Madam KoiKoi
Literary Devices But Make Them African
7 Literary Destinations Every Book Lover Should Visit
Are Early Edition Books Worth the Fuss?
Reading and Writing
10 Best Black Sci Fi Authors Worth Discovering
Book Review: Stanley – The Unveiling
Authors Spotlight: Buchi Emecheta
8 Hobbies That Can Make Reading More Fun and Inclusive
University student books
5 Best Places to Read in Nigeria for Book Lovers
Running through the 10 Best Apps Goodreads Alternatives
The Evolution of Gore Art
The Case for the Slow Burn Romance Novel
Author’s Perspective in Contemporary Literature
Cricket Films Work Best When the Match Means More
How Adults Can Develop a Reading Habit and Actually Stick to It
Top Movies and TV Shows to Watch this September
5 Movies That Predicted the Future — Or Got Really Close
Author Spotlight: Sefi Atta
The Case for Forbidden Love Romance Books and Movies
Crafting a Compelling Static Character
The Genius of We Should All Be Feminists
Titles, Hooks, and High-Concept Premises
Entrepreneur Habits
Five Classic Translations Every Reader Should Read
The Most Powerful DC Heroes, Ranked
The Eternal Debate: Round vs Flat Character
The Case Against Friends to Lovers Books and Movies
Show, Not Tell: Theme in Literature
One Piece Live Action Review
Gaming
Epic Fantasy Series
Author Spotlight: Musih Tedji Xaviere
Evolution of Storytelling
The Eternal Debate: The Internet and Reading
Authors like Sarah J Maas to Savour
Sọna e-reader App Review
Élékéré Press Launches Inaugural Fiction Prize for Black Writers
Dominion II Wants to Pay Pro Rates for Your Wildest Black Speculative Fiction
Upcoming Movies and TV Shows to Watch this August
Author Spotlight: Chika Unigwe
The Smartest Marvel Characters, Ranked
Book Storage Ideas For Hoarders
Book Ideas for Your Next Draft
6 Shakespeare Insults for Your Next Argument
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey Review
The Literary Prize Lists Worth Reading Every Year
Little Rot Book Review
Little Rot Book Review
The Author's Guide to a Coming of Age Story
A Glimpse Into Love and Fear in Horror Romance
Spider Man Brand New Day Comic and Spider-Man 4 Explained
The Fantasy Heroine Factory
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives is Coming to the Big Screen
The Eternal Debate: Literary Fiction vs Genre Fiction
Book O'Clock Calls for Submissions for Nyamiri-Bàsakkwacḕ
5 Children’s Fantasy Books That Support Growth and Learning
Show, Not Tell: Mood and Literature
Ranking Top Horror Movies by Gore and Scare Factor
The Art of Engagement
David Frankel’s The Devil Wears Prada Is a Generational Classic
5 Engaging Short Stories for Middle School Bookworms
The Evolution of Romance Novel Covers
Upcoming July Movies and TV Shows
The Author's Guide to Children’s Card Games
Pittance Payments
ISTJ Characters as Ambassadors of Duty and Discernment
Structure in African Literature
Ranking House of the Dragon Characters from Worst to Best 
The Eternal Debate: Anti Hero vs Villain
5 Swoony Black Rom Coms for Movie Night
Tampered
American Folklore Creatures as Representations of the Unknown
Feel Free to DNF Books That Don't Meet Your Expectations
Stereotypes vs Nuance in The Danger of a Single Story
Agatha Christie Seven Dials

Happiness Is A Sickle-kinikan In My Belly by Isaiah Adepoju

I give Happiness Is A Sickle-kinikan In My Belly, a ten over ten rating but because of the perfectly harnessed themes, settings, conflicts, and resolutions.

Emmanuel Olabiyi
Published on March 6, 2025
2 min read
Happiness Is A Sickle-kinikan In My Belly
Share this blog on:

Believing he can fly, ten-year-old Ephraim tragically jumps to his death from a story building. The three members of the Olorunyomi family experience this suicide differently and have to navigate through its grief.

The death in the family separates them and then brings them together. Told in the first person narrative, Happiness Is A Sickle-kinikan In My Belly is one’s family’s search for happiness in the face of overwhelming forces.

Thoughts

Written by my very good acquaintance turned brother, Happiness Is A Sickle-kinikan In My Belly follows the story of the Olorunyomi family and their nuanced perspectives. How they touch the loosened wooly strands of their sanities, tangle, and still rediscover themselves after the loss of their first child, Ephraim.

I was down with malaria while I read this book. But when the plot got a little twisty, and the suspense soared like eagles in crazy altitudes, I grabbed my jotter and penned great things I have coherently relayed on my Substack.

This book, for you seeking texts that magnify the imagined in perfect correlation with the real, will place you right in the nucleus of the mayhem. It is a classified breed that preaches SOC (Stream Of Consciousness) and its replicating meanings. Books like this are seductions in terms of rereads that get clarified as much as you are repetitive with its reading.

Loss is an unpleasant reality. And to “keep going”, to “move on”, as sympathetic as it seems, can be very impractical. This book answers basic questions we ask around in our minds when we see people “go nuts” due to the loss of a close sibling.

They simply are navigating the processes of grief. We all are.

Verdict

I give Happiness Is A Sickle-kinikan In My Belly, a ten over ten rating but because of the perfectly harnessed themes, settings, conflicts, and resolutions. The words kept me on my toes!

Written by Emmanuel Olabiyi

Emmanuel Olabiyi is a creative writer, reader, and a flutist.

    Share your thoughts

      Trending Posts

      Monthly 50 CTA

      More Related Posts

      Yinka, where is your huzband?

      Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

      February 19, 2022 .

      africanliterature, black, Book review, British Nigerian, lizziedamilolablackburn, Nigerian, Self growth, yinkawhereisyourhuzband

      It was a light, easy, and mildly entertaining novel. The type of novel that you can read, be satisfied with and then absolutely forget mostly because it’s not the kind of story that stays with y...

      READ MORE

      Keyboard Arrow Right Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com
      Sharjah Festival of African Literature

      Wole Soyinka Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at the Inaugural Sharjah Festival of African Literature

      January 26, 2025 .

      africanliterature, sharjah

      The first-ever Sharjah Festival of African Literature has celebrated a milestone in African arts and culture by presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka. ...

      READ MORE

      Keyboard Arrow Right Streamline Icon: https://streamlinehq.com
      Littafi Banner