Title: Welcome to Lagos
Author: Chibundu Onuzo
Summary: Welcome to Lagos follows a group of strangers who meet on a bus ride to Lagos, each of them running away for a different reason: deserting the military, fleeing an abusive husband, orphaned by an attack on their village. After arriving in the city, they find themselves in the middle of a scheme involving ten million dollars, a disgraced Education Minister, and the editor of a failing newspaper.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review:
When I first started reading Welcome to Lagos, I found it a little slow and I wasn't sure whether I would really get into it. As time went by and the pages kept turning, I completely revised that opinion - I became so invested in the plot and since finishing, it has really stayed with me.
Chibundu Onuzo is a great writer; her prose is effortless and her characters are so distinct and full of personality. This is a classic 'rag-tag bunch of underdogs come together to save the day' kind of story, and it's so well done. I really loved the ensemble cast, as individuals and as a group.
The five main characters are Chike (an army officer who deserts after disagreeing with military attacks on innocent people), Yemi (an army private who dutifully follows Chike), Oma (a woman running from domestic abuse), Isoken (whose family were killed, leaving her alone), and Fineboy (a young former militant with aspirations to be a radio personality).
The plot is most often observed through Chike's eyes, but this didn't overwhelm the ensemble feel. Each of the five were featured enough throughout the book to be sympathetic and to engage the reader, although I do feel that Isoken and Yemi could have been given a bit more prominence. In a way, they all felt more like characters created to put across a moral message than real, believeable people, but this gives the novel an air of a modern fable or folk tale.
Pacing is the main issue with this book. The first third or so lags a little, with not much action or significant character development. It also tends to jump between locations and people, meaning I had to go back several times to remind myself of details I'd forgotten. Once the main part of the plot kicks into gear, that all changes. The characters are fleshed out through their reactions to the appearance of new people and the decisions they are forced to make. Within a very short space of time I went from being slightly apathetic to entirely on board and rooting for the group to succeed in their plans and keep building their bonds as a unit.
No spoilers, but there was one event at the end of the book that I feel was intended to be sad or emotional, and I didn't really find it particularly moving. However! The ending as a whole was fabulous, tied up all the loose ends and left me with a big smile on my face for many hours after putting it down.
Welcome to Lagos is a story about family before anything else, about how strangers with nothing in common on the surface can be united to bring out the best in each other and do good in the world. Although the characters battle with danger and poverty for much of the book, the tone remains light and optimistic and heart-warming. It's a reminder that in spite of all the terrible things happening in the world, most people are fundamentally good and will strive to help others.
Are you planning to read Welcome to Lagos? Why or why not? Let me know your thoughts!
Katy xo
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