I discovered this collection through Levar Burton Reads, an excellent podcast.
The title story, What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky, proved itself to be a fascinating sociopolitical sci-fi tale featuring a subject that always gives me pause: grief.
Indeed a few stories in Arimah's collection also deal with some kind of grief though I'll admit I wasn't drawn to the presentation of most of them.
While it is eye-opening to explore the present state of African culture, the spectacle eventually wore off for me and something more unique was desired.
Fortunately there were a few fantastical tales speckled throughout the collection which I cherished between the straightforward spouts of human conflict.
I also loved the cheekiness of Arimah's omniscient third person narrator: without that, the 'reality' of her fictions would have just been crushing.
A strong debut.
Notable Stories
- · Windfalls - that last fall will haunt me every time I think of this collection: pure tragic irony.
- · Who Will Greet You at Home - a hungry hair baby is not as horrifying as you might think...
- · What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky - my entry point with strong world-building.
