One stone, one bride and a zombie

₵59.99

Category Fiction

About the book

‘One stone’ is a tragicomic African mystery about a disorientated man’s quest to regain his soul, literally. This creepy tale unravels through the flawed protagonist’s own twisted observations on a journey with disparate characters from the mean, pathetic psyche of turn-of-the-millennium urban West Africa. ‘One stone’, an introspective of contemporary sensibilities, tackles the burning taboos of sexuality, politics, religion, education, tribe, pan-Africanism, corruption, class, sexual repression and wealth from a humorous and original, yet lucid point of view. Ansong wishes to die so he can regain his soul; Larepɔ desires new breasts so she can ‘live’; Valentin needs to steal so he can become honest; Doc’s yearning is to cheat so she can taste love; and, Sgt. Taki dreams of achieving recognition by any means necessary so he may gain the respect of his unfaithful wife. ‘One stone’ is about the broken lives of these characters, humorous from a distance, but heartrending close-up.

Book format: eBook

Description

In this blistering novel delivered with a power of writing reminiscent of Kojo Laing, Nana Achampong dares us with a bold, refreshing, irreverent telling of what is really an intricately woven tale. A very intricately woven tale, very cleverly crafted. “And as for the humour, it is rib-cracking.” And yet this story is ultimately a mind-bender with a philosophical sting: the role of fate in life.

Set in Accra, and Ghana, and Naija too, Achampong in One Stone, One Bride and A Zombie has created a galaxy of incredibly named yet real-to-life characters that he freely abuses one after the other, like a god or devil. Two-two girls and men with metal teeth! Men perishing with an unsmothered erections! Police officers shooting criminals in the balls! The secret lives of Korle-Bu doctors! A reporter with the scoop of the century! Proper vodou! Proper zombie! Weed! Lesbians! Orgies! My God!

Against the background of a cynical presentation of the uncertain political times, we trace the tragic lives of the individual characters and the explosions that occur when they get thrown together – from the Blue Lagoon to the Kwei family house in Jamestown. We follow their struggles in this story that presents 1990’s Accra in a solid, navigable reality. We live with them in this narrative so honest that I lost myself by immersion… And the tension! Slowly but surely, Achampong turns up the heat until the tension is white hot, begging for release…

But what can I say: just like that, Achampong has made naked an aspect of Ghanaian society and shown us what’s really going on down below. Audacious, unpredictable, crazy crazy, this impossible story is one hell of a fun read. And utterly abominable, really. Make you read some.

Martin Egblewogbe, Author, The Waiting