★★★★☆ Heist of the Gods

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon

Wole Talabi

Most of the characters of Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon are gods or godlike. They are diminished gods -- they have corporations and board meetings and quarterly targets, and some of them are wage slaves. Shigidi, when our story begins, is a minor god in the Orisha spirit company. He brings nightmares and death to those whose enemies pray to him, for which service he receives inadequate compensation from the company. On one such assignment he finds himself in conflict with succubus Nneoma, who has a prior claim on the man he is about to kill. Nneoma corrupts or uplifts (depending on ones point of view) Shigidi, and they become partners. Despite not being named in the title, Nnemoa is as much a protagonist of the novel as Shigidi.

Shigidi amd Nneoma are hired by Olorun, chairman of the board of the Orisha Spirit Company, to retrieve an artifact that was that was stolen from Africa by the English and is now on exhibit in the British Museum. Olorun needs the brass head of Obalufon for his corporate power plays.

There are two main stories here: the heist, and the story of Shigidi and Nneoma. The heist story is the most fun. Near the end of the book one of the characters aptly sums it up

I’m not sure I even understand what happened tonight. Weirdest heist I’ve ever seen or heard of.

But Shigidi and Nneoma's love story is the one that will remain with you after you finish the book.

Although the narrative wanders all over the world, it takes place mostly in London and Lagos. I enjoyed the exposure to Nigerian culture. Stylistically, I was taken aback by Wole Talabi's many detailed technical descriptions of apparel. Almost every time he described what someone was wearing, I found myself compelled to do a web search for the terms he used. For instance, I had never before heard the term "pocket square" -- I had to look that one up. In the circles in which I move pens are de rigueur in men's breast pockets. (In days of yore my father used to carry a slide rule there. It is, alas, no longer practical to accessorize with a slide rule.)

Advice to readers: the story jumps around a lot. Each chapter begins with a location and date. Pay attention to these, especially the dates. Knowing when you are will make the story easier to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for an advance reader copy of Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon. This review expresses my honest opinions.

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