Helen Oyeyemi Dishes Up Magic in Her New Novel, ‘Gingerbread’

My book club read it, and we enjoyed the ride. The rigged system sounded very familiar - extreme, but familiar. Agree with the reviewer, plan to take it slow.

"Perdita" not only means "lost." it is the name of the daughter in The Winter's Tale (Shakespeare's very fairytale-like play). whose father doesn't believe she is his and sends her off as an infant to be killed; she returns as a young woman. The "mother of Perdita" in the play is the mistrusted Hermione (rhymes, sorta, with "Harriet Lee:) whom the father believes has died because of his actions, but who comes back to life at the end. Oh, I've ruined the play for those who don't know it, but I thought it was relevant.

Again, meaning of odd words: It's significant also that Oyeyemi names the "magical but flawed country" Druhastrana. It means "the other side" in Czech!

Wonderful review, and I can't wait to read the book, but note that, while "Perdita" means "lost", the closely related ''Perdition" means "absolute destruction".

Good grief! How can anyone not call out the Muppets' "two old heckling men" by name, Statler and Waldorf?!

I fear the wait list for this book at my local library is rather long. I make gingerbread (spicy, with molasses, baked and then covered so that it can to inhale its own steam) and may have to sell some just to buy this book.

This description of Oyeyemi’s writing sounds a lot like Boris Vian’s to me.

Thank you. I needed this review. And now to read her tale. Note: At 2:36 a.m. I finished Simple Genius and felt as I closed it that I had eaten too many donuts. So I looked out my window to see if the moon was still there so I could go out and howl! And it was snowing! In Seattle! (Beautiful though) A batch of fresh cookies was left by youngest son too. I started to reach, but realized I was sugar sated. :- \ Now for Gingerbread and some spice.

I could not be more excited to read this book - Oyeyemi is one of the great young writers. However, "all too often I can predict the next step. I find myself skimming sentences, paragraphs, entire pages without missing a single important morsel" is a strange approach to reading literature! I fear Ms. Ivey has missed more morsels than she knows.

I look forward to reading this book!

I will be ordering Gingerbread from my Swedish OnLine bookstore, AdLibris. Why? I have read and re-read Helen Oyemi's extraordinary Boy, Snow, Bird and have cited it occasionally here in comment land, usually in connection with articles dealing with human difference, which translates in American context to a single variable, skin color. In Boy, Snow, Bird, Oyemi has the central figure, Boy Novak, flee from New York city to my very own part of New England where Oyemi, born in Nigeria creates the most subtle and skillful narration on continuous variation in skin color, even in New England that I have ever read. She seems to know that area better than I do. I recommend the reviews of that book in The Guardian and The Times. I look forward to seeing more reviews of Gingerbread. I have been reading many novels recently by authors said to be breaking new ground, but from what I have seen so far, Helen Oyemi is their match. Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com Citizen US SE Grew up in the area along the axis between Seekonk MA and Worcester MA - through RI - which is where much of Boy takes place.