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A Spell of Good Things
- Narrated by: Ore Apampa, Babajide Oyekunle
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
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A Spell of Good Things
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Summary
LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023
MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2023: the Observer, Guardian, Financial Times, Stylist, the Express and Oprah Daily
Ayòbámi Adébáyò, the Women's Prize-shortlisted author of Stay With Me, unveils a dazzling story of modern Nigeria and two families caught in the riptides of wealth, power, romantic obsession and political corruption.
Eniola is tall for his age, a boy who looks like a man. His father has lost his job, so Eniola spends his days running errands for the local tailor, collecting newspapers and begging, dreaming of a big future.
Wuraola is a golden girl, the perfect child of a wealthy family. Now an exhausted young doctor in her first year of practice, she is beloved by Kunle, the volatile son of family friends.
When a local politician takes an interest in Eniola and sudden violence shatters a family party, Wuraola and Eniola's lives become intertwined. In this breathtaking novel, Ayòbámi Adébáyò shines her light on Nigeria, on the gaping divide between the haves and the have-nots, and the shared humanity that lives in between.
Critic reviews
"A moving story, skilfully told, about Eniola, a boy whose future has been snatched away from him, and Wuraola, a talented, overworked junior doctor, whose intertwined narratives combine to produce an insightful portrait of an unequal and deeply divided society moving towards a terrible crisis. A Spell of Good Things is both gripping and memorable." (Pat Barker)
"Adebayo’s mesmerizing prose is suffused with heart and sharp emotions. Every page of this book was a pleasure to read. Even the hard parts. A Spell of Good Things is a triumph of storytelling." (Chika Unigwe)
"All characters matter in Ayobami Adebayo’s intricate, haunting and timely fictional exploration of classism and sexism set in Nigeria’s election season." (Sefi Atta)
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What listeners say about A Spell of Good Things
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chidinma Ogbonnaya
- 07-03-23
Incredible but heartbreaking
I loooooooooooooved these voice actors! More of this Audible. As for the story? I am incredibly sad. What a tale.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 30-05-23
Is the title supposed to be Ironic ?
Thoroughly enjoyed the juxtaposition so poor and rich , their journeys and united outcomes. It reminds me of a saying many Nigerians cling to about being in Nigeria “Pray Nigeria never happens to you.
The title made me think there would be something hopeful at the end …
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Segun Osuntokun
- 15-09-23
A gripping tale beautifully narrated.
A captivating story which brilliantly reflects life in modern Nigeria. My narration was first class and I was pleased that it was done by native Yoruba speakers who got the pronunciation of names and the Yoruba words just right.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Jolafab
- 12-03-23
This story could have been better.
I enjoyed listening to this book until I got to the uneven narration. This spoilt the overall experience for me. The 2 voices did not flow together. Worst still for me as an Ijesha girl was hearing my language being spoken so badly and even some Yoruba words were said wrongly. Why did the author not find people who knew the language to read the book? I didn't like the ending as it seemed like there is a part 2 but no mention of that. It was left hanging.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tolu Jaiyebo
- 09-02-23
Exceptional
Ayobami writes like a dream, and Ore and Babajide brought this dream to life with their narration. They did a stellar job bringing the characters to life and I can't wait to hear more of their narrations!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Erica
- 18-03-24
Wow it took me on a journey.
Wura and Eniola are fully developed characters who take you into their inner thoughts such that you empathise, become fiercely protective and just want to hug them. The politics, socioeconomic issues, the gender issues, etc. fully packed with all the good stuff that make a good novel. I thought nothing could surpass stay with me but this is a strong contender. Well done Ayobami
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 25-11-23
A work of art
Imagery is immaculate
Storytelling is stupendous
Narration is fab
Looking forward to more from this author
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Meilifisayo
- 19-11-23
Good
Don’t like the open ending of the book. I wish time was taken to finish the book properly
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ginika Fotofili
- 26-10-23
Absorbing Novel
Captivating from the first chapter and beautifully narrated. Rivetting and emotional story full of heartbreak.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Customer
- 18-05-23
Fascinating
Really brilliantly written and narrated. The story is fascinating and addresses several long persistent key societal issues, such as domestic violence, poverty, depression etc.
I didn’t care so much for the gruesome ending though.
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