In the Shadow of War

Ben Okri's book 'In the Shadow of War' is a story about a young boy's experiences in a Nigerian village during war. The book opens with references to three soldiers visiting a local bar to drink 'palm-wine.' The images evoked here suggest that the narrative will focus on the presence of and problems with war. The book transitions by introducing the young boy and his father. The son, Omovo, catches a view of the soldiers out of his window while listening to his radio. Father and son hear news of recent bombings in the area, but news of this doesn't irritate Omovo. Omovo is irritated with his father's instruction and distracted with the idea of looking for a woman with a black veil who passes by the house every day. As father and son continue to listen to the news on the radio, they hear about the coming of an eclipse. The information doesn't deter the father from believing that the war will continue despite the presence of an eclipse. The story moves forward when Omovo