Blurb

Across ten interconnected stories, six former schoolmates navigate adulthood, haunted by the ghosts of their shared past. Set against the backdrop of contemporary Lagos and boarding school life in Ogun state, The Brevity of Beautiful Things weaves through time, revealing the unexpected consequences of childhood trauma.

Kamara wrestles with the shadow of his demanding father. Julius is lumbered with an imaginable burden after his father’s stroke, Iman escapes her family’s suffocating religious ties. Ufedo treads a precarious path in her pursuit of pleasure. Murtala harbours a secret he’s never fully shared about his sex life. Faramade lives a life that he knows should be better.

Review

I think of life as a series of fleeting moments, moving at once, sometimes interconnected, sometimes not. For many years now, my driving force has been finding little or big ways to fuel joy—indulging myself whenever my being is moved in one direction. I don’t let the expected structure of how one is ‘meant’ to live dictate my choices. I’m me, doing things at my own pace and according to my own beliefs. Reading The Brevity of Beautiful Things by Nnamdi Ehirim reaffirmed my current stance in life, resonating deeply with my perspective on living authentically.

Nnamdi Ehirim’s The Brevity of Beautiful Things is a collection of interconnected stories that follow six former schoolmates from a boarding school as they navigate the complexities of adulthood in contemporary Lagos.

The book follows multiple characters, primarily focusing on Kamara, Julius, Iman, and Ufedo, with moving touches on Murtala and Faramade. Their shared past at boarding school deeply influences their choices and relationships, shaping who they are today as they strive to live in their truths while facing their unique challenges in adulthood.

The most striking thing about The Brevity of Beautiful Things is its warmth. It’s a multitude of stories that depict the ugliness of relationships, yet within that, I found beauty. I found love—because that’s what love is, a paradox. The characters are imperfect, selfish even, but that’s what makes them so relatable. They aren’t trying to be anything but themselves. I love how Ehirim portrays all their feelings and experiences, and how the vulnerability of each character brings depth to the narrative. Even when I couldn’t agree with some of their choices, I understood them, and that’s what makes them unforgettable.

This book makes you feel like a fly on the wall, reading the secrets people would rather take to the grave. The interconnected stories give the book a fluidity, moving seamlessly from one person’s mind to another, revealing new pieces that make the bigger picture clearer. It’s like uncovering different facets of a complex crystal, understanding each person better as you read more, not only through their own eyes but through the eyes of others too.

For me, The Brevity of Beautiful Things is a beautiful piece that captures the complexities of friendship, the messiness of love, and the journey of reconciliation and self-acceptance. It thoughtfully brings to the forefront how much of our past we carry with us and how it shapes who we become. Nnamdi Ehirim’s second book is a worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys slice-of-life narratives, the small yet profound actions and inactions that make relationships and life what they are. This is a book that lingers with you, much like the memories it so artfully depicts.

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