HERE IS THE STUNNING DEBUT from a fresh Nigerian literary voice: a mesmerizing, deceptively simple, Kafkaesque narrative, resonant of the myth of Orpheus andEurydice and lightly informed by the life of Nigerian musical superstar Fela Kuti—powerful story of love, sacrifice and courage. The day a stained brown envelope is delivered from Taduno’s homeland, he knows that the time has come to return from exile. Arriving full of hope, the musician discovers that his people no longer recognize him, and no one recalls his voice. His girlfriend, Lela, has disappeared, abducted by government agents. Taduno wanders through his house in search of clues, but all traces of his old life have been erased. As he becomes aware that all that is left of himself is an emptiness, Taduno finds new purpose: to unravel the mystery of his lost life and to find his lost love. But soon he must face a difficult decision: to fight the power or save his woman, to sing for love or for his people.
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“Prentice Onayemi’s lilting African English adds its own melody as he narrates musician Taduno’s struggles to reclaim his voice and his music, which he lost under an oppressive regime. The slightest modulations of volume and tone allow Onayemi to capture Taduno’s anguish and anger as he wrestles with the choice of saving his imprisoned lover and himself or saving his beloved country…Onayemi’s lyrical presentation of this short novel offers an intriguing choice for adventurous listeners.”
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AudioFile