Creatures of Passage

By: Morowa Yejidé

Narrated by: Morowa Yejidé

Longlisted for the 2022 Women's Prize for Fiction

With echoes of Toni Morrison's Beloved, Yejidé's novel explores a forgotten quadrant of Washington, DC, and the ghosts that haunt it.

"Yejidé's surreal new novel has no shortage of otherworldly surprises, but it's her this-worldly protagonist who steals the show...Informed by a richly woven mythology and propelled by themes of regret and revenge, Creatures of Passage has earned some apt comparisons to Toni Morrison's Beloved."
—Philadelphia Inquirer, One of the Best Books of Winter 2021

"Hauntingly magical, this sophomore novel by Morowa Yejidé centers a young woman dealing with the loss of her brother, her young great-nephew who mysteriously shows up at her door and Washington, DC, the city that provides an otherworldly backdrop to this imaginative thriller."
—Ms. Magazine, A Most Anticipated Book of 2021

"A deeper, broader, and more audacious immersion in magical realism...Historic detail and mythic folklore forge a scary, thrilling vision of life along America's margins."
—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED Review

"Skillfully blending fantasy and stark reality while blurring the line between the metaphoric and the tangible, Yejidé successfully tells the story in fits and starts as each major character adds a piece to the puzzle...Highly recommended."
—Library Journal, STARRED Review

"Yejidé creates a tapestry of interconnected stories of guilt, loss, love, grief, justice, and restoration...Yejidé's prose is often stunning...The story's rich texture evokes the ghost stories of Toni Morrison."
—Publishers Weekly

"Fatal racism, police violence, pedophilia, family dysfunction—all the horrific ills of contemporary society wreak destruction, but somehow humanity survives."
—Booklist

"In this beautifully written and gloriously conceived novel, Morowa Yejidé reveals her mastery yet again. This book is both contemporary and ancient, frightening and stirring, playful and wise, an unforgettable blurring of reality and genres from its haunted Plymouth automobile to the mysteries in the fog in this alternate America and hidden Washington, DC. With its lyricism and bold imagination, Creatures of Passage is unlike anything you've ever read."
—Tananarive Due, author of Ghost Summer: Stories

Nephthys Kinwell is a taxi driver of sorts in Washington, DC, ferrying passengers in a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere with a ghost in the trunk. Endless rides and alcohol help her manage her grief over the death of her twin brother, Osiris, who was murdered and dumped in the Anacostia River.

Unknown to Nephthys when the novel opens in 1977, her estranged great-nephew, ten-year-old Dash, is finding himself drawn to the banks of that very same river. It is there that Dash—reeling from having witnessed an act of molestation at his school, but still questioning what and who he saw—has charmed conversations with a mysterious figure he calls the "River Man."

When Dash arrives unexpectedly at Nephthys's door bearing a cryptic note about his unusual conversations with the River Man, Nephthys must face what frightens her most.

Morowa Yejidé's deeply captivating novel shows us an unseen Washington filled with otherworldly landscapes, flawed super-humans, and reluctant ghosts, and brings together a community intent on saving one young boy in order to reclaim itself.

©2021 by Morowa Yejidé. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“In this ethereal novel, listeners experience the rare treat of a gifted writer narrating her own mesmerizing work. Yejidé's introspective, languorous pace is well suited to the otherworldly journeys of twins Osiris and Nephthys Kinwell - he from the other side of death's door and she barely on this side of it.” (AudioFile Magazine)

"A deeply layered novel of astonishing scope, suffused in the mythical, accented by the magical, but viscerally rooted in elemental human emotions. A deeply satisfying read." (Bloom)

Absolutely Amazing!

One of the best audiobooks ever made. What an incredibly powerful, mystical, and engrossing tale. Comparisons to the writings of Toni Morrison are warranted. Having the author narrate this story is such a great touch, it ensures the appropriate depth and nuance is conveyed. Having lived in Washington DC as a student at Howard University many, many years ago, I am familiar with the setting and the context of this story. I was able to connect with this story in so many ways. The breathtakingly beautiful, lyrical writing is absolutely superb. The cultural depth of this story is immense and disturbing, yet so relatable and accurate. The disturbing plot will keep the listener engrossed and enraged, yet sensitive to the humanity of these strange characters. This was simply amazing!!!!!!

Brilliantly Written

A wonderful story about loss, disconnection, spirituality and living on the outer fringes. I love the way this book draws on things like Egyptian mythology, black ancestry and so much more, while also being at its heart a bit of a detective story about a threat that lurks nearby. Ghost story too. Well read and performed. Highly recommend.

Loved it

She writes in a beautiful and enthralling way. I really don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like this one.

By rights, a new classic

A cross between Neil Gaiman and James Joyce. This is Black lives matter and true Q told by Gabrielle Garcia Marquez.
A near flawless, possibly flawless book.
Get it for the melodic weaving of fascinating characters, depth and story.
This is a book that will change you.

Brilliant writing skills

Thanks for an insightful read on pertinent issues. Book club & I love it! ❤

Creatures of passage and bodies, the real world, as well as the magic that is possible.

I agree. This IS the one! The prose reads like poetry. Packed full of images and sensations, reality and magic. Beautiful.

Excellent!

I would gladly read more work from this author! I highly recommend this book. Extremely well written and I love the fact that the author is the narrator. I would love to see this book made into a movie!!

amazing

This is a really unique and wonderful story, mystical and lyrical and full of characters unlike any I'd read or heard about before. The author's narration is so, so good as she voices these characters and as their story unfolds so beautifully.
There are some sections that are hard to listen to involving child abuse so if you're sensitive about that subject this might not be for you. But I loved it! Hoping for more from Morowa Yejide.

Beautiful, heartbreaking and poetic.

This story pulled me back in to audio books. The last couple books I found my mind wondering. Yejideé’s words at first knocked me back and I contemplated if it was the right kind of story for me. It was. It was soul breaking, powerful and beautiful.

magical

this audiobook was so goog - almost musical






this audiobook was so grea - almost musical