Nine Hours
Book Review
The debut novel by screenwriter, producer, and photographer Lukhanyo Sikwebu, Nine Hours (2021) is a story about vigilante assassin Naomi Mandisa Nel, who is dedicated to delivering justice where the legal system has failed. Opening in South Africa, Naomi is recruited for a high-stakes mission to join a team to rescue schoolgirls kidnapped by terrorists. As the title suggests, the team only has nine hours to infiltrate the enemy camp and extract the girls before they are moved and potentially lost forever.
From what I heard, the story is loosely inspired by true events from the kidnapping of schoolgirls in Nigeria in 2014 by the terrorist group Boko Haram.
Sikwebu’s film production background is evident in vivid descriptions, cinematic storytelling, and well-timed pacing that contributes to its tension, keeping readers gripped. The novel provides thrilling action sequences while also diving into themes of justice and morality.
The characters: Naomi and other female characters are both empowering and feel authentic without veering into preachiness. Sikwebu excels in creating strong female characters without an agenda-driven motive. The story also follows the POV of Aisha, one of the kidnapped schoolgirls who manages to escape the camp and tries to get to safety. However, this party of females may seem a bit excessive at times as the lack of strong make characters who stand out makes it feel a bit less than realistic. One could argue that the male characters are underdeveloped in comparison to the female characters, thus making them less memorable. Without giving out too much, he makes up for this a bit with the antagonist, who I have to admit is a more layered character than he may be perceived to be from his first introduction.
Sequel?: As of 2021, Sikwebu confirmed that he had completed writing the sequel and was working on the third instalment. As for the screenplay, he wrote it at the same time he was writing the Nine Hours novel. So it’s only a matter of time before we get the next novel and the film.
In conclusion: Nine Hours is a promising debut that offers a fresh perspective, making it a noteworthy addition to South African literature. If you’re looking for an adrenaline-fueled, cinematically crafted narrative with depth, this is a read for you.
★★★★★
Thank You For Reading!!