Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon
Wole Talabi
Hardcover / Ebook
ISBN: 9780756418267
DAW, August 2023, 320 pgs

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, Wole Talabi’s debut fantasy novel, is a captivating and entertaining story of a nightmare god and his succubus lover, Nneoma, pulling a heist across two worlds. The story follows Shigidi, a disenfranchised nightmare god working for the Orisha Spirit Company, as he serves out dreams that kill for those who pray to him. When he meets Nneoma, a succubus with a secretive past, they embark on a journey to break free from Shigidi’s obligations and debts.

Shigidi travels between spirit worlds and continents, giving the story’s setting a worldly and diverse feel. Each location, whether real or imagined, is crafted with specificity, bringing it to life. Shigidi and Nneoma encounter rival gods, ghosts, weavers of magic, and creatures from Nigerian folklore as they conduct spirit business and pull off their heist.

What I loved most about Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon is Talabi’s use of Nigerian mythology, spiritualism, and folklore. The incorporation of these elements into the story flawlessly blended with the action-packed heist fantasy. Talabi’s vivid descriptions of the settings, characters, and, especially, the way Shigidi weaves nightmares made the story easy to sink into. Some people might be thrown off by the story starting at the end and going back to the beginning, but to me, the structure of the story nailed the heist genre so well that it heightened everything.

I also grew to love Shigidi and Nneoma’s relationship and how each held a deep self-hatred that over the course of the story dissolved in the wake of their love for each other and desire to screw over the Orisha Spirit Company. Both characters are complex and flawed, but not in a pitiful way. It sorta just felt relatable. All the supporting characters and side ones are given the same care and development as Shigidi and Nneoma, too.

Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon is an impressive debut from Wole Talabi. With its blend of Nigerian mythology, anticapitalistic themes, and modern-day fantasy worldbuilding, the book is a must-read for fans of heisty fantasy thrill rides. Talabi’s writing style is engaging and immersive, and the book’s themes of revenge, self-discovery, and the power of belief are thought-provoking and timely.