Uche Okonkwo’s debut short-story collection, A Kind of Madness, puts a magnifying glass to human relationships and explores the things that drive them apart. Set in modern Nigeria, these ten stories offer an array of characters working through their own solitary struggles of illness, friendship, or marriage. Throughout the collection, Okonkwo aptly captures the quiet nuances of everyday traumas faced in domestic life through prose that is tender yet devastating.


- Full review at West Trade Review (buff.ly/4ap8XuU)

Animals and Burning didn't make it into my review but they were my favorite in the way they handled complex family dynamics.

There is a sense of expansiveness and heart in the characters that appear in these stories. Their struggles are keenly felt as immediate human struggles despite their circumstances. I loves several of these stories including the one about the priest who was trying to save his church. The characters felt complex, with full inner lives.

While nothing extraordinary, this is still a beautiful short story collection—one that is easy to recommend, especially for those interested in getting into short stories.

This collection comprises 10 stories, all in various Nigerian communities. It provides rich insight into Nigerian culture and is very beautiful in this sense. Each story looks at madness—not as a grand event or feeling—but in the way that it quietly infuses itself into our daily lives. It looks at what underlies madness, be it grief, desperation, greed, and so on. As such, I loved this exploration of a quiet kind of madness.

A Kind of Madness, a short story collection by Uche Okonkwo, depicts life in Nigeria from several different perspectives. The stories focus on family, marriage, religion, culture, and the madness created by attempting to forge your own identity against these forces. Okonkwo's writing is straightforward and she quickly pulls you into each vignette. I felt like she didn't make you work to understand these characters. and this is important when writing with limited space. Their thoughts, feelings, desires, and insecurities are laid bare. I struggle more often than not with short story collections because I thrown in too many directions and have a hard time understanding what the author wants me to gain from the experience. That was not the case with A Kind of Madness. Okonkwo's words flowed seamlessly and I felt like I knew where she wanted my mind to go. Uche Okonkwo is a writer to watch out for.

In a Nutshell: A collection of stories set in contemporary Nigeria, covering various kinds of “madness”, but not necessarily the one you would assume. I enjoyed the setting, the writing, as well as the content. Much recommended!

I wouldn’t say that this collection of ten stories took me by surprise. Most OwnVoices African anthologies or story collections I have read have been outstanding, and I am glad that this book continues the positive trend.

There is no introductory or author’s note, but the theme of the collection is quite clear from the title and the blurb. The title highlights how a ‘kind of madness’ is the driving force behind these stories. The primary focus is on relationships, whether familial or societal. Expectations lead people to do crazy things, and that’s the kind of crazy we see haunting the pages of this brilliant book. The emotions behind the characters’ actions come out so well through the author’s pen!

What I especially loved is that the stories are NOT about literal madness. ‘Madness’ as a word has so many meanings: obsession, insanity, temporary craziness, weirdness, unsoundness of mind, foolishness,… The narratives span across many of these meanings, thereby proving how all of us human beings are mad at times. (Probably, most times!) Each story feels distinct in its style and content, because of which there was no sign of the fatigue that usually props up in themed anthologies.

There is a strong flavour of Nigeria in the writing, and by this, I don’t mean the Nigeria that the media shows us or the stereotypical negatives alone. We see the food, the culture, the beliefs, the parenting style, the social norms, and the gender-based requirements. We see the juxtaposition of the traditional with the modern. We see characters caught in tough circumstances, with their response deciding what will happen next. Of course, given the title, the negative features outweigh the positives in almost every story, but there is still a strength to the characters that attaches a sense of hope – often unfounded – even to dire circumstances.

Many short stories are made or broken by their endings. In this set, the endings are partially incomplete but not abrupt; only avid short fiction readers might understand what I mean by this line. The stories stop at the right transitional moment in the life of the characters, the point at which the main topic of the story is either settled or given up on. This isn’t a book you should pick if you want happy endings or settled conclusions. To me, the endings were perfect!

As always, I rated the stories individually. Of the ten stories, only three stories ended up between 3 and 3.5 stars. The rest were all 4 stars and above. These were my top favourites:
🐍 Nwunye Belgium: An impactful take about how counting your chickens before the eggs hatch is nothing but a recipe for disaster. Loved the characters and the emotions in this story. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🐍 Long Hair: A story that begins with a simple jealousy and explodes into a nightmare. Loved the use of the first person in this one. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🐍 Animals: Brilliant! Rarely does an author nail a short story written from multiple character perspectives! Loved how complex the characters and their emotions were. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐍 Eden: When two siblings discover some naughty movies, their young minds are filled with queries, forgetting the repercussions of their inquiry. I adored the poignant feel of this story. Never have I seen a story revolving around porn to be so emotionally charged! It also exposes the double standards of adults. Excellent! - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐍 Burning: A sad story about a little girl who's caught up in the turmoil of her mother's mental health issues. Heartbreaking! I felt like entering the setting and giving the girl a tight hug. Some adults simply don't see their own shortcomings. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨


All in all, this is one of the best story collections I've read in a long while. I love OwnVoices works, and this book shows how brilliantly an authentic voice can elevate our reading experience.

Strongly recommended to all readers of short fiction and all lovers of African or culturally-themed or OwnVoices fiction.

4.1 stars, based on the average of my rating for each tale. (If you are familiar with how mathematical averages work, you will know that this is an outstanding average for a story collection.)

My thanks to Tin House and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Kind of Madness”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Loved all of the short stories and how they tied to "madness." I took my time reading this book and it never lost it's footing of the plot.

This wonderful short story collection provides an inside look into the lives of Nigerian women and of the bonds - at once fragile and intractable - of mothers and daughters and of childhood friendships and alliances. In these stories, children learn to trust and to distrust the adults in their lives, and place hope over and over again in friends who not only disappoint but who are openly cruel. Learning how to survive the many hurts and slights of childhood as a young woman is core to these stories. Readers, especially women, regardless of country or class, will recognize the sharp sting of rejection and betrayal, the ways we reach out for attention while forgetting to protect our own hearts, how fickle is the open-ended contract of friendship and love.

A kind of madness, was certainly that! Several short stories about people that hail from Igboland and the kinds of tradition, folklore, superstition and religious practices and at times ignorance that can shape the lives of its people. I enjoyed each of these stories as they were well written and unique and a good glimpse into the familiar or totally new madness that Nigerians can face.

Thank you to Uche Okonkwo, Tin House, and Netgalley for the digital ARC copy of A Kind Of Madness in exchange of an honest review. Keep an eye out for this book, release of April 16, 2024

This collection of stories was unlike anything I have ever read. I was engrossed from the very first story. These stories each so unique to the different manifestations of madness. I loved the characters and cultural emersion with each story. So different yet relatable and easy to follow. The way in which each story had a different family relationship highlighted and the struggles within that relationship and pull in our own actions. To question what we wouldn't do for our relationships and just how close we all are to 'madness'. It seemed to me, these stories were hovering on the edge of horror and had me eagerly turning the next page. This was a very fast read that I can definitely spend more time in this book.

The writing was beautiful and there were some beautiful quotes. There were some odd capitalizations and formatting errors that were a bit distracting but didn't take away from the stories. I will keep an eye out for further works from this author.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6274533123

To be released April 16, 2024, this upcoming collection of short stories by Uche Okonkwo dives deep into the lives of Nigerian women dealing with all sorts of feelings – from anger and sadness to shame and longing. With ten tales packed in, each story brings its own vibe, whether it's about a broke girl feeling jealous of her rich friend or a daughter wandering through town trying to cope with her mom's mental health struggles. Tackling themes of madness, both literal and figurative, "A Kind of Madness" serves up a poetic ride through survival and the tough stuff life throws our way. I did find that some of the stories were a bit dull (?), which I guess is the point - different levels of madness but it just felt like some of the stories could have been a bit more exciting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review! Short story collections are always some of my favorite things to read, especially when the stories are somewhat unsettling. This short story collection was honestly even more than what I had hoped for. Almost all the stories were heart-wrenching, especially the ones that examined the bonds between mothers and daughters. All of the details in this book very so vivid, I honestly couldn't put this book down until I was finished with the whole thing. I applaud the author on her first published work and hope to see many more short story collections from her in the future!

The stories included in this collection have the common thread of exploring some kind of “madness”, whether perceived, clinical, obsession, depression, etc. Told from many different prospectives, including adults and children? All set in Lagos, it definitely gave a feeling of immersion. I would give the individual stories ratings between 3-4 stars, but overall enjoyable and interesting reading experience.

Uche Okonkwo captures the resistance between a culture deeply ingrained and modern seepage from elsewhere.

Few things are as satisfying as a book that makes you crave the warmth and flavors of dishes you've never tasted.

These stories delicately balance the pains of childhood and parenthood without degrading the emotions of either.

"... her shadow was no longer attached to her, that it had come undone and was skulking around the house like a dark cloud."

"She would choke on blessed Jesus oil."

Simply light-hearted and likewise painful, A Kind of Madness is a wonderful collection of stories.

@uch_okonkwo #uchokonkwo #AKindofMadness #NetGalley @netgalley @tin_house

I absolutely adored this series of stories from Uche Okonkwo. This collection was filled with some truly beautiful quotes and memorable motifs. Each story perfectly told of "a kind of madness" and shed light on a new culture while being incredibly relatable at the same time. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys short stories and character-driven narration. Thank you to Tin House Books for the advance digital copy!

I love collections of short stories and this one was no exception. It started out as relatively innocent stories with no clear connection but as I progressed further into the book I could tell there was a theme of mental illness and psychological horror. The characters in each story endure incredible emotional and physical trials which leave the reader on the edge of their seat, hoping that there would be a happy ending. As the title suggests, the book evolves into a little bit of madness by telling the stories of many residents of Nigeria. I enjoyed reading this book and had to have time to process after completing each story.

After delving into this book, I found myself captivated by the author's exploration of "madness" and its diverse manifestations. Whether subtle or overt, violent or calm, in the young or old, rich or poor, the portrayal was consistently intriguing. While some chapters had a slow start, the narrative gained momentum, and by the end, I was thoroughly invested.

A notable aspect was the cultural richness woven into the storyline, ranging from the significance of Nigerian dishes to the intricacies of certain towns and cultural practices. This infusion of cultural details added a personal and fluent dimension to the narrative.

Overall, it was an enjoyable and interesting read. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

I always love a collection of short stories, and these ones were very poignant and interesting. I must admit that I loved some much more than others, but overall, really great!

Great and wonky set of short stories about madness and insanity and how people can spiral. Thanks for the arc

When I read the description of this book, I was immediately excited and much to my delight it was everything I hoped it would be and then some! I absolutely devoured it, once I started I just couldn't put it down and once I turned the final page the last story had me staring at the wall for a solid 20 minutes just processing it. The stories seem deceptively short and simple, almost minimalist at times, but they linger with a surprising staying power and demand that you sit with them and pick them apart in a particularly unflinching way.

The prose is smooth and Okonkwo's literary skills come across a polished and fine tuned and I'm a sucker for a nice prose so this one delivered the proverbial goods on that front.

This book isn't marketed as horror but I suspect a couple of the stories would appeal to fans of a more subtle and psychological form of horror (there are few things more horrifying than the human mind after all).

Long story short, A Kind of Madness was absolutely delightful.

Many thanks to Tin House Books for providing me a digital review copy of this book.