A Dance for the Dead by Nuzo Onoh

(Stygian Sky Media, 2022)

Reviewed by Phil Nicholls

Nuzo Onoh’s A Dance for the Dead is a fascinating blend of horror and fantasy, with a strong set of engaging characters. The novel is set in an African village, home to the king of the nearby clans. Onoh makes great use of this setting, weaving together mythology and the rhythms of life in rural Africa. It is the intense rivalries of this close-knit community that fuel the dramatic plot.

Diké, eldest son of the King, is leader of the powerful Ogwummi warrior cult and the apple of the King’s eye. However, Diké’s younger brother, Ife Feather Feet, prefers dancing and palm wine to the responsibilities of adulthood. When the King asks Diké to kidnap Ife and push him into marriage, Ife arranges with the unpopular Emeka to kidnap Diké first and delay any threat of marriage.

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Review from BSFA Review 22 - Download your copy here.