The Famished Road
Publisher: Vintage
Review
The Famished Road is the story of a spirit child Azaro. Azaro meaning 'born to die' has been born to his parents many a times only to die shortly after birth in order to fulfill a pact with his spirit companions to 'return to the spirit world at the first opportunity'.
But this lifetime is different. In this lifetime Azaro wants to 'make happy the bruised face of the woman who would become my mother'. Azaro decides to struggle against the collective wish of his spirit companions and stay on in the physical form. However, Azaro still maintains his connections with the spirit world and oscillates dangerously between the two worlds.
His companions try various tricks to bring him back to their world again. But each time they fail. Within this story is woven the tale of an impoverished Africa. Of an Africa exposed to the turmoil of socio-political change. An Africa that is hungry, tired and ill.
