A Spell of Good Things

A Novel

By: Ayobami Adebayo

Narrated by: Babajide Oyekunle, Ore Apampa

BOOKER PRIZE NOMINEE • A NEW YORKER AND NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • GMA BUZZ PICK • A dazzling story of modern Nigeria and two families caught in the riptides of wealth, power, romantic obsession, and political corruption from the celebrated author of Stay with Me, "in the lineage of great works by Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie" (The New York Times).

Eniola is tall for his age, a boy who looks like a man. Because his father has lost his job, Eniola spends his days running errands for the local tailor, collecting newspapers, begging when he must, 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 an ascendant politician.

When a local politician takes an interest in Eniola and sudden violence shatters a family party, Wuraola's and Eniola’s lives become intertwined. In her breathtaking second novel, Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ shines her light on Nigeria, on the gaping divide between the haves and the have-nots, and the shared humanity that lives in between.

©2023 Ayobami Adebayo (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

GMA BUZZ PICK

A New York Times Editors’ Choice

A SheReads Best Book Club Pick of The Year

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK: Refinery 29, Financial Times, The Guardian, Oprah Daily, Electric Literature, Brittle Paper, and Write or Die Mag

"Adébáyò established her storytelling prowess in her 2017 debut, Stay With Me....In this compelling follow-up, Adébáyò’s hand is just as deft, but her canvas is more expansive....The graceful, stately quality of the sentences evokes restraint....Timely....Adébáyò humanizes those sucked into the vortex of that power with a striking compassion—the characters’ misjudgments and delusions are deeply and empathetically imagined, wholly alive....Readers around the world may want to turn their gazes from the poor on their neighborhood sidewalks, but the inescapable truth is that the inhabitants of any place remain bound to one another. Not just by space or circumstance, but by our shared vulnerability to the whims of socioeconomic forces, by the recognition that another human’s longings are not so different from our own."—Aamina Ahmad, The New York Times

"Adebayo is a gifted storyteller, and like her debut novel, Stay with Me, her second book does not disappoint. The thin line between the poor and the wealthy is decimated when the lives of Eniola, an errand boy for a tailor, and Wuraola, a physician, collide. The violence of elections and the empty promises of politicians, the obscene wealth of the connected, the hunger and desperation of the have-nots all intersect in this examination of a community in Nigeria."—Oprah Daily

"Eniola and Wuraola come from different classes in Nigeria, and in this dynamic sophomore novel from Adebayo, we see how socioeconomic stratification, exacerbated by gender inequality, can destroy lives at all levels. Never mind that these layers are all interdependent and innately connected—a paradox that leads here to a shocking, violent act from which there is no turning back."—Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times

Intriguing and Emotional

Kudos to this author! I literally stumbled across the title and was hooked after the preview. I felt as if I was in every scene throughout, and the ending! Incredible performance of intricate and emotional themes. The best of the best! Powerful.

👌🏿

Well told. The levels on the male Voice Over weren’t set right though. It wasn’t easy hearing him.

Great Storyline

I enjoyed listening. Got me reminiscing about Jakande secondary school days. Male audio was low.

Horrible ending

What’s up with the ending? Not sure if there’s a part 2 or something but that’s a horrible way to end a story even if there is a sequel. There’s a difference between leaving things on a cliff hanger for a sequel but this is not that. This just seems carelessly incomplete- as if the final version was sent to publishers with the last few chapters accidentally missing. A good ending makes me want to buy or look forward to a sequel but this ending has me disinterested.

Could not turn it off

A strong story with authentic characters each with their own hopes and tribulations. Loved being submerged in the culture.

too many loose ends

. Story made sense to me because I have a similar cultural background. The ending left a lot to be desired. I've read a few books by Nigerian writers that end with loose ends. Is there a lesson to this design. I don't appreciate it.

MUST READ!!!!

After reading stay with me, I could not wait for her second book. The author is brilliant in the way she explores not just the lives of the characters, but digs deeper to explore the why and the effect that life has on the choices we make. This book really puts you squarely in the characters shoes and you get to understand their choices and how they were made. The line “ yeye staring into a past that no one around her could see….as though good things could only last for a spell” summarizes this book for me.

I cannot even say enough praise for the narrators!!! African stories told by Africans with the emotions and the language that cannot be translated. Loved it!!!!!

Exquisite storytelling

I fell in love with this Author listening to Stay With Me, such beautiful story telling. It's real and authentic and that's what makes it tragic. Worth the listen!

WHY???

What’s up with the ending?
I’m noticing a trend of horrible endings with the recent Nigerian authors. Is there a part 2 of this book. This book deserves a 4 star but with that ending. I’m disappointed!

I felt immersed in the culture

Good story with a sad ending. If this depicts politics in Nigeria, it’s not quite that bad in the USA! I enjoyed the authenticity of the narration and hearing the accent and expressions in the local language. The ending left you wondering….