The Saint of Bright Doors, by Vajra Chandrasekera

I did not know when reading this story that it was a retelling of the origin story of the Buddha. It would have made a difference in how much I appreciated it. I have read and been around enough Buddhism to have consumed some versions of his origin story, and the fact that he named his child Fetter IRL was never mentioned.

Another reviewer said they admired the story more than liked it. I can second this. I found it amazingly imaginative just as a story, but it went on and on without really gripping me and took me a long time to finish. The idea of a prison so large that it becomes more like a country is one that will stick with me. Fetter the protagonist did kind of grow on me, but not so much that I truly cared about his fate. So much went on in this story that just got by me. I appreciate his perspective and hope Chandrasekera keeps writing.

My Goodreads Review

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, by Wole Talabi

A lot of folks seemed to have expected something a bit different than they got from this novel. I did not read the blurb so was fortunately not misled. This is a fun and interesting fantasy novel based in Nigerian culture. When Talabi writes about Nigerian culture, he blends past and present in a way that's really interesting to me as a white reader. Nigeria is a country of extreme income inequality, but his depictions of wealth in Lagos remind us that destitution is not the only story in Africa. The book is both playful and deep, laying a goofy corporate power structure over pre-colonial tribal religion to create the backdrop for the story.

Shigidi is a constructed being, a minor nightmare god created from clay by Olorun, a powerful Orisha that used to run the spiritual corporation they are both connected to (it has a totally forgettable generic name). He works for prayers of believers--Talabi hints at an economy of prayer money. He is just scraping by when he meets Nneoma, a succubus and more elemental being that lives outside the spiritual economy the spiritual corporations have created. Their growing love is the central driver in the story, as Shigidi is remade into a god as potent as any other with Nneoma's infusions of power. The brass head is a macguffin, a physical object that focuses the efforts of the protagonists.

Talabi's writing has really developed. The narrative has many threads, mainly distinguished by the date and time at the head of each chapter. Pay attention to these. I found the shifts entertaining, they made me work a bit to keep up with the plot but injected backstory at the right time. Good stuff! Not perfect, there may have been too many of those threads and it got confusing sometimes, but overall worth it and a really good read.

My Yelp Review