As anyone who has ever been compelled to pick up this book will confirm, the need to find out the answer to "The Smoke That Thunders"—what smoke thunders, exactly?—is pressing.
That, and it's frankly stunning cover.
The story centers on Naborhi, an orphan who has witnessed firsthand the seeds of a failed marriage. She's seen her mother suffer under an unkind husband who only keeps his fists from their flesh for the promise of richer gain in a healthy bride price.
Disillusioned with life in the village, Naborhi determines not to tread the steps that led her mother down the halls of captivity. Instead, she chooses to have more. Throwing away the shackles of tradition, she leaves the village, treading her own path, and in doing so, discovers herself.
With the bits of the story I've told you so far, you probably think that the book has strong feminist themes and leanings. This couldn't be further from the truth. It's there, but that's not what it's about generally.
The Smoke That Thunders teaches that feminism is the ability to have a choice and pursue your happiness rather than what everybody else feels you should pursue.
We learn that when you're single-mindedly passionate or have an idea about something, it's possible to lose sight of what the people around you want. Then you go, oh, why don't you want the things that I want?
In The Smoke That Thunders, Naborhi journeys with her friends and cousins, including one very comical figure, into a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that spans some of the most prolific ethnicities and cultures in Nigeria's South-South region.
If you're looking for a very well-written, pretty-covered book to introduce young readers to African Fantasy, The Smoke That Thunders has you well covered.
