My Goodreads and Amazon review of Things They Lost by Okwiri Oduor (Rated 3) – Razzle Dazzle. Things They Lost by Kenyan novelist Okwiri Odour is the story of 12-year old Ayosa, whose mother, a world-traveling photojournalist, abandons her daughter for unpredictable stretches of time. Ayosa longs for her mother, herself the daughter and granddaughter of neglectful mothers. She says of a radio poet, “She knows what it’s like to want something with all your heart and not get it” and observes that “Botched up love isn’t any kind of love at all.” Alone and self-sufficient, Ayosa keeps company with ghosts, is wary of wraiths who threaten to snatch her, and is befriended by Mbiu, a girl (or possibly a spirit) her age, whose own mother is dead. Despite her longing, Ayosa is gleeful when she (mistakenly, if briefly) believes that her mother is dead. In this game of “I love her, I love her not,” Ayosa is filled with joy at the prospect of no longer waiting for her mother’s return or aching for the love she’s incapable of giving. She can leave home with Mbiu. They need each other at least as much as they need their absent mothers. Sisterhood is more dependable and doesn’t leave deep-seated scars. Ayosa’s story is moving. The portrait of pain alleviated by the escape of magic realism can be dazzling. But therein lies the novel’s problem. The book is so taken with its technical prowess that it often sacrifices an engaging narrative. It’s like a movie that’s boasts special effects but ignores its characters’ inner lives. Oduor’s magical scenes grow repetitive; Ayosa’s status remains static. As a novelist myself (see my Amazon author page and Goodreads author page), my foremost concern is character development. Ayosa’s fantastic encounters enthrall at first, but ultimately fail to add up to a satisfying journey.
