Things They Lost

 Things They Lost by Okwiri Oduor, 268 pages.

Ayosa Ataraxis Brown's special gift is for remembering. Although she is just a lonely child living alone in her ancestral home, she remembers the decades before her birth, when she was just a wriggling thing that followed her mama around. Nabumbo Promise Brown was a brilliant photographer, but she is not a brilliant mother, and Ayosa never knows when she will come of go. Ayosa spends her days dancing and listening to the death news with the ghostly Fatumas who live in her attic, and trying to avoid being snatched by wraiths pretending to be her mama. Then, against all odds, Ayosa makes a human friend and suddenly has to consider who truly deserves her loyalty. 

This was a really interesting piece of magical realism set in Kenya. I really liked Ayosa as a character, and thought her voice came through very strongly throughout. The cast is small, but each member is slowly built up into interesting characters. There is also something very aching about Ayosa's loneliness, and her need to be needed. I really enjoyed this book, and I think it would be great for enjoyers of magical realism.