Fortune always left whatever room I walked into, which is why I don’t leave my place much these days.
Veteran and private eye Boubacar doesn’t need much—least of all trouble—but trouble always seems to find him. Work has dried up, and he’d rather be left alone to deal with his bills as the Harmattan rolls in to coat the city in dust, but Bouba is a down on his luck deux fois, suspended between two cultures and two worlds.
When a bleeding woman stumbles onto his doorway, only to vanish just as quickly, Bouba reluctantly finds himself enmeshed in the secrets of a city boiling on the brink of violence. The French occupiers are keen to keep the peace at any cost, and the indigenous dugulen have long been shattered into restless factions vying for a chance to reclaim their lost heritage and abilities. As each hardwon clue reveals horrifying new truths, Bouba may have to carve out parts of himself he’s long kept hidden, and decide what he’s willing to offer next.
From the visionary author of Riot Baby and Goliath, Harmattan Season is a gripping fantasy noir in the tradition of Chandler, Hammond, and Christie that will have you by the throat—both dryly funny and unforgettably evocative."
What I liked: Tochi Onyebuchi's imaginative thought processes felt immediately apparent the second I stepped into this world. Harmattan Season is set in a postcolonial French Africa that felt fully realized and was complex in its political details and unrest, and which I think helped to created a strong atmosphere. I appreciated the noir style of Onyebuchi's writing--and I say that as someone who doesn't read all that much noir--and I felt it contributed a gritty edge that paired really well with the mysteries Bouba finds himself trying to figure out. And speaking of Bouba, I found him to be a really compelling character to follow and found myself especially interested in seeing how he handled and adapted to so many of the surprising things that happen in this story. Lastly, I thought Onyebuchi provided some great explorations of various themes, the most prominent of which was an exploration of colonialism and its impacts, which I thought was done excellently.
What I didn't like: Despite the intriguing world and Bouba's compelling character, I still found it difficult to feel fully immersed in the story. There was just a slight disconnect in the narrative that made me feel like I was always being held just a little bit at arm's length and ultimately not completely engaged in the story. The mystery was interesting, but I thought it lacked some needed urgency due to the writing style. I was curious to know what was going on and why, but in a very casual way to where I didn't exactly feel a strong urge to pick up the book and find out. Despite these issues, I was really impressed with Onyebuchi's writing style and imagination, so I will definitely be checking out more of his work in the future.
Overall, Harmattan Season is a slower-paced yet compelling noir mystery set in an absorbing world that I'm sure many readers will enjoy.
Great review! I thought Bouba was one of the best parts of this story. I agree with the disconnect you felt, although I didn't mention it in my review.
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