The character of Andy is really brought to life in this novel and I was really on his side in this coming of age story. The writing is powerful and the book touches on serious themes including child abuse, incest and police corruption. An impressive and addictive novel.

A fizzing, hilarious, satirical delight. I absolutely loved this. Stephen Buoro is a huge talent for the future and I cannot wait to see what he does next. I wheezed with laughter as he took down target after target - religion, politics, sexual desire, African masculinity - it's all here. One of my biggest treats of the year. Pure enjoyment.

"The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa" by Buoro offers a contemplative exploration. The stories navigate themes of sorrow and resilience, reflecting moments of introspection. Buoro's writing is reflective, though some narrative elements may feel distant. The book provides a mix of emotions and perspectives, making for an interesting yet not overwhelmingly impactful read.

I absolutely loved this book..
The thought of a young Nigerian man fixated on the white blonde women and western culture in general, really made this a fantastic debut.novel.
Andy Africa falls for the first white woman he meets

There are a lot of cultural references, both African and western which really made the book stand out.
And the compexities of his life which haunts him, give a more rounded look to the character.
I found it was a bit harder than usual to connect with the character ,but it didnt detract from what is a really good novel.
I loved it and could not put it down, which is a good thing.
One of my favourites of the year

This is an absorbing, brutal contemporary coming-of-age story that doesn’t shy away from some very difficult topics, including child abuse, sexual assault, incest, violent interfaith conflict, police corruption and medical malpractice.

Andy was such an interesting protagonist, and his relationships with the other characters drive the depth and complexity in the book. Andy’s story is rooted in a sense of place, and his community identity as a Christian southerner living in Nigeria’s majority Muslim north. His voice permeates the prose, which is, in turns, poetic and blunt, dotted with mathematical and philosophical musings, and always trying to justify why it must be okay for him to want more than what his mother give, want white girls more than the best friend he should probably marry, want to get away from the place he called home.

While it is at times a dark and confronting story, there were plenty of moments of light-heartedness too, as Andy stumbled through stereotypical teenage experiences, the witty women in his life never letting him become complacent. Andy is a boy who thinks he understands everything while not knowing enough.

I thought this was just so brilliant and bold. I was reminded of Junot Diaz's "Drown." The first-person voice is marvellously captured - "The Catcher in the Rye" is an obvious comparison - and the way it shows off facets of Nigerian society is expertly done. It's so full of energy, vigour, and humour. Just a really impressive achievement and a strong contender for the Booker prize. Will be extremely exciting to see what this author does next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A slow burner that took me a while to get into- I was waiting for the pace to pick up but once it did it was an enjoyable very unique read full of emotion, atmosphere, curiosity and descriptive language.
Andy Africa is such a lovable, likeable, interesting Character full of dreams and ambition, you will find yourself rooting for him throughout the read and willing his dreams to come true.

This book offers a punch in the guts and is not for the faint-hearted. It's wonderful and devastating. The ending can be the only ending this book could have, even though you won't like it. Weaving a critique of colonialism and the kind of mental colonialism that exists when independence claims to have been gained, a small town coming of age story, maths, PanAfrican theories, religion, friendship and love, this is a book I won't easily forget - and not just for the trauma.

There is so much to unpick in this debut novel and I won't do it justice, I'm sure. First, that title - the Five Sorrowful Mysteries are to do with the rosary of the Catholic Church and depict Jesus' suffering at five key stages moving towards his death. Andy Africa is the nickname given to Andrew Aziza by his teacher, Zahrah, so both a home-grown name and what could be a reference to the Western propensity for seeing Africa as a unit, a single country.

Andy lives in Kontagora, Nigeria, with his single mother, unable to ask her who his father is, he's 15 and he hangs out with his "droogs", Slim and Morocca, goes to school, has a good friend he can't appreciate in Fatima, an equally gifted student, and lives for the opportunity to see, see a picture of, fantasise about or even think about a White girl. Then one magically appears! Eileen, the niece of the local missionary/priest, comes to visit and everyone is transfixed.

So far, so YA - but this is embedded in a critique of contemporary Nigeria from someone who has escaped, so among the theorems, Zahrah's theory of anifuturism (I diligently tried to learn about this and look it up only to find it was invented for this book, a mix of animism and Afro-futurism), Andy's theory of a great curse over the whole of Africa (so a yin and yang of pan-African theories), critiques of government, descriptions of life in a small town with a Christian minority and a Muslim majority uncontrolled by a corrupt police.

When Eileen is welcomed into the community, a mob bent on revenge approaches, when a wedding tries to happen, the groom is accused of importing Western ideas and fomenting student uprisings. And even though Andy's life looks like it's turning round when he meets a long-lost relative who has the trappings of wealth, while the boys receive phone calls from their rather feeble friend who has managed to reach Spain with his uncle and is enjoying pizzas and a job, it soon becomes clear that the boys, plus Morocca's girlfriend and their young daughter, need to take their chance to escape.

While there are flies and machetes, poverty and gender/religious violence, this by no means lives within the stereotypes we can so often be fed. There are brilliant flashes of humour and live is lived fully; the language fizzes and is full of Nigerian small-town culture laced with the Western culture everyone seems to aspire to (yes, there are look-it-up moments, yes, of course that's OK). As we follow the Five Sorrowful Mysteries to their conclusion, it is inevitable: Buoro achieves a technically well-done and hugely engaging book that socks it to you in the intellect and the emotions, while leaving us with no conclusion apart from the need to escape at all costs - I can't decide whether it's actually bleak or not, as it's so full and rich as well.

I would like to read thoughts by Nigerian / Nigerian disapora readers about this one.

"The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa" by Stephen Buoro is a novel set in Kenya that explores themes of identity, memory, and trauma.

The story follows the eponymous Andy Africa, a former political prisoner who is released after serving 20 years in jail. As he navigates his new life, he is haunted by the memories of his past and the traumas he experienced while imprisoned.

Through flashbacks, the novel reveals the events that led to Andy's imprisonment and the injustices he faced while incarcerated. Buoro also explores the wider political and social issues in Kenya at the time, including corruption, violence, and ethnic tensions.

As Andy struggles to come to terms with his past, he begins to develop relationships with other characters, including a young boy who reminds him of himself and a woman who challenges his beliefs and assumptions. Through these interactions, he begins to find a sense of purpose and meaning in his life.

Buoro's writing is vivid and evocative, with a strong sense of place and atmosphere. He captures the complexities of postcolonial Kenya with nuance and sensitivity, and his characters are portrayed with depth and complexity.

Overall, "The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa" is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that offers a compelling portrait of a man grappling with his past and trying to find a way forward. Buoro is a talented writer with a unique voice, and this book is a testament to his skill and insight.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, and no significant gaps between words. Some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This book made me feel so many things - frustrated, angry, creeped out, - but all in the best possible way. In the way that we hope books will make us feel something.

In this case it also made me curious, I found myself researching the different aspects of this book that I knew nothing about (animism, afro-futurism, mathematic equations, the origin of the five sorrowful mysteries... and this is something that I want from my literature, I want to learn about how other people live even when it makes me uncomfortable about my own existence and my own place in the world.

I will say that this is a slow burn book and I took a while to get to the 50% point because it didn't feel particularly gripping but I'm so glad I put in that ground work because I inhaled the second half and I don't think I'm going to get this book out of my mind any time soon.

I hope this sees nominations for the years awards as it deserves so much attention!

It was also amazing to find out that Stephen is working towards his PhD in Creative and Critical Writing at the University that I am currently attending, also on a Creative Writing programme!

‘The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa’ is familiar in some respects given it’s a coming-of-age tale told from the point of view of a 15/16 year-old boy as he goes around with his buddies, thinks about girls, worries about the future etc. What makes this book more unusual is that Andrew (or werdna, as his friends often call him) is Nigerian, from a Christian family living in the largely Muslim North of the country. Religious violence, police brutality and corruption, grinding poverty, and a distinct absence of hope for many are all present as Andy goes through his ‘ordinary’ life, though our protagonist is a little bit different. Unusually bright, his academic talents - both mathematical and poetic - have been recognised by adults around him and as he navigates the usual teenage distractions and dilemmas, there is his underlying (and growing) awareness that in spite of his devotion to his mother and his love for where he is from, he will absolutely need to leave - sooner or later, but preferably sooner - if he is to escape the curse of being born in Africa (which is neatly depicted throughout as a kind of inexplicable supervillain/disease called “hXvX”). As other reviewers will have commented, it’s definitely a good book, worthy of consideration. There is a strong sense of place and the author portrays the community very effectively, allowing us to connect with the range of people that Andy interacts with, and to understand their frustrations, hopes and responses to their general situation (resignation, quiet dignity, political involvement, elaborate flights-of-fancy) whilst enjoying (or maybe that should be ‘enjoying’) seeing Andy deal with some of the things, some good, largely bad, that come his way. It’s well-written, with a crackling, fizzy style, and I particularly enjoyed how the author doesn’t explain words and concepts along the way (e.g. food, clothing, festivals, local slang) meaning this reader at least either had to work it out or sometimes look things up online. I know not everyone enjoys that aspect but for me it made it feel more authentic, not that I’m realistically able to judge how accurate the depictions of said places and situations actually are! My point is that it felt plausible and had a tang of believability overall, and so I would happily recommend this book for anyone wanting to read an entertaining account of ‘real life’ in a typical but unremarkable Nigerian town - much of which might well be applicable to other African countries as well - and the challenges and joys that the people living there experience.

With thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchanged for an unbiased review.

The thoughts and experiences of a fifteen year old boy, Andy, living with his mother in a small town in Nigeria. I struggled to get into the story for the first third of the book, which consisted mainly of descriptions of the people in Andy’s life, in particular his friends as they get ready for a party at their local priest’s house. After that the story became darker but more interesting, although very sad. The author creates a vivid sense of chaos and danger, where your future depends on who you know and how much money you have. If you enjoy reading about a different country, culture and experiences, then this book may be for you. Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for an advance copy to review.

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa is an Observer debut of the year and is a book getting a lot of chat ahead of its release on 13 April 2023.

Andy is a maths prodigy with limited opportunities ahead of him. Living in a small North Nigerian town with his mother, the local (British) priest has helped Andy to get an opportunity at the best school in the area. But Andy is a dreamer, and his life doesn’t lack drama.

Obsessed with blondes, the arrival of the priest’s niece turns Andy’s world upside down in many different ways. Hanging with his ‘droogs’ Slim, Morocco and Fatima - Andy is thrown when a man shows up claiming to be his father.

I struggled to connect with Andy, possibly because of the unique style of the prose. There is a lot going on and it feels a little overworked and overly complex. The one character I did really like, Fatima, got a lack of page space.

I’m sure this will be wildly popular but wasn’t one for me.

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa
by Stephen Buoro

Here is a coming of age story that is a window into something I have never, and probably won't ever have any privy to; the inner workings of the mind of a teenage boy who is growing up in Nigeria and is searching for his identity. Andy is fifteen, an aspiring poet with better than average maths ability. He might be the last virgin among his droogs (O I don't know, it's like trying to understand my own 15 year old), but he is obsessed with the idea of white women despite being continually struck by the beauty of the women in his life, his mother, his maths teacher, his school friends. The only child of a single mother he has so many questions about his father, but the subject is taboo. Andy is acutely aware of his African heritage but he and his droogs (!!) resent the world order, despair of their legacy as post imperial citizens and are deeply suspicious of their enigmatic maths teacher and friend Zahrah's anifuturism theories. (I still don't know)

There is such a fantastic sense of place in this story which is vibrant with Nigerian culture. The language is contemporary teenagese with a slant towards immaturity but Andy's intelligence is what appeals to me as he navigates the realities of everyday life in a deeply divided country where riots and police brutality are commonplace and Christians and Muslims settle grievances with machetes.

Told in five acts, the five sorrowful mysteries, the structure is clever and the themes are indeed sorrowful, but life with teenage boys is always boisterous, colourful, a bit silly and wildly entertaining. Avert your eyes if you don't need to read about what young lads have to say (coarsely) about young girls, but we are steeped in reality here. Some may find the ending disappointing. In the moment I wanted to scream, but after a beat I realised "Of course". It is the only interesting ending this story could have had.

A fabulous debut from an under-represented voice, I will be thinking about Andy for long time.

***Trigger warnings are too spoilery to list, there are so, so many.

Publication date: 13th April 2023
Thanks to #netgalley and #bloomsburypublishing for the ARC

This is an excellent propulsive read that fizzes with energy. I loved the innovative use of language & the great characterisation, not only of Andy, but of all around him. Highly recommended.

This was a really unique and enjoyable book. Andy Africa is a loveable, intriguing character who i found myself rooting for throughout. Very atmospheric, lots of great characters. A really enjoyable read!

A poignant, moving and entertaining coming of age story with a mix of math, blondes, religion and being a teenage in Nigeria.
I liked Andy who fall in love with the first blond he meets and love math and Church. And the descriptions of life and tensions in Nigeria are well done and sad.
The author is a talented storyteller and liked the style of writing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Andy Africa is a 15 year old poet with big ambitions. We follow his progress through a meandering narrative that’s a struggle to remain engaged with and which leaves many issues unresolved. On the plus side, Andy has a way with words and the novel gives us an insight into his life, although the reader can’t help feeling frustrated at some of the decisions he makes.

This book was featured in the 2023 version of the influential annual Observer Best Debut Novelist feature (past years have included Natasha Brown, Caleb Azumah Nelson, Douglas Stuart, Sally Rooney, Rebecca Watson, Yara Rodrigues Fowler, JR Thorp Bonnie Garmus, Gail Honeyman among many others).

Interestingly the author – a Maths Graduate from Nigeria, was able to take an MA in Creative Writing at the UEA (and is now doing a PhD there) funded by the Booker Prize Foundation scholarship.

This is a very distinctive novel which is considerably more complex than the Young Adult novel I felt that the cover and title and opening of the blurb implied.

I have to say though that for all its complexity and distinctiveness I did not feel I really fully connect with it and oddly that was due to the area where I had expected the most connection – the mathematical and religious parts.

As an example the book is told in five parts – each based on one of the five Sorrowful mysteries (which I have to say were new to me despite my 50 years as a Christian but which I believe are related to the Rosary) and each with a Theorem from Permutation theory – for example “III: The Crowning With Thorns. Theorem: The inverse of every even premutation if even …. The inverse of every odd permutation is odd.” – I was unclear if either mystery or theorem matched the narrative in the relevant section.

The first party narrator is the fifteeen year old Andrew Aziza, a Western-blond obsessed, mathematically talented, Catholic who lives with his single studio photographer mother (who refuses to discuss Andrew’s father), and writes science fiction style/superhero inspired Afro-poetry based around trying to understand what has lead to Africa’s issues – at different times circling between some form of curse, Africa being a simulation or a curse or (later) going through the Five Sorrows.

HXVX is like YHWH; it's the Tetragrammaton shorthand for the Curse of Africa. Mathematically,
HXVX = (Sauron + Thanos)∞ = The Curse (of Africa), where ∞ is infinity

His main school friends are Morocca (a rap artist who is already a father) and Slim (a gay artist), both from Christian backgrounds, and Fatima (the other gifted pupil at the school, from a Muslim background). Andrew and Fatima meet regularly with their Maths teacher Zahrah who in her spare time is something of a You Tube/Twitter/Facebook celebrity for her theories of Anifuturism “a fusion of animism and Afrofuturism” and who gave Andrew his eponymous nickname.

Some of the exchanges between Andy and Zahrah are at best baffling

"She says she’s currently researching quantum Anifuturism, that it provides the clearest path for establishing many Anifuturist tenets. Since everything is a quantum as well as an animistic system, she says, the consciousness (and even life) of ‘inanimate’ objects could be mathematically proven. The universe would thus comprise permutations of quantum animistic systems, and it would be very interesting if these systems could, like permutations, be made to link and interact on paper. But this would only be possible if an isomorphism could be established between quantum mechanics and animism. ‘"

From that slightly rocky start (at least for this reader) the story spirals off in a number of directions.

Andy is constantly visited by the presence of his older brother who was still born – a brother he Christens Ydna;

Andy’s blond-obsession finds an object in Eileen – the niece of the white Priest at his church and the two begin, against the odds, a friendship that then turns into a sexual relationship;

A party to celebrate Eileen’s visit is suddenly caught up in a secular riot with a bloody ending for Andy and his mother;

To the considerable disconcertment of Andy and his friends, another school friend who they consider something of a loser successfully becomes an illegal immigrant in Spain;

Zahrah’s luxury wedding party is subject to a police anti-dissident round up with direct repercussions for Andy;

Andy’s mothers painful past comes back – firstly in the shape of a man claiming to be Andy’s father and then in visits from her brother (Uncle William) and his family – which leads to a whole series of difficult revelations;

Andy and his friends themselves decide to take the hazardous Sahara crossing en route to Europe.

I think this is a novel where you are either going to connect with the novel’s hero and the core set of characters around him, or not – and for me as I said that connection was never there in the two areas it should have been strongest, which in turn meant I struggled to gain the full impact of this book in less familiar areas and to gain the real insight into Africa, its travails and its harmful Western obsession which I think this is impressive debut contains.

Interesting premise but needs more pace. Opening is heavy on backstory- I keep waiting for something to happen. DNF