Book Author: Moses Ose Utomi
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Table of Contents
“There is no water in the City of Lies.”
An epic novella of a boy’s desperate attempt to save his mother and his city from their never-ending thirst, and finding more than what he could hope for.
⚠️TW: Mention of themes related to the following can be found in this book: mutilation, graphic fight scenes.
Who will love it? Tropes?
If someone loves dystopic, high fantasy, this novella would be perfect for a quick powerful read.
Some tropes found here include:
If you are still not convinced, read the full reading notes below.
Where to grab a copy?
This pundit highly recommends finding a copy you can borrow (e.g., from a friend or library), instead of immediately buying a new book. Trees are generally used to make the paper in the books we read, so being mindful won’t hurt.
But if you really want to buy a new book, make sure to support your local bookshops. And make online shopping (i.e., Amazon or whatever online bookstore serves closest to you) your last resort.
Happy reading!
Full Reading Notes
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Disclaimer: I received an e-arc of this book via Netgalley for an honest review.
Click here for the blurb…
"There is no water in the City of Lies." For as long as the oldest Grandmamas that Tutu knows remember, it has always been this way. They have always been on the mercy of the terrifying Ajungo who gives them water in exchange for the tongues of everyone who is 13 years old and above. In 3 days, it is Tutu's turn to have his tongue cut and be eligible for water rations. But his Mama is already dying and could not wait. In exchange for a promise that his Mama will be taken care of, Tutu decided to follow the footsteps of those who ventured beyond their city's walls and into the forever desert in search for a more reliable water source. But Or will he only die trying?
Why read “The Lies of the Ajungo”
In 11 chapters, Utomi built a world, created characters, and crafted a story that would haunt you for years, which is more than what a 50-chapter book could do.
The plot was simple yet intricate and humane that it would have you breezing through the story in a few hours – leaving you dumbfounded, mind-blown, and wanting more.
The writing style and the world-building also remained so complex that though it is a novella, I’d still consider this a high fantasy.
Drawbacks of “The Lies of Ajungo”
There are some points in the story where I could detect inconsistencies in the plot, i.e., events or choices by characters made to move the plot in a certain direction. There was a point that I was not sure if Tutu still remembered his original goal because of the choices he was making.
It could be an effect of the limited word count. Nonetheless, it did not take away from the overall impact of the story, and the genius that was its plot.
Technically, this is a 4.5-star read, but I will not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who will listen.
-The ArKivist
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