push that point throughout the opening parts of the novel. It was difficult for me to get through and slowed down the novel. He very much reminded me of people who want their partners to change after they get into a relationship. No, Shigidi knew what Nneoma was prior to their partnership. She’s the reason he’s got the body he resides in, and she’s the reason he’s free from being a peon in the Orisha Spirit Company. Yet, once she “becomes his,” he expects her to be different. He’s jealous, petty, and a bit insufferable. I imagine this will be a sticking point for a lot of readers.

However, if you can push through this section, it’s worth it to finish the book. I’ll leave it up to you to determine if Shigidi improves. But I did enjoy the heist portion of the novel. Talabi put interesting ideas in the book outside of this. The unnamed cab driver was a pleasant surprise that I really enjoyed.

Conclusion

Wole Talabi’s debut novel, Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, shows a lot of promise. Shigidi and Nneoma’s relationship leaves a lot to be desired, but their adventures are wonderful. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for Talabi’s next novel. Recommended.

This was such an interesting project, and I really appreciated the thematic discussions here. Wole Talabi was able to weave together traditional mythologies with discussions of faith, capitalism, and colonialism. The story jumps through centuries and continents and culminates in a heist, complete with a car chase across the “real” world and the shadow world.

I loved the themes here, but the back and forth pacing of the timeline jumps was jarring for me. We jumped between modern day and the backstories of Shigidi and Nneoma, and while I loved the backstories I really struggled believing in and rooting for their relationship, which left the ending to come across as unsatisfying to me.

Overall, I think this was an impressive debut and I’d be interested in seeing what he writes next despite this not being a complete hit for me. I mostly listened to the audiobook and I think Ben Arogundade’s narration really elevated my reading experience.