Ife and Diké are sons of King Ezeala of Ono Clan. As princes, their people and father expect them to take wives and have sons to ensure the survival of their bloodline. But Ife is a carefree dancer who loves drinking Palm Wine. Plus, despite that his father arranged his marriage three years ago, he has no intention to carry out the arrangement. Diké is the first born and lead warrior. When the King orders Diké and his warriors to kidnap his brother and force him to complete the marriage, he declines to agree. However, Ife only overhears the command, and believes his brother will comply with their father’s demands. A Dance for the Dead by Nuzo Onoh is a captivating African horror story that shows what happens when Ife decides to take matters into his own hands – but when he trusts the wrong people, his loved ones are those who actually pay the price. 

Ife turns to his best friend, Emeka, for assistance with his marriage troubles. Emeka is the son of a traitor, and Ife is one of the few people in the village who maintain a friendship with him. Emeka insists that if they pretend to kidnap Diké for a few days, that the King will be so worried about his heir that he will not concern himself with Ife’s nuptials. So Ife agrees to the plan and tricks Diké into drinking laced Palm Wine. When Diké comes to, he finds himself inside the temple that houses the sacred shrine of their god. This is explicitly forbidden. Hence, the witch doctor brands Diké a slave and a ghost, who must remain nameless and invisible for the rest of his days. 

A Dance for the Dead was a pleasant surprise. I really didn’t know what to expect, but found myself concerned with the brothers’ outcome and hoped they would find salvation and redeem themselves as well. While I expected more horror elements throughout the story, there was enough for readers to understand the purpose of the spirits who haunt the characters, and how the ancestral history influences their culture. Onoh paces the story well throughout, and picks it up for the final leg of the journey and inspirational climax. Readers can also rest assured that wrongdoers get what’s coming to them, with their victims getting their moment to exact revenge. 

Overall, this book is worth adding to your reading list. It’s got tons of elements to make up a redemption story with a horror twist – taking place in a setting that often might be overlooked in the genre. I commend Onoh for her ability to give readers the creeps while also hooking them with the heartbreaking circumstances our young princes end up in. I myself was glued to the pages to see how they will right the wrongs and bring their enemies to justice. 

A Dance for the Dead is available October 11.