barbara fister reviewed Lightseekers by Femi Kayode
Review of 'Lightseekers' on 'LibraryThing'
A very interesting story, set in the far south-eastern part of Nigeria, in a small town where the students at a university have created a serious town-gown controversy. Some of the fraternities have become "cults" that operate like gangs, and the local townsfolk are unhappy with the ways students behave. As the book opens, a mob has surrounded three boys accused of theft, ending in a horrific murder. The father of one of the boys hires a US-educated psychologist who specializes in crime-scene analysis to investigate, since he's sure his son was innocent of the crimes that led to mob violence, kicking off the investigation that follows. returnreturnThe setting is well drawn, and the psychologist, who has recently moved back to Nigeria after some years in the states, is an interesting guide to it because he is nearly as unfamiliar with the locale as readers are. He's smart and dogged …
A very interesting story, set in the far south-eastern part of Nigeria, in a small town where the students at a university have created a serious town-gown controversy. Some of the fraternities have become "cults" that operate like gangs, and the local townsfolk are unhappy with the ways students behave. As the book opens, a mob has surrounded three boys accused of theft, ending in a horrific murder. The father of one of the boys hires a US-educated psychologist who specializes in crime-scene analysis to investigate, since he's sure his son was innocent of the crimes that led to mob violence, kicking off the investigation that follows. returnreturnThe setting is well drawn, and the psychologist, who has recently moved back to Nigeria after some years in the states, is an interesting guide to it because he is nearly as unfamiliar with the locale as readers are. He's smart and dogged but he couldn't get where he does without his sidekick, who is suspiciously well-informed. A further complication for the protagonist is that he thinks his wife, back in Lagos, has cheated on him, but he's reluctant to talk to her about it. For me, this aspect of the book (and the attraction he feels to a beautiful lawyer he meets) was the least satisfying part of the story, but it works well for both the plot and his character development. returnreturnIt's great to have another African writer added to the genre. I look forward to more from Femi Kayode.
