'Pemi Aguda's debut collection Ghostroots showcased her talent for blending realism with the supernatural. Her new novel One Leg on Earth continues this trend, offering a liminal narrative that flirts openly with darkness. The story follows Yosoye Bakare, a young woman who moves to Lagos for an internship at an architecture firm building Omi City, a futuristic enclave on reclaimed land. After a reckless one-night stand, she becomes pregnant and decides to keep the baby. Meanwhile, pregnant women across the city are inexplicably drowning themselves.
A Tale of Maternal Uncanny
Aguda draws on literary influences like Buchi Emecheta and Toni Morrison, weaving themes of water, survival, and the monstrous feminine. The novel explores Yosoye's struggle with her identity and the haunting visions of the 'suicide women'. As she navigates her work environment and her pregnancy, she must confront what these women represent.
Eco-Horror and Social Commentary
The novel blends eco-horror with sharp social critique, examining capitalist development and motherhood. While the plot occasionally falters, the book excels as a phantasmagoric allegory of transformation. Aguda masterfully evokes the body horror of maternity and the liminal state of expecting mothers.
One Leg on Earth is a richly patterned work of tangled mysteries, perfect for fans of suspense and literary fiction.
