The Famished Road: Introduction by Vanessa Guignery (Everyman’s Library Contemporary Classics Series)

In an attempt to steer myself away from Eurocentric literature, I have attempted to branch into other traditions from other cultures. Although the author, Ben Okri, was educated in England, this book is firmly rooted in African spiritualism. At first, this was fascinating to me as the world of reality and the demon/angel world competed for control of the main character, but it became repetitious midway through the book. At the very first, there was considerable suspense as the child was pursued and tormented by spirits, but this perilous contest continued relentlessly.

Perhaps, my lack of appreciation was because I was not schooled in magical realism nor in the traditions and rituals of West Africa. Nonetheless, this book is considered a classic and begins a trilogy by the author. It is an acclaimed book, winning the Booker Prize in 1991. That being said, the book is written from a child’s point of view and what is very fascinating is his perspective on the adult world as it borders and gives way to the world of spirits.