Book review: I do not come to you by chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani

African fiction

Hey book buddy, welcome to my first book review, I’m psyched and I hope you are as well!

Before we delve in, let me ask you this question: Would you still go to school if it was guaranteed you didn’t need education to make a shit ton of money?

Today’s book is “I Do Not Come to You by Chance by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani. I tried to guess what the story would be about on seeing the title (who else does this?) Believe me when I say it wasn't what I expected but was a fun and interesting read.

The protagonist of this story is Kingsley. Fresh out of uni, Chemical Engineering graduate with brilliant results(shano!). He was undoubtedly convinced that he was going to get a job at a top oil firm to be able to take care of his parents as a proper Opara(first-born son) and his long term babe, Ola.

Unfortunately, life was not fair to him. His expectations were cut short and he couldn’t secure a job as he was getting a gazillion rejection letters. His family was just a brink from poverty and Ola and her family were getting impatient.He was faced with two options, he could rather turn to his wealthy 419 uncle A.K.A Cash Daddy or hold on to his parents’ principle of education being the ONLY path to success.

He had to succumb to to being an internet fraudster. And I won’t lie, I was pained for him. Coming from a morally upright home and having to compromise his values and beliefs was heart wrenching for me. But we can’t blame him now, can we? He did what he had to do.

This book was an eye opener to the way Nigerians scammed the oyinbos of their hard earned money in the early 2000’s showing us a glimpse into what they did and how they did it.

My favorite character was Cash Daddy. I liked the way the writer portrayed him as being funny and audacious. The book had me hooked from beginning to end, it was indeed an interesting read. A solid 8/10 for me.

If you love African fiction or looking to get started, this is a story you'll enjoy. Let me know in the comments if this is something you'll love to read Also, can you guess the title of the book I'll be reviewing next?(clue: It's romance and it was written by a Yoruba woman ).

Till I come your way next time with an amazing book review, don’t stop flipping those pages!