This beautiful, unusual fairy tale is extremely different and came as a very pleasant surprise!
Roald Dahl said that those who don’t believe in magic will never find it. Osaterin is just a regular guy living in Lagos, and the idea of magic is not one that crosses his mind often, if ever. He works in IT, gets together with his friends for drinks, tries to chat up pretty girls, and generally leads what he considers to be a boring life.
Until one day he receives a letter, written on lavender paper, which makes no sense to him. After that, life as he knows it disappears for good as he discovers that he is not who he always thought he was and he is intended to serve a much higher purpose.
If you like your stories told with heavy doses of enchantment, magic and imagination, then this is definitely for you. Relying on folklore and legends that get passed down through the generations, Adenle weaves a captivating tale that wraps itself around you like a warm, comforting dream.
Although I did feel that it became a bit too far-fetched towards the end, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Leye Adenle has a masterful way with words and is a clever storyteller who lulls you into his world, allowing you to believe that he’ll lead you to a place where everything might be okay in the end – but even he isn’t quite sure! He convinces you to go along with him on the journey though, and that alone is noteworthy.
As you can see, I haven’t said much about the actual story. You’ll have to read it for yourself. To say too much would be to give it away, and each reader needs to discover it for themselves. I think everyone will take away something different from it. I do think the author would like each of us to believe that we all have greatness within us … and also a little bit of magic!
I give this gorgeous book 4 glittering, magical stars! Highly recommended, especially if you’re ready for something completely different from the everyday. I also feel that mention must be made of the exquisite, eye-catching cover! Isn’t it gorgeous?
About the author:
Leye is the winner of the first ever Prix Marianne in 2016, and is a Nigerian writer living and working in London. His short story, ‘The Assassination’, in the anthology Sunshine Noir, was a finalist for the 2017 CWA Short Story Dagger award. Leye has appeared on stage in London in plays including Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again.
Leye comes from a family of writers, the most famous of whom (to date) was his grandfather, Oba Adeleye Adenle I, a former king of Oshogbo in South West Nigeria.
Many thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for inviting me along on this beautiful journey. The Beautiful Side of the Moon is published by Hoatzin Books.
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Thank you so much for the blog tour support Janice x
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