Witches and wizards are known to be associated with evil, wickedness and terror, especially in a society such as ours. However, not everyone thinks the same. The book, What Sunny Saw in the Flames, creates in the mind of the reader the possibility of the existence of such a world where human beings can have such supernatural powers that can be used positively.
The award-winning writer, Nnedi Okorafor, who is famed for writing fictions and fantasies, in this 216-page book, plays with the imagination of the reader by painting pictures with words in such a way that the reader visualises, more realistically, the author’s writings. The writer also describes more of the characters with words that can cause the mind to paint mental pictures, thus making the book compelling to read.
The setting of this book and the scenes, which were described in the novel, are places that are in existence in the contemporary capital of Imo State, Owerri. This is a very outstanding technique, as it brings to life the scenes of the novel, thus making the novel more realistic because of the existence of these places.
However compelling the book is, some of the descriptions of supernatural activities and abilities by the characters, such as changing faces from human to spiritual, can certainly bore the reader, as this practice is not common in our society today. But she successfully carries the reader through this fictitious tale of witchcraft with humour and intrigue right to the end of the novel.
Other books by the writer include: Zahrah the Windseeker and Who Fears Death.
