What I'm Reading: The Lies of the Ajungo

I received The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi in my book bag at World Fantasy last year, and what a gift. This slim novella was a beautiful, moving story.

I love mythology and fairy tales, and this book definitely scratches that itch. It's about a young man on a quest to bring water back to his city, the City of Lies, with wise women, a bit of magic, and hidden secrets that could split open the world of the characters within the story.

This is a dark book, but Utomi manages to write about hard topics without losing the magic of the world. There is quite a bit of violence, and the central storyline revolves around child mutilation, so if these are dealbreakers, it's good to know before you start reading. The Lies of the Ajungo explores the ideas of found family, abuse of power, community building, the dehumanization of the other, and disability.

There are magic battles. Corrupt rulers. Coming of age in a harsh environment when the future of a city weights on the main character's shoulders.

There were so many layers packed into this slim tome. It was a very fast and engaging read.