The Famished Road

DNF

So, magical realism, another attempt. I try, but it is just not working for me.
I get that people enjoy the highly over-written and colourful part of the story - with spirits and talking animals, with dream adventures, with witches and curses. I see that the political thugs, wizards, herbalists and other strange beings are an appealing fantasy world. Where I get stuck is the basis of the story is reality - working as a labourer, carrying ridiculously heavy loads; beggars, and people living below the poverty line in a poor village where the wealthy landlord can exert pressure on his tenants to vote the way he wants; a village getting electricity for the first time, and its first car. For me, it works better to be based in one or the other - fantasy or reality.
The other aspect of the book that annoyed me is the repetition. It seems every 50 pages or so Azaro is kidnapped by the spirits, only to escape; Madame Koto gets fatter, again; the Party of the Rich intimidate voters again...
So five hundred pages is a fair investment, and I didn't feel the need to stop reading it, but at the end was there any appeal to picking up the follow-on book? No, not really. For me, I have to err towards ‘it was ok' rather than ‘I liked it', although it sits in between, but two stars it is.