Oil on Water
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| Author | Helon Habila |
|---|---|
| Genre | Petrofiction |
| Publisher | Penguin Books |
Publication date | August 5, 2010 |
| ISBN | 978-0-241-14486-2 |
Oil on Water is a 2010 petrofiction novel by Nigerian author Helon Habila.[1][2] The novel documents the experience of two journalists as they try to rescue a kidnapped European wife in the oil landscape of the Niger Delta. The novel explores themes of both the ecological and political consequences of oil conflict and petrodollars in the delta.[3][4][5]
Plot
[edit]Oil on Water is a story about two people, Rufus, an emerging journalist, and Zaq, a famous reporter.They went to the Niger Delta in pursuit of an abducted white woman named Isabel Floode, who was used as a bargaining chip in Nigeria's civil war.
Reception
[edit]Reviews
[edit]The novel was well received. Orion magazine called it "a powerful work, one that reaffirms that art done well is always big enough to contain politics".[3] The Guardian's Rachel Aspden called it a "powerful, accomplished third novel [that] displays a growing pessimism about journalism's capacity to effect change."[4]
Awards
[edit]| Year | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Commonwealth Writers Prize (Africa) | Shortlist | [6][7] |
| 2012 | PEN/Open Book Award | Shortlist | [8][9] |
| 2013 | Orion Book Award | Shortlist | [10] |
References
[edit]- ^ Riddle, Amy. "Petrofiction and Political Economy in the Age of Late Fossil Capital". Mediations: Journal of the Marxist Literary Group. 31 (2). Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ "Oil on Water". Kirkus Reviews. 6 March 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ a b Pancake, Ann. "Oil on Water". Orion Magazine. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ a b Aspden, Rachel (28 August 2010). "Oil on Water by Helon Habila | Book review". the Guardian. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ Egya, Sule Emmanuel (2017). "Literary Militancy and Helon Habila's Oil on Water". Research in African Literatures. 48 (4): 94–104. doi:10.2979/reseafrilite.48.4.07. ISSN 0034-5210. JSTOR 10.2979/reseafrilite.48.4.07. S2CID 166108633. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ "Helon Habila, Nigerian Literary Genius". LifeAndTimes News. 10 June 2017. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- ^ "2011 prize: regional shortlist". Commonwealth Foundation. Archived from the original on 31 August 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ "Helon Habila". Lannan Center for Poetics and Social Practice. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
- ^ "2012 PEN Open Book Award". pen.org. 14 November 2012. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
- ^ Omoniyi, Tosin (11 November 2017). "Helon Habila, Maaza Mengiste named The New American Voices award judges". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 28 May 2020.