The title of Ever Obi’s novel, Some Angels Don’t See God, a statement that is both spiritual and existential, lingers in the mind—what does it mean for an angel not to see God? Is it commentary on divine justice, human suffering, or on the ways in which we come to the understanding of ourselves and place in the world? These thoughts set the stage for the narrative in his novel which tackles deep and often uncomfortable questions about the human condition and long shadows cast by the past.
It begins with a deliberate calm, introducing us to its thematic framework, through the use of two carefully chosen quotes. The first, from William Faulkner’s Requiem for a Nun, establishes one of the novel’s central motifs: the inescapable weight of history; that “The past is never dead. It’s not even past,” resonating powerfully throughout Obi’s novel, in how personal and collective histories are interwoven, inescapable, and constantly reshape the present. This thematic groundwork is reinforced through the novel’s division into two parts. The first introduces the central character, Chukwunetam (or Neta), and provides more than glimpses into her life and the lives of those around her. The second delves into the past, revealing secrets, traumas, and life-defining moments that shape the storytelling. The alternation between past and present is not just a structural choice—it is the novel’s heartbeat, guiding us through the complex web of relationships, regrets, and revelations that form its core.
Neta is a young writer whose personal history is entwined with a novel she publishes, The Angel You Know, in which she attempts to make sense of her own story and existence. The publication of this novel acts as a catalyst for the plot of SADSG, as Peter, a man from her past, who reads the book, realises he has been written into it. Driven by curiosity and unresolved feelings, he reaches out to Neta; they both meet and rekindle the relationship they once had. Their reunion, however, is tense, fraught with guilt and unspoken trauma. As their connection deepens, the past, which Neta has tried so desperately to leave behind, resurfaces with a vengeance.
An instance is an incestuous past with her twin brother Jeta, which was caused by their aunt, Chidinma, when they were 7-year-olds, which left lasting scars on their psyches. Neta battles guilt, unable to reconcile herself with the actions she was forced to endure. Jeta, on the other hand, dismisses the morality of this complex relationship; he believes there is no reason for them to stop. His denial of the moral and psychological harm they have caused each other sets off a chain of tragic consequences. Obi presents this deeply disturbing relationship as a consequence of a larger pattern of abuse, challenging us to ponder the ways trauma creates cycles of harm.
The novel’s portrayal of the past is not limited to the personal histories of the characters. In fact, the past is shown to be an ever-present force, in not just shaping individual lives, but entire families and communities. For Peter, his story begins with his privileged background—he comes from a middle-class family—but everything changes when his father dies in a car accident. This loss forces Peter to confront the fragility of life, the instability of wealth, and the darkness that can follow even the most idyllic upbringing. In contrast, Neta’s family presents an image of outward success. Her parents, Edna and Jikora, appear to have it all: a beautiful home, fulfilling jobs, and two children (twins), Neta and her brother Jeta. Yet, as Obi carefully reveals, this family is hiding secrets. The loss of Jikora’s parents and a devastating miscarriage have left emotional scars that no one outside the family can see. The discrepancy between the family’s public image and the hidden tragedy beneath it forms tension in the novel, as the characters wrestle with the burdens of unspoken grief.
Obi’s portrayal of abuse is raw and uncompromising, showing its devastating effects on victims. Neta’s overwhelming guilt is perhaps the most prominent. As she begins to unravel the tangled threads of her past, she finds herself facing the consequences of the trauma she endured, as well as the trauma she unwittingly caused others. Her decision to seek therapy marks a turning point in her journey, as she confronts the dark memories that have haunted her for so long. Jeta’s actions, too, highlight the lasting impact of abuse. His fixation on Neta evolves into a destructive obsession, culminating in the murder of a young boy whom he perceives as a rival for his sister’s affections. His incarceration becomes a symbol of the ruin that abuse can bring to a person, as well as the dangerous ways in which unaddressed trauma manifests.
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At first, Neta’s reunion with Peter seems like a chance for redemption, where the past might be finally left behind. However, we learn that Peter is inextricably tied to Neta’s past in ways she wouldn’t have ever fathomed. The revelation that Peter’s father was killed in a car accident by Neta’s father is a cruel twist of fate that forces Neta to confront the long-buried guilt she feels. This knowledge shatters the fragile peace she has managed to build with Peter, and she is once again faced with the reality that the past, no matter how deeply buried, will always resurface. For Peter, too, the past lingers, though in a different way:
There was always an unsettled wretch in his gut, he felt he did not cherish those moments enough. If it was possible, he would take it all back to enjoy the comfort of that environment greedily – the way he felt he should have but did not.
He looks back on the moments of his youth, filled with a sense of regret and nostalgia for a time when things seemed simpler. Yet, even as he longs for the past, he recognises that it is gone, and that he must reconcile with it if he is ever to move forward. His reflections on the past demonstrate the universal human experience of regret, longing, and the desire for closure. (We find in SADSG, rather tangentially, Obi’s criticism of the Osu caste system in eastern Nigeria. The Osu, considered outcasts, are believed to be the descendants of those who were dedicated to gods or who have committed a grievous sin. As with other marginalised groups, they are treated as second-class citizens, and their lives are shaped by prejudices that mark them as unworthy of the same respect as others. In weaving this theme into the novel, Obi brings attention to the persistent inequalities that continue to plague societies, even in the modern world.)
We also find in Some Angels Don’t See God the exploration of the reading culture and the role of storytelling in shaping personality. Neta’s reflections on books, and reading and writing, provide a fascinating lens through which we see her. Books are not just a form of escape for her; they are a way to process and make sense of her experiences. Her character is a showglass that draws a parallel between the lives of readers and the lives of those who, like her, seek meaning and understanding through stories.
Neta’s experience will resonate deeply with many readers. The quiet joys and struggles of being a reader—losing oneself in a book, finding solace in pages, and even drawing parallels between the lives of fictional characters and one’s own—are all reflected in Neta’s novel. This is Ever Obi’s attempt to emphasise the idea that books can shape us, change us, and sometimes even help us understand our own stories.
Ever Obi has crafted a rich, complex narrative that explores the inescapability of the past, the trauma of abuse, and the consequences of choices made in the shadow of family secrets. Through its exploration of taboo topics, such as incest, abuse, and the caste system, the novel challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths about human nature, societal inequalities, and how history shapes individual lives. And that coming to such knowledge sometimes is the price we pay for living, as angels who may never see beyond our limitations, or that God out there.♦
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Victory Adewoye’s review won third place in the Ever Obi Some Angels Don’t See God Book Review Competition.
Victory Adewoye is a book lover and reviewer. She is partial to genres like romance and thriller. Her work has appeared in Afrocritik