4.5 Stars

A rich and thoroughly bewitching debut steeped in magical realism and Nigerian mythology that genuinely ensnared me— so much so the hours flew by without my noticing!

Set in Nigeria, Dazzling follows the POVs of two girls, Ozoemena and Treasure-who,despite living vastly different lifestyles, find their fates intertwined when students disappear at their Nigerian Boarding School. With the stakes higher than ever before, both girls must make some difficult choices

Ozoemena, newly arrived at the school is learning to deal not only with a whole new social environment (which puts her own sister’s teasing to shame) but also the knowledge of her patrilineal legacy, to defend her people by turning into leopards.

Treasure, having lived in abject poverty since her father’s death, unwittingly struck a deal with a spirit, in order to bring her father back…no matter the cost.

It’s a story that explores the lengths two girls are willing to go (and what they’re willing to sacrifice) to survive in a world that’s increasingly determined to see them both fail.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I first started reading this-as magical realism isn’t something I read very much of (I tend to read more YA, historical or epic fantasy than anything contemporary.) But the world building and complex characters really made this a standout and memorable read!

I loved how visceral and detailed the descriptions were which really added depth to the narrative. There is some gore however it’s pretty mild in comparison to a lot of contemporary horror novels (Grady Hendrix’s for example) so if you’ve read those then you’ll probably be fine here. Though I do recommend checking TWs just to be on the safe side.

What I can say, however, is that adult fantasy fans will almost certainly love the uncanny intensity and vividness of Emelumadu’s gorgeous prose.

Our main characters, Ozoemena and Treasure both have such strong narrative voices and I loved how easy it was to distinguish between them both (a pet peeve of mine is reading multiple POV books and getting confused on who perspective I’m currently reading.)

Both girls were incredibly well written and endearingly complex, though in different ways. And some of their experiences (particularly Treasure’s experiences) were so incredibly heart wrenching that I stayed up into the early hours, devouring whole chapters in the hope of finding out whether both Ozoemena and Treasure got some semblance of happiness, justice or satisfaction by the end. Though if you want to know the outcome to this, you’re gonna have to read for yourselves.

I also enjoyed the similarities we see in the struggles and upheavals both girls face (Treasure in the literal loss of her father and Ozoemena in the absence of hers—it’s one of many instances that really highlights just how intrinsically tied they both are to each other and the roles they have to play.

The theme of ancestral legacy was also incredibly fascinating—through Ozoemena and her gift we see the physical presence of generational heritage and how at odds those traditional practices have become in the advent of more ‘western’ cultural practices. But through the Spirits that Treasure encounters we also see a darker side to their (the spirits) need for survival.

The mystery aspect surrounding Treasure’s school identity was fabulously intriguing and I have to admit my guess for who she is was soo unbelievably wrong. But despite not having a clue who she was, it did mean the twist we encounter at the end—which was *chef’s kiss* perfection— was something I didn’t see coming AT ALL.

Overall, this was a breathtakingly imaginative and powerfully feminist debut that lovers of magical realism and contemporary fantasy simply don’t want to miss!

Also a massive thank you to headline for the stunning proof.2023 adult contemporary ...more20 s Laura86 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for this eARC!

This was a really interesting read, and also a difficult one for me; not just because of the content at times, but because of the very distinct voices of some of the characters, and the native Nigerian language and colloquialisms used. I think this is a story I would need to read a few times over to truly ensure that I am understanding and getting everything out of it, but that's not a bad thing.

With strong themes of witchcraft/country specific folklore, this was as educational as it was fascinating! The writing itself is very strong; emotive, mostly accessible, descriptive, but also accurate for the voices it portrays, namely the two main characters, young girls of only about 10 years old.

There were some really graphically disturbing moments of gore/horror that I didn't expect going into the book, and I think it's a testament to the writing that I had an actual physical reaction to some of these parts. There was an ominous tone throughout the novel that just built and built until culminating in that ending - the twist not something I saw quickly at all, only realising what was happening just before it actually happened. I loved the twist, especially, and it was done SO well.

I think I enjoyed this? I definitely didn't read it as quickly as I might have, mostly because it wasn't the easiest read for me, but I do think this is a really good novel for that nu-wave horror/fantastical vibe, and I always love reading books where the setting is part of a culture or heritage that I am not as familiar as perhaps I ought to be.netgalley10 s Sarah Kimberley123

Full of expression, full of zest! Chikodili Emelumadu’s sparky novel totally hooked me. It is juicy, it is dark and it is dizzying. The native Nigerian language suffusing this novel is just beautiful too
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