Book: Unhallowed Graves
Author: Nuzo Onoh
Publisher: Canaan-Star Publishing
Price: £8.99
Review by Ronke Lawal
In Unhallowed Graves Nuzo Onoh brings together three chilling stories of revenge, each more harrowing than the next. These stories are a graduation of sorts for Onoh, whose tales in her debut The Reluctant Dead were a superb introduction to her unique writing style.
Unhallowed Graves is a book of horror stories set in Nigeria which do more than scare you; they also educate and enlighten. Onoh has written three tales, interspersed with social commentary, historical nuance and psychological rational.
The elegance and fluidity with which Onoh writes is exceptional. Each story is presented as if it were a fable, underpinned by an intense knowledge of Nigerian culture which offers a cultural backdrop for these creative tales.
In The Unclean, a dead child returns to haunt his grieving mother with terrifying consequences. This story is not just about death but touches upon misogyny and the sexism which are ingrained in Nigerian society. While the story itself is deeply disturbing, there is an over-riding sociological depth to this tale, a consistent theme throughout the book.
Onoh isn’t afraid to reveal the ugly truth of Nigerian culture and, at times, I wasn’t sure which was worse – the dark depths of human nature or the graphic portrayal of death in its rawest form. Our Bones Shall Rise Again is a perfect example, where the ghost of a drowned slave is resurrected from its watery grave to exact revenge on the family that betrayed him and sold him into slavery, with tragic consequences.
This isn’t just another “slavery” story. It goes far deeper into the inter and intra tribal consequences of the slave trade, and how much of our true selves we lose in the pursuit of wealth. For such a short story Our Bones Shall Rise Again made me want to learn more about the Igbo people and the ancient practices of the many tribes of Nigeria. It also reminded me of how much has been lost through the horrific slave trade activities, and yet it inspired me to remember what remains through the beauty of such talented souls as Onoh.
In Oja-ale we meet our first ex-pat in the trio of stories. Alan Pearson is a sceptical British diplomat, contemptuous and dismissive of Nigerian superstitions and folklores. That is until the day he has a terrifying encounter with a night market vendor, which defies Western science and logic. Alan must do away with his Western arrogance and sense of entitlement to fully confront the chilling truth of Oja-ale and his life in Nigeria.
Both amusing and chilling, this story reminded me of a Westernised Nollywood story in its ability to bring the UK’s post-colonial relationship with Nigeria to life.
Onoh’s use of imagery is both moving and powerful. The stories are easy to read and it’s this simplicity which makes them highly sophisticated. How else to describe her ability to unify so many human interest themes while entertaining and engaging the reader?
Onoh is bringing something new and exciting to the world of African literature and the horror genre. I look forward to reading more from this talented author.