When I started Wole Talabi‘s Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, I was expecting an African-themed YA novel (essentially because of a mis-remembered title).
So it was a bit of a shock when the protagonist–a discarded, minor Nigerian god–partners with a powerful and prolific succubus (indeed, a sister to the original succubus), including some well written sexually explicit scenes (a rarity in the genre–the well-written bit, not the presence). And then my further surprise when said succubus seduces Aleister Crowley, providing him with the source of his occult abilities and earning a favor the duo call in as part of a trans-dimensional heist.
The themes of the novel are decidedly adult–what is worth loving, how what we want shapes who we are, and what our relationship is to the traditions that came before us. Those themes are explored obliquely, running beneath the page-turning, cinematic and propulsive prose.
It all works. Which may be the biggest surprise of all.
And it works in a way that goes beyond the surface–as ane example, Talabi has clearly done his research, and the portrayal of Crowley as a minor character is nicely done. More importantly, of course, the vitality and variety of the Nigerian pantheon comes across well (that adjective–Nigerian–is, of course, incorrect: while there is a consistency in deities across much of West Africa, the local variances are great, and important, as well–but this is Reading Well, not an Academic review). The core struggle of a discarded deity to (re)gain their importance and power is well trod ground over the past few decades of the genre, but Talabi adds some nice contemporary choices, especially in how capitalism and corporate identity may impact the process.
At its core, Shigidi is a page-turner: a love story and a heist and a coming of age (sort of) story, all blended together to great success. Recommended as such–an entertaining, and occasionally compelling, read.