Waiting for an Angel by Helon Habila | Book Review

Waiting for an Angel is Helon Habila's debut novel, and it won the 2003 Commonwealth Writer's Prize. After reading the first few pages I realized I had read this story before so I flipped back to the publisher's note I had skipped in my hurry to get to the story. It confirmed that the first part Lomba had been published in the year 2000 in the collection, Prison Stories, and Lomba had previously been titled Love Poems. Lomba also won the 2001 Caine Prize for African Writing. Waiting for an Angel is partitioned into parts that often focus on a character and his or her connection to Lomba, so in the end Waiting for an Angel is one story chopped into different parts. Lomba is followed by The Angel, Bola, Alice, Lomba (again), Kela, and James.  Lomba is a good read but it really wasn't anything special. The rest of Waiting for an Angel is really good with Bola and The Angel being some of my favorites.

Waiting for an Angel is set during the period of Nigerian military regimes in the 80's and 90's. It is historical fiction, and in a way that makes it a more important read. It gives us an idea of what life was like during that period of turmoil especially for those who tried to stand up for what's right. I've been a fan of Habila since I read Measuring Time in 2009. Helon Habila has done a great job with Waiting for an Angel. You should read it.

[Image via Amazon]