An interesting collection of short stories based out of Lagos, Nigeria. I enjoyed the cultural elements immensely. I was hoping for more horror-y vibes from a lot of them but over all I really liked these stories. Curious to see how it does once it gets published TOMORROW! :)

Thank you to Netgalley for the gifted copy.

I am currently scheduling an interview with the author and would update the review section later but it was definitely an excellent book, especially with stories like Girlie and 24, Alhaji Williams Street. Although I had attended Pemi's panel at AWP, America's largest literary conference months earlier, it was definitely mind-blowing reading her work, cementing her as one of the greatest contemporary Nigerian short story writers in recent years.

Heady stories that seamlessly mix the everyday with the supernatural. Each is set in or around Lagos Nigeria, but features a wildly different main character to fill in a nuanced portrait of life in the city. Each story also centers, and provocatively skews, ideas of family and motherhood.

I really enjoyed my experience with this collection. The book finished on a very strong note, with two of my favourite stories. Some of the standouts were 24, Alhaji Williams Street, The Dusk Market, and Masquerade Season. Really recommend this to lovers of magical realism, speculative fiction, and literary short stories.

In a Nutshell: A beautiful OwnVoices collection of short stories set in Lagos, Nigeria. The locational feel as well as the writing is outstanding. Each story feels unique. An excellent debut, much recommended, especially to speculative fiction and dark fantasy lovers.

The highlight of this collection of twelve stories is its setting. Each narrative is based in Lagos, a city that juxtaposes the modern as well as the traditional, the African culture with a sprinkling of Western modernity. (Probably, a bit like India in this sense. We have the best of both worlds – traditional roots and modern wings.) The stories have an authentic vibe that immerses you in the location and makes you feel Lagos and its sights and sounds.

The cover, with the inherent contrast between the serene smile and the gush of blood, ought to prepare you for the content. Most of the stories are a combination of the routine and the supernatural. Characters are portrayed in ordinary situations, but their ordinary itself is extraordinary, what with sentient houses and macabre babies and women turning into birds. If you expect straightforward or traditional stories, this book isn’t for you. But if you like the twisted, the dark, and the speculative, you will relish this creative set.

Each tale is primarily a chronicle of human struggle, whether against the sins of the past or the oppression of the present or a threat of the future. You see a granddaughter who suddenly finds her late grandmother reincarnate in the weirdest way possible. You see a servant girl who is kidnapped by someone least expected to commit such an act. You see a street full of fearful families as a strange virus takes the life of its sons, going linearly from one end of the road affecting each house in numerical sequence. The stories generate varied emotions, not just the negative ones. There is a fun and happy undertone as well in a couple of the tales, but most of the stories stay firmly rooted on the darker side.

A majority of the stories come to us from the female perspective, which seems to be the common situation in African writing. However, there are a couple of really strong tales with male leads as well. All the main characters feel relatable to us in their responses, even if their situations are too wild to be within the normal realm of human experience.

I am truly impressed that this is a debut work. The writing is so vivid and polished! I love how the author takes the heart of Nigerian culture and blends it seamlessly with the bizarreness that is spec fic. None of the stories repeats themes or plots, so every story feels distinct in content as well as impact. Nothing in the writing makes it seem like it required further polish or proofing. The endings are apropos to the speculative genre, so they worked excellently for me, but they aren’t for readers requiring happy endings.

The only thing I wish this collection would have incorporated is an author’s note. My friends know my fondness for authors’ notes, especially in collections/anthologies. Knowing the author’s intent behind the stories or even getting an idea of the theme connecting the stories prepares a great preparatory foundation, helping us know what to expect from the book.

As always, I rated the stories individually. Of the twelve stories, only two stories failed to touch the three-star mark, and that too by a narrow margin. The rest were all at 3.5 stars and above, leading to a great reading experience. These were my top favourites:
🧿 Manifest - When a pimple manifests on the narrator's face, it's the first sign of a greater manifestation. Creepy and gripping. I anyway have a soft corner for the second person pov, so this was an easy winner. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
🧿 Breastmilk - Not so speculative as much as psychological. The titular breastmilk plays an important role in this story about a woman struggling to let go, in more ways than one. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
🧿 The Hollow - What is a house? Protection, secrecy, shelter, imprisonment? All this and more. I love it when speculative fiction combines the inexplicable seamlessly with reality. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
🧿 Things Boys Do - When you read the title, would you expect the story to be about a group of new fathers trying to fit into their new role? And when I tell you that it's about these new dads, would you expect the story to be one of love or one of guilt and terror? Full marks for surprising me with the plot and satisfying me with the ending. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🧿 Masquerade Season - It's an open secret that I am very dense when it comes to reading metaphorical/allegorical content. I know for sure that this story is in that category, and the deeper meaning of it went above my head. But the writing is so beautiful and so poignant that it ended up as one of my favourites. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

All in all, this has been a brilliant and satisfying OwnVoices work, even more impressive when you remember that it is a debut offering. The plotlines, the emotions, the cultural setting, and the strangeness work in harmony to create a mesmerising yet haunting effect.

Strongly recommended to all short story lovers who enjoy African speculative fiction. If you love content that challenges your mind and leaves you restless, this book is made for you. I am definitely going to keep a keen eye on what this writer will pen next.

4 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each story. (If you are familiar with my ratings, you will know that an average that goes to 4 stars and beyond is outstanding for an anthology.)

My thanks to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for the DRC of “Ghostroots”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Absolutely loved everything about this debut collection of short stories by author, 'Pemi Aguda. Everyone needs to have this collection on release date! AH!

Surreal. Dark. Poignant. Each story is a page turner. While some have similar themes, Aguda does a fantastic job of putting a different spin to each one. Excellent craft. Born in Lagos, Nigeria Aguda uses her home as the setting throughout her collection. They're dark tales (no gore) and I can't recommend this collection enough.

I'd recommend "Ghostroots" to readers who enjoy literature from diverse authors, dark themes, and surreal seekers.

I really enjoyed Ghostroots. Each story has a fairy tale quality, in both the content, and the rhythm — this book is the work of a pure storyteller, who could just as easily be sitting next to you, whispering in your ear, as in front of you, on the printed page.

It’s a book of short stories, so it’s inherently inconsistent in terms of quality - some feel like they end too soon, one I wish hadn’t been included, but the majority are strong - getting stronger as it goes. And the connective recurring theme of parents and children gives it a more considered feel than most modern short story collections.

My highlight: Things Boys Do, which is an excellent, original, horror concept, expertly delivered. It has the wonderful inevitability of all great short stories - one step ahead of you, leading you to a satisfying destination.

The final story, about the masquerades, that’s lovely too.

I’ll follow Aguda's work to enjoy their evolution. Loved the cover, by the way - it perfectly matches Ghostroot’s tone and feel.

These stories are fantastic. And that cover! I loved how they all felt so singular yet tied together in theme and location. As a short story collection, it felt cohesive and nothing was out of place.

"Ghostroots: Stories" is a captivating collection that lingers in your mind. Each story is like a small universe, rich with emotion and depth. Aguda's writing is powerful and evocative, drawing you into the lives of her characters with ease. From start to finish, this book is a journey worth taking.

I cannot wait to teach some of the short stories. This collection is brilliant! I haven't read a short story collection like this in years. I LOVED this so much and cannot recommend it enough.

I believe this is a debut short story collection with Nigerian backdrops steeped in folklore, superstition, and the supernatural. The stories are purposeful, suspenseful, and most have satisfying endings (albeit, a few were a bit too open-ended for me). Their protagonists were diverse, but equally troubled dealing with everyday pressures and challenges of their lives. For example, one story glimpses a homesick house girl is abducted at a market by a strange woman; in another a strange plague (eerily similar to the Biblical reckoning) slowly progressing from house to house that takes the lives of the youngest son of the household; and yet another one that plays on the “Sins of the Father” parable.

The author examines the weight and after effects of guilt on the individual and the effects on the family, the karmic laws of the universe, the search for happiness, the effects of loneliness, the tests of faith, etc on relatively ordinary characters. My favorites were Manifest, Things Boys Do, Imagine Me Carrying You, 24, Alhaji Williams Street, and Birdwoman. I enjoyed this set of stories and will definitely read this author again.

Thanks to the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, and NetGalley for an opportunity to review.

Ghostroots is a unique and unsettling collection of 12 stories each a different tale of a life in Lagos, Nigeria. A blend of horror, supernatural elements and realism I enjoyed how things in each story ranged from just slightly off to out right weird. The settings were vivid and I felt immersed in the strangeness and magic of the narratives.

All the stories were interesting, the ones I have been reflecting on most are: Breastmilk, Birdwoman, Girlie and Masquerade Season. Each dealt with different things; loss, self-discovery, transformation, and family connections in dynamic ways. The writing across all stories was beautiful.

I also love style of the cover of the book, it looks like an art print and the colors contrast nicely with each other and the grotesqueness of the image. I recommend this book if you are looking for short, speculative stories to read.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC!

I really wanted to love this--and that cover is just stunning--but I found the stories to be a little underwhelming to be honest. The writing is good for the most part, but I found that the stories has a tendency to spell things out for the reader in a way that was unnecessary and simplistic. I would've loved to try to put those pieces together myself rather than have them put together for me. This wasn't bad, just disappointing.

I’m a long time fan of ‘Pemi’s work and I’ve been waiting years for their Cole toon. This was a great collecting of spooky stories. ‘Pemi is a very talented writer and the way she writes her sentences is so beautiful. I’ve never read prose that was so tight and precise and sharp. Her words are alive on the page. This was a great collection and I’m very excited for their novel. My fave stories in the collection are Manifest, Things Boys Do, Imagine Me Carrying You, 24, Alhaji William Street, and Breastmilk. All the stories are great but these were my fave. Highly recommend.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

This book of short stories is one of the most magical and passionate reads in read this year. Filled with magic and the occult, each character aims to free themselves from the ancestrial ties.

I love stories like these, the kind that verge into the uncanny. But it's Aguda's sentences that blew me away. I was stunned at everything occurring on the level of the line. This collection might be the best I've read in 2024 so far. Thank you to the publisher for the e-galley!

A brilliant collection of short fiction that gleams with glints of unsettling, quiet horror. The stories have a surreal quality to them, as if reality is shifting and twisting beneath the surface.

eee, I absolutely adored the stories in 'ghostroots'!! this collection had a big focus on family, parenthood & identity. loved all the magic & mythology sprinkled throughout and the writing style kept me hooked on stories that might've otherwise bored me. so many of these stories had me so impressed that I assumed they'd be my fav and then I'd read another that amazed me just as much!

it was also really cool learning more about lagos - nigeria is a setting i love in books in general but these stories felt like being transported there, v immersive. highly recommend this one and looking forward to telling all my friends about it!!

thanks netgalley and ww norton & company <3

4.5 rounded down

I don’t usually encounter a story collection where I have joyed each story as much as Ghostroots!! And that cover?? Incredible.

This was so powerful! There were many different aspects of family bonds, with a focus on the relationships between parents and children. These stories spoke of breaking free from oppression. They spoke of growth and self knowledge.

Some of my favorites include:

Breastmilk

Things Boys Do

Birdwoman

My absolute favorite story in the collection was Masquerade Season! It was heartbreaking and empowering at the same time.