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A review by gabsalott13
What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah
5.0
I’ve been trying to get my hands on Lesley Nneka Arimah’s debut collection since last year, so this is long overdue! Short story collections are probably my favorite works to read, and this one had rave reviews from nearly everyone I know. It has been an upward battle trying to find this book, which seemed to be out of stock at every bookstore I visited, both here in Philly and back home. I’m incredibly happy that Kramerbooks in DC was finally able to get the job done, because this is easily one of my favorite collections in a very long time.
In these twelve stories, we travel from hyper-reality to magical realism, from Lagos to Minnesota, and from the intimate present to the not-so-dystopian future. You’d think the shift would be more perceptible, but one of Arimah’s great strengths is her skill at blurring is the lines between commonplace and surreal misfortunes, until you're casually identifying with a story about a child made from hair. In every way imaginable, this book is impeccably paced—the stories are mostly short, but almost formulaically measured, and you get to the heart of these characters in mere sentences.
It’s tricky to narrow down my favorites, but for me, this book really picked up steam at its end. “Glory” is an abrupt love story that really drops you into the mindset of a less-than-dutiful Nigerian daughter, and compels you to root for her marriage against otherwise-held feminist beliefs. With every mistake Glory made, I was cringing with secondhand embarrassment, but in the best, most engaged way possible. “What is a Volcano” is a gripping and delightful spin on a folktale, and while it may have been the most speculative of all the stories, it was also one I most enjoyed (a *huge* compliment!) The final story, “Redemption,” perfectly captures how it feels to crush on an older, worldlier girl before you know that’s what you’re doing. It was a beautiful, beautiful piece, and one I sincerely hope I get to hear her read in the future.
This is one of those books where you read the acknowledgements thrice, as to not leave the author’s words behind. I hope everyone has a significantly easier time finding this at their local libraries and bookstores that I did, so anyone who hasn't can read it ASAP!
Final Note: In Episode 5 of Levar Burton Reads, the best podcast I haven’t yet listened to, he reads the titular story in the collection. While I can’t fully endorse this as I haven’t yet listened myself, I’m really excited to re-live such an amazing tale with his voice, and check out his interview with Arimah as soon as I get home tonight.
In these twelve stories, we travel from hyper-reality to magical realism, from Lagos to Minnesota, and from the intimate present to the not-so-dystopian future. You’d think the shift would be more perceptible, but one of Arimah’s great strengths is her skill at blurring is the lines between commonplace and surreal misfortunes, until you're casually identifying with a story about a child made from hair. In every way imaginable, this book is impeccably paced—the stories are mostly short, but almost formulaically measured, and you get to the heart of these characters in mere sentences.
It’s tricky to narrow down my favorites, but for me, this book really picked up steam at its end. “Glory” is an abrupt love story that really drops you into the mindset of a less-than-dutiful Nigerian daughter, and compels you to root for her marriage against otherwise-held feminist beliefs. With every mistake Glory made, I was cringing with secondhand embarrassment, but in the best, most engaged way possible. “What is a Volcano” is a gripping and delightful spin on a folktale, and while it may have been the most speculative of all the stories, it was also one I most enjoyed (a *huge* compliment!) The final story, “Redemption,” perfectly captures how it feels to crush on an older, worldlier girl before you know that’s what you’re doing. It was a beautiful, beautiful piece, and one I sincerely hope I get to hear her read in the future.
This is one of those books where you read the acknowledgements thrice, as to not leave the author’s words behind. I hope everyone has a significantly easier time finding this at their local libraries and bookstores that I did, so anyone who hasn't can read it ASAP!
Final Note: In Episode 5 of Levar Burton Reads, the best podcast I haven’t yet listened to, he reads the titular story in the collection. While I can’t fully endorse this as I haven’t yet listened myself, I’m really excited to re-live such an amazing tale with his voice, and check out his interview with Arimah as soon as I get home tonight.