This was an interesting collection of short stories set primarily in Lagos, each story being rather dark and unsettling in nature while centering modern Nigerian culture and society. What I particularly enjoyed about this collection was how vivid Aguda’s storytelling was. She does an excellent job whisking the reader into the vibrant life of Lagos, capturing the sounds and scenery that one might find themselves experiencing if they were in the city. Furthermore, each story had something sinister lurking in the corners that isn’t quite noticeable at first, but increasingly makes itself present to the reader in an eerie fashion.

With that said, I didn’t love this collection as much as I hoped I would. I’m not sure if it was a headspace thing or what, but I found myself skimming through a few stories. There were some really strong ones that I’m still thinking about, though, such as “Manifest” and “The Hollow.” Even if all these short stories didn’t quite work for me, I’m glad to have picked this debut collection up. I’d be really curious to know what Aguda has in store for the future, particularly if she has plans to write a novel. I know I’d pick it up, especially with the distinct voice she has.