Book 10: A Spell of Good Things by Ayobami Adebayo

This book disappointed me, not because it was poorly written but because it ended sadly, the protagonist didn’t win, he lost. It’s so sad to think of it and truly realise that it’s how the world is, people suffer, they fail in life, families are broken, loved ones die and all you have left is the regret that you’re the cause of it all.

Eniola was a good boy despite all he suffered, with his mother and sister, they desired a better life and a lot of times, things looked promising. His dad was barely living not caring to fend for his family after he lost his job.

They have to do everything they can to pay their rent and get to pay their school fees and it includes begging, pretending to be deaf and blind.

At the other end of town, Dr Wura is in the final phase of her house posting, she gets engaged to Kenny, her longtime boyfriend, the son of Prof Coker, who intends to run for governorship in the state. Both families have been longtime friends and Wuraola’s father is willing to invest in the future of his daughter by being a sponsor to Prof. Coker’s Campaign at the risk of losing face with the Honourable who wants to be goernor.

Wura and Eniola’s life converge as they first meet at Aunty Caro’s place where Eniola is an apprentice and Yeye, Wura’s mother comes to patronise Caro. They meet again in a taxi, months later after Wura had just seen her father’s and Busola, Eniola’s sister’s corpse. Eniola recognises her and tries to apologise for being part of the men that kidnapped her father but she doesn’t recognise him.

Will Enila ever forgive himself for being the reason why his sister has gone missing for over a year, did Wura still marry Kenny despite his abuses? There’s a new governor and no one is paying for the crimes committed. Why were Eniola and his family unlucky, why didn’t they just have a happy ending, it’s so sad, I’m heartbroken but that’s how the world is, Life’s unfair.

The book is a paradox to its name, good things didn’t happen. But the writing was beautiful, and the details flow into each other, family, friends etc, captivating yet simple, I found the chapter epigraph Unique too.

It‘s a 4-star from me.