The Bodies That Move

This is the moving story of a young man, Nosa, who embarks on an unpredictable and perilous journey to Europe from his home in Nigeria, when he comes to the conclusion that, in spite of his education, diligence and hard work, there can be no future for him there. And what a journey it turns out to be – full of danger, violence and exploitation, but also of friendship and even love. It’s a really compelling account of the human reality behind the news headlines, a portrayal of what it’s really like to be such a migrant, desperate only for a better life than can be aspired to in the native country that has failed them. In clean, clear, unadorned prose, the author takes the reader into Nosa’s world and opens up to us experiences that we can only look upon with horror and profound sympathy. A great read, and an important one.

According to the author's note, Bunye Ngene grew up in Lagos, Nigeria surrounded by laughter and books.. That background serves him well as a somehow comforting guide through a fascinatingly suspenseful journey to a better life. This riveting novel clearly shows and tells what it means to immigrate to another country for safety, security, and a chance at a better life. Ngene tells his tale in a calm conversational style, in the story of someone we have all read about but few have met, Nosa is a well educated individual fully capable of making his way in the world - but not in the oppressing world in which he was born. His journey is uncertain, dangerous but also rich in relationships formed on the fly with others in his predicament. The suspense ramps up to a nerve wracking finish. All in all a first rate read.

The story opens with Nosa in the middle of the sea, on a dinghy, in a precarious position. Then we return to when he was graduating at the head of his class and follow along to find out what led him to be fleeing his country and family on a boat. The story is a sad one and probably more common than anyone's heart can stand but Mr. Ngene has somehow infused the telling with hope. Nosa knows his family is depending on him. Instead of despair, he uses this as a focal point to help guide him through his precarious journey. With this dedication and a bit of luck, he manages to persevere on an incredible voyage where he meets several people, interesting in their own way. I thoroughly enjoyed this quick but endearing read.

Thanks to NetGalley and BooskGoSocial for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.

The Bodies That Move tells the story of Nosa, who sets out to find greener land. As the eldest son, he cares for his mother and siblings, as his father has abandoned the family. In Nigeria, he sees no perspective for a better life. Therefore, he takes up the idea of many of his young compatriots to emigrate to Europe, where he expects a better life. To achieve this goal, he puts his fate in the hands of people smugglers. Thus begins an odyssey through cities, concentration camps and war zones. There he meets fellow travellers who all hope to find a happier existence in Europe. During this journey, we learn about Nosa's life so far. As readers, we embrace Nosa in our hearts and sympathise with him, hoping that he can reach his destination. It often takes courage to continue reading the book, as many brutal scenes weigh on one's mind and show the hardships refugees go through to get to the supposedly promised Europe. But it is worth reading on because you get to know the reality and look at emigrants with different eyes after reading this book.

Nosa's journey: sadly all too real😞

4.5🌟 stars
I found Bunye Ngene's writing very easy to read and great at building the world of Nosa, a young Nigerian, well educated, but who found that corruption and nepotism were holding him back from making a good living and future in his home country. He's seduced by dreams of a better life in Europe and tales of a relatively short journey north and over the Mediterranean to the promised land with the assistance of organized smuggling networks.

But Nosa's actual experience is so different from the picture painted by a school acquaintance who's lived in Italy and the people smuggling operators. So much hardship, violence and cruelty touches Nosa and his fellow migrants as they find themselves at the complete mercy and whims of the smugglers and government officials who profit from them.

This story packs plenty of information about local society and culture too. And the story flows and keeps up a good pace, both before and after Nosa makes the decision to head to Europe. Once or twice I felt the story got a bit off track describing ceremonies and events unrelated to the main plot, but, by in large, this is a moving depiction of the driving forces and consequences of illegal migration in an Africa-Europe context.

I particularly liked that it's basically the story of one individual caught in the midst of a bigger issue. Nosa often becomes separated from his fellow travellers and does not know what's happened to them, nor does he fully understand what's happening to him; that's totally realistic. The Bodies That Move puts a spotlight on the bigger migration issue through the fictional experiences of one traveller. Though it ends on a promising HFN note for so many this journey does not.

A worthwhile read for sure. Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Fascinating, horrifying, heartbreaking, heartwarming.....you will feel all this as you read this book.

It's a story of movement: Of wanting a better life, in Europe.

It would be a thought-provoking read for anyone who believes that migrants should stay where they are. The reasons why they come, the conditions they're coming from, the dangers they face whilst travelling, yet still the risks are worth taking, even if their lives are endangered. It's an eye-opening read and will increase understanding of why they leave their own countries to start again in another.

A much-needed account of what it means to be a refugee, The Bodies That Move tackles the difficult subject of forced migration and what it takes to get to a place where one can feel (supposedly) safe and supported. Oftentimes, we are merely bombarded with jarring images of refugees crossing borders but there isn't enough emphasis on the stories behind such images. Ngene fills this gap by offering an insight into Nosa's life, and by extension, the motivation for most refugees, their struggles, and the risks that they take for a "better" life, challenging the dehumanizing effect of the discourse on refugees and immigrants today.

The Bodies That Move is a powerful and timely story about the human cost of migration. Nosa's journey takes him from the slums of Lagos to Libya, Niger and finally Europe as a refugee. The Bodies That Move is an important story that needs to be told.