A Spell of Good Things

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A Spell of Good Things was longlisted for the Booker prize and was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Encore Award. Translation rights have been sold in 12 languages. It was Good Morning America Book Buzz Pick and a New York Times Editor’s Choice. The New Yorker, NPR, The Republic and others listed it amongst the best books of 2023.

“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

“[Adebayo] has delivered a poised and luminous love story set against the backdrop of a violent contemporary Nigeria” Observer 

“Ayobami Adebayo is a natural storyteller, a spellbinder. Her expansive second novel is Dickensian in scope and execution. It sparkles.” — Helon Habila

“[A Spell of Good Things] could not be more timely, chronicling struggles of class and gender in Nigeria set against the backdrop of fiercely contested and corrosive elections” – Afua Hirsch

“Adebayo’s mesmerizing prose is suffused with heart and sharp emotions. Every page of this book was a pleasure to read. Even the hard parts. A Spell of Good Things is a triumph of storytelling” – Chika Unigwe

“All characters matter in Ayobami Adebayo’s intricate, haunting and timely fictional exploration of classism and sexism set in Nigeria’s election season” – Sefi Atta

“It is wonderful that Ayobami Adebayo has delivered a novel that takes all the promise of her debut Stay With Me to another fabulous level. Her writing has a captivating power that becomes irresistible, detail by detail, page by page, making A Spell of Good Things a truly unforgettable read” – Margaret Busby

“Bright and distinctive . . . Adebayo delivers a searing indictment of the country’s corruption and gender inequalities. This packs a powerful punch” ― Publishers Weekly

“[Ayobami Adebayo] writes about intimate, domestic Nigerian lives, in maybe the way that Anne Tyler does with America . . . within her stories is the whole entire world” ― Open Book

“Adebayo is a gifted storyteller and [A Spell of Good Things] does not disappoint” ― Oprah Daily