The year has only just begun and I have about two unfinished books. I can't help but wonder why I wholeheartedly and constantly keep indulging in books that try to drag me into a reading slump.
Last year, I dabbled from one “collection of short stories” to another and unlike the rest, Night of the Creaking Bed was an absolute page turner and consequently my first ‘complete’ read for the new year.
About the Book
Night of the Creaking Bed is a collection of fifteen short stories, written by Toni Kan, a Nigerian author. The book's setting is in Nigeria but not a specific setting as different stories play out in different parts of the country like Lagos and Ibadan.
The short stories from this collection are filled with characters who possess peculiar personalities, ranging from; dutiful men in a strange land who meet an unworthy demise just because they are strangers, a curious and promising young man who finally gets a chance to visit the city but soon faces calamity, a thirteen year old who has to struggle through life on his own after his mother treacherously abandons him on the busy street of Lagos, a married woman with two kids who stumbles on her first love and soon enough finds herself contemplating all the happiness he has to offer, a community constantly gripped by the fear of a visit from the harbinger, and so on.
My Opinion
Some stories in this collection had really interesting and satisfying endings while the others had unmitigated heartbreaking endings. I like how well the author paced the different storylines because I do not remember reading over two sad stories in a row. The blend was just right.
An author's ability to rope in readers with a good first story should be classified as a talent. I do not know about others but a good and gripping ‘first story’ or ‘introduction’ in the case of a unitary novel keeps me glued and that was the case with this collection. For this, I'd like to commend the author because contrary to my initial thoughts on the book, I was roped in from the beginning and ready to explore the rest of the short stories in the series.
The pacing of this book was absolutely optimal. Unnecessary attention wasn't placed on topics that didn't require attention. There wasn't any form of excessive exaggeration and clear pictures were painted in every scene.
Another beautiful thing about this book was the amount of themes explored in it. A few of the themes include infidelity, trauma, corruption, violence, poor decision making, misfortune, poverty, success, perseverance, achievements, you name it. There was a combination of just about everything. I think this book touched on all of the themes I could mention from the top of my head in just about 190 pages.
I’m especially impressed by how the book ends. The last story in this collection– The Phone Call Goodnight– is a tragicomedy and the right finale to the collection. I remember ending my reading with a smile which automatically means thats the book left a lasting impression.
Recommendation and Rating.
This book wasn't exceptionally different from the previous collection of stories I've come across but it offered a fresh perspective on certain issues, topics and occurrences, making it an enjoyable read. One that would make you display an array of emotions while reading it.
I would give this book a solid 8/10 because if given the chance, I would ready it all over again. However, I've decided to cut down on how often I read short story collections. Irrespective of how enjoyable and relatable these short stories may seem, they lack the fun that comes with reading a unitary novel with an astounding plot. As such, this may be my last for a while.
I hope I come across more unitary novels with interesting plots. Do you have any recommendations?
The thumbnail is a screenshot from my e-library
