A Spell of Good Things cover art

A Spell of Good Things

Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2023

 Preview

Listen with Audible free trial

Free with 30-day trial
Prime logo New to Audible Prime Member exclusive:
2 credits with free trial
1 credit a month to use on any title to download and keep
Listen to anything from the Plus Catalogue—thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts and audiobooks
Download titles to your library and listen offline
₹199.00 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.

A Spell of Good Things

Written by: Ayobami Adebayo
Narrated by: Babajide Oyekunle, Ore Apampa
Free with 30-day trial

₹199.00 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for ₹833.60

Buy Now for ₹833.60

SHORTLISTED FOR THE DYLAN THOMAS PRIZE 2024
LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023

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 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 unexpectedly intertwined. In this breathtaking novel, Ayobami Adebayo shines her light on Nigeria, the gaping divides in its society, and the shared humanity that lives in between.

 Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Relationships World Literature
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic Reviews

"Adebayo is carving a real name for herself as a chronicler of moving Nigeria-set stories with sociopolitical subtexts and a Dickensian flavour . . . Profound"
"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)
"A powerful, staggering read"
"An outstanding read" (ANITA RANI)
"Heart-rending . . . a breeze to read, despite the weightiness of its subject matter . . . Adebayo handles her characters with empathy and nuance, showing their vulnerabilities, yearnings, shame and delusions"
"Adebayo humanizes those sucked into the vortex of [. . . ] power with striking compassion — the characters’ misjudgments and delusions are deeply and empathetically imagined, wholly alive"
"Couldn’t be more timely. It’s as much about politics as it is a story of toxic relationships, coming of age, and finding the courage to do the right thing" (AFUA HIRSCH)
"A portrait of domestic strife and political tensions in Nigeria" (Michael Donkor)
"Spellbinding . . . Beautiful writing and a story that we found truly unforgettable"
"A triumph . . . a shrewdly-observed, intricate story about power, politics, and poverty, and one which renders Nigeria in high-definition colour"
All stars
Most relevant
I felt sad how it's same story over and over again. Africa+ politics = family sorrow

Good Book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A thought provoking book. It shows that where ever we are, human aspirations are the same. A glimpse into the lives of haves and have nots and how both are trapped by their status and a strong sense of family. Thoroughly enjoyed it. So well narrated by both the performers.

A different world of similar stories

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A decent read. Quickly going over the book:
It covers 2 families belonging to opposite strata of society. Their lives intersect from time to time. Both families are plagued by issues of different nature. The issues are covered well. The story captures how fleeting moments in ones life can change ones course forever. However the pace of the plot is all over the place. It starts super slow, thickens a bit in the middle and then just ends abruptly leaving one disappointed. The author could have done a faaaar better job. The narrators have made the listen feel authentic. So they salvage they book a bit through their efforts

Pacing of the story is all over the place

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.