Title: The Beardless Man of Tornabia and other stories
Author: Bernice Agyekwena
Genre: Folklore and Children’s Tales
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon (UK), Amazon (US), The Book Depository, B&N
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review.
In the grand storytelling tradition of ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ comes “The Beardless Man of Tornabia & Other Stories” by Bernice Agyekwena.
‘The Beardless Man of Tornabia & Other Stories’ is a collection of original African fairy tales rooted in the traditional beliefs, practices, myths and cultural practices of the peoples of Africa. It shares the same characteristics with traditional fairytales from all over the world. These include common themes such as an ordinary girl getting married to a personage of royalty, deprived children finding a benefactor, as well as tales examining the eternal battle between right and wrong, good and evil.
So, re-discover Africa with this vivid and exciting collection of unique African fairy tales, deeply rooted in African myths, folklore and cultural traditions, with the very talented Bernice Agyekwena in her stunning debut work for children and adults of all ages.
When I heard this book was folklore, I had to try it out. I love folklore, children’s tales, fairytales and the likes. The Beardless Man of Tornobia & Other Stories was completely different from the books I’m used to reading. It was refreshing, and at the same time, surprisingly familiar. The stories may be completely different, but they tell us the same cautionary tales as European fairytales, except painted in a fresh, new color, and sketched more vibrantly than ever.
This is a collection of short stories / novellas of original African fairy tales, rooted in traditional beliefs, myths, cultural practices, and so on. Kind of like our tales of the brothers Grimm. They were a delight to read, and will probably be enjoyed by lots of adults – because the stories are new, it feels like revisiting your childhood all over again.
I loved “The Beardless Man of Tornobia”, “The Magic Firewood, The Magic Fan and the Magic Gourd” and “The Last Locust” the most. All stories were intriguing though, but those are my favorites.
If you want something completely different yet refreshingly familiar, this is your book.
