The Famished Road is a novel written by Nigerian author Ben Okri. The book was published in London 1991 by Jonathan Cape. It was written in English Language, the fantasy literature has 519 pages. The book exploits the belief in the coexistence of the spiritual and material worlds that is a defining aspect of traditional African life. The story of the novel follows Azaro, an abiku (spirit child) living in an unnamed, most likely Nigerian, city. The Famished Road was awarded the Man Booker Prize for Fiction for 1991.
CHARACTERS
The list of characters in The Famished Road includes; Azaro (the story’s narrator who happens to be a spirit child), Azaro’s father (he works as a labourer), Azaro’s mother (a street hawker), Madame Koto (a local bar owner), Jeremiah the photographer (a young artist) and The Landlord (owner of the compound where the Azaros live).
SUMMARY
The story is about Azaro; an abiku, or spirit child, from the ghetto of an unknown city in Nigeria. He is constantly harassed by his sibling spirits from another world. They want him to leave this mortal life and return to the world of spirits, so they send many emissaries to bring him back. Azaro has stubbornly refused to leave this life because of the love he has for his parents. They have also tried their possible best to take care of him too. He is the witness of many happenings in the mortal realm. His father is an idealistic load-carrier who wants his best for the family and the community. He suffers greatly for this, eventually becoming a boxer and later a politician. His father loves him deeply, but is often bitter at having an abiku and occasionally goes on angry violent tirades. His mother sells anything she can get her hands on by hawking. She loves Azaro and goes to great length to protect him. Madame Koto, the owner of a local bar, asks Azaro to visit her establishment, convinced that he will bring Goodluck and customers to the bar. The later part of the story tells now his father prepared to a boxer. He convinced himself and his family that he has a talent to be a pugilist. Two opposing political parties try to bribe or coerce the residents to vote for them.
