This really reminded me of the Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. That author is Sri Lankan and this author is Nigerian, but it had a similar cerebral narrative style, and it was set in the spirit plane with ancient, forgotten gods and rooted in the real world. If you liked that book you’ll like this one.

This story just fascinated me. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first but it grew on me by the end of it, kind of an acquired taste that may not be for everyone. Inspired by Nigerian folklore, this is a globetrotting story taking place in Nigeria, Laos, Malaysia, London and parts in between. It’s the story of the nightmare god Shigidi and his star-crossed business partner and lover, a succubus who steals spirits using sex magic, and their latest freelance assignment to steal a sacred Nigerian headdress from the British Museum, which was in turn stolen from its rightful owners.

Where I vacillated on this book was I was expecting more of a heist thriller, but the heist was only a small part of the plot which was built on interlocking back stories that constantly jumped countries and points in time. But this lent to the cerebral quality of the narrative style which gave it a dreamlike quality that I grew into.

This book isn’t for everyone but if you like non-Western supernatural tales like I do, this book is a solid take on the genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.