Review of Another Poor Cow
Posted: 22 Sep 2021, 23:53
[Following is a volunteer review of "Another Poor Cow" by Martins Agbonlahor.]
Another Poor Cow by Martins Agbonlahor is not a book for those searching for a lighthearted read. It is a fiction novel that incorporates real aspects of life into its narrative. In this novel, a Nigerian girl named Onaiwu begins as a trusting child whose kind nature assists in her demise. Her culture lends more credibility to corrupt men than to girls and women who speak of disparities, something which constantly keeps her from achieving peace. This novel is sadly realistic at times, and the author continuously brings to light the issues of Nigerian society. There are sometimes magical elements that are established as regular within that society, qualifying this story as being within the genre of magical realism.
This novel has many positive aspects: The buildup of plot points set a good pace for the story, which is consistent throughout. The characters have strong personalities, and their dialogue distinguishes each person from the other. One of my favorite parts of the novel is the chapter in which the priestess is introduced. The author uses strong, mood-setting descriptions that made me want to read more about her. Her English assistant offers a refreshing contrast. Macpherson was my favorite character throughout the novel, setting himself apart from the others and serving as a powerful tool to drive the conflict. The author does well with painting pictures with their words in unique ways, creating a mental image that is just vivid enough to not be too wordy. These descriptions are helpful in quickly establishing the mood of a scene, as well as giving the reader a strong grasp of the current setting. Additionally, the author’s sprinklings of Nigerian culture are well-dispersed and easy for outsiders to understand.
This novel also has many negative aspects. The first negative aspect that I became aware of is that the grammar is often lacking. The punctuation fluctuates greatly throughout the novel, and at some points these errors made it confusing to follow the meanings of sentences. Additionally, the author’s use of description is often vivid, but at other times lacking. The plot is sometimes predictable, though this did not leap out to me as too problematic since this book is rooted in realism. The dialogue also seems unnatural at times. For example, the main girl seemed to have formal language for a young child, such as calling other girls “age mates.” Aside from this, some other elements seem unnatural in their current places, such as a humorous storyline involving Ikoto occurring at the same time as a serious ritual. This scene would be fine in another place, but struck me as almost forced in as a way to distract from the main plot point.
I am removing one star from my review because of the novel’s obvious lack of professional editing, since I found that it somewhat compromises the reader’s experience. Additionally, I found the negatives and positives of this book to be equal. Because of this, I have rated Another Poor Cow as 2 out of 4 stars.
This novel contains a scattering of considerable profanity. It includes sexual themes such as prostitution and a few brief sex scenes of moderate graphic nature. In addition, its themes and its descriptions of certain acts are dark. For example, if you have a sensitivity to animal cruelty and animal death, you may wish to skip over this book. I would recommend this novel to young adults and adults who enjoy realistic fiction, drama, and dark themes.
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Another Poor Cow
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Another Poor Cow by Martins Agbonlahor is not a book for those searching for a lighthearted read. It is a fiction novel that incorporates real aspects of life into its narrative. In this novel, a Nigerian girl named Onaiwu begins as a trusting child whose kind nature assists in her demise. Her culture lends more credibility to corrupt men than to girls and women who speak of disparities, something which constantly keeps her from achieving peace. This novel is sadly realistic at times, and the author continuously brings to light the issues of Nigerian society. There are sometimes magical elements that are established as regular within that society, qualifying this story as being within the genre of magical realism.
This novel has many positive aspects: The buildup of plot points set a good pace for the story, which is consistent throughout. The characters have strong personalities, and their dialogue distinguishes each person from the other. One of my favorite parts of the novel is the chapter in which the priestess is introduced. The author uses strong, mood-setting descriptions that made me want to read more about her. Her English assistant offers a refreshing contrast. Macpherson was my favorite character throughout the novel, setting himself apart from the others and serving as a powerful tool to drive the conflict. The author does well with painting pictures with their words in unique ways, creating a mental image that is just vivid enough to not be too wordy. These descriptions are helpful in quickly establishing the mood of a scene, as well as giving the reader a strong grasp of the current setting. Additionally, the author’s sprinklings of Nigerian culture are well-dispersed and easy for outsiders to understand.
This novel also has many negative aspects. The first negative aspect that I became aware of is that the grammar is often lacking. The punctuation fluctuates greatly throughout the novel, and at some points these errors made it confusing to follow the meanings of sentences. Additionally, the author’s use of description is often vivid, but at other times lacking. The plot is sometimes predictable, though this did not leap out to me as too problematic since this book is rooted in realism. The dialogue also seems unnatural at times. For example, the main girl seemed to have formal language for a young child, such as calling other girls “age mates.” Aside from this, some other elements seem unnatural in their current places, such as a humorous storyline involving Ikoto occurring at the same time as a serious ritual. This scene would be fine in another place, but struck me as almost forced in as a way to distract from the main plot point.
I am removing one star from my review because of the novel’s obvious lack of professional editing, since I found that it somewhat compromises the reader’s experience. Additionally, I found the negatives and positives of this book to be equal. Because of this, I have rated Another Poor Cow as 2 out of 4 stars.
This novel contains a scattering of considerable profanity. It includes sexual themes such as prostitution and a few brief sex scenes of moderate graphic nature. In addition, its themes and its descriptions of certain acts are dark. For example, if you have a sensitivity to animal cruelty and animal death, you may wish to skip over this book. I would recommend this novel to young adults and adults who enjoy realistic fiction, drama, and dark themes.
******
Another Poor Cow
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon