No One Dies Yet by Koby Ben Ben

One thing I loved about No One Dies Yet, which I commend the author for, is his integration of queer characters.

Gratitude to the publishers for this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is my honest review; it’s as soft as it can get.

Synopsis

No One Dies Yet is a crime thriller set in Accra, Ghana, against the backdrop of the government’s declaration of a year of return.

The story revolves around two local protagonists, Nana and Kobby, whose relationship is marked by discord, and three expatriates.

What I Liked

One thing I loved about No One Dies Yet, which I commend the author for, is his integration of queer characters.

I also liked that the book gave us some history, an in-depth history of Fantes and Ashanti; it was pleasing to read and, most importantly, a learning curve.

Another important thing this book did was show us how Christianity is used as a tool of manipulation through Nana and his supposed pastor. It reflects the status quo in our society today when it comes to Christianity.

What I Didn’t Like

No One Dies Yet starts with a lot of potential but falls short in many ways as the story progresses, leaving you wondering what exactly is going on.

I was upset by the inaccuracies of history when it came to the people from the north. It really upset me that the author would take time to research the Ashantis and Fantes, but when it came to the people from the north, he didn’t care enough to study.

Kobby made a statement about how Hausas form over 70 percent of people from the north, which is a lie if I am not mincing words. If he had just searched, he would have realized that Hausas aren’t even 1 percent and that the north consists of many tribes and people who matter and need to be researched.

It’s a reflection of the total disregard for a people, a people you do not care about. We talk about how diasporas writers and writers from the West misrepresent us when they write about us, so I would expect a writer who lives in Ghana to know better and do better, especially for a book critique.

That part really got to me and almost ruined my reading experience.

Kobby’s narration also uses verbose language, similar to Wole Soyinka’s style of writing, which makes it tiring and painful to read.

Final Thoughts

Overall, No One Dies Yet was not an easy read for me. I was wondering about the purpose of specific scenes and certain stories, and quite frankly, it took me so long to finish.

I didn’t really enjoy it.