What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah
What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah is a bold, imaginative collection exploring grief, power, love, and survival across worlds both real and speculative.
Blending realism with speculative elements, this acclaimed story collection examines how women and families endure loss, migration, and inequality. Set across Nigeria and the diaspora, the stories confront emotional and social truths with startling originality.
💖 Why You’ll Love It
Inventive storytelling that blends realism, folklore, and speculative fiction
Sharp, emotionally resonant explorations of grief, motherhood, and power
Lyrical prose paired with bold conceptual ideas
A celebrated debut that feels both intimate and expansive
🌟 Perfect For
Readers of literary short fiction
Fans of speculative or magical realism with social depth
Book clubs looking for rich, discussion-worthy stories
Readers interested in African and African diaspora voices
The collection contains twelve stories that traverse realism and fantasy. Opening with “The Future Looks Good,” it closes with “Redemption,” creating a cyclical reflection on inheritance and consequence. Arimah’s narratives center on girls and women negotiating power, loss, and belonging. Frequent motifs include motherhood, migration, grief, and the moral ambiguities of care. Her prose blends humor and mythic imagination with psychological realism.
Notable stories:
“Who Will Greet You at Home” – A woman in Lagos fashions a baby from hair, confronting creation and maternal desire.
“Light” – A father–daughter bond tested by distance and cultural expectations.
“What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky” – In a dystopian future, mathematicians remove human grief through equations, exposing the limits of reason and empathy.
These works typify Arimah’s fusion of fable, science, and social critique.
Critics praised Arimah’s originality, comparing her imagination to Margaret Atwood and Octavia Butler while highlighting her distinctly Nigerian perspective.
