Graceland

GraceLand is a novel by Nigerian-American author Chris Abani, first published in 2004. It centers on a teenager named Elvis, who works as an impersonator of his famous namesake and who is trying to get out of the ghettos of Lagos, Nigeria. The story focuses on the harsh environment that is Nigeria’s largest city, and the struggles of one young man to escape the orbit of his troubled family and make a better life for himself. However, Elvis’ quest is complicated by the many criminal jobs he takes with his friend Redemption, a bad influence who has been getting Elvis in trouble since their childhood. Exploring themes of globalization, poverty, crime, and the influence of names on a person’s destiny, GraceLand was Abani’s breakout work and received overwhelming critical acclaim. It won the 2005 Hemingway/PEN Award and the Hurston-Wright Legacy AWard, as well as being the Silver Medalist for the California Book Award and being among the finalists for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Commonwealth Writers Prize. It was also shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

GraceLand is split between two main narratives, with the main story taking place in Lagos in 1983, and the secondary narrative taking place in the small village of Afpiko between 1972 and 1981. In the present-day, Elvis lives in Lagos with his father, Sunday, and his stepmother, Comfort. His father is an alcoholic who has fallen on hard times, and his abusive behavior towards his son has made Elvis lose all respect for him. Elvis’ new stepmother, Comfort, is rude to him and doesn’t seem to want him around, but she’s loyal to his father despite Sunday’s many flaws. Elvis is an experienced dancer and Elvis impersonator who is desperate to carve out a better life for himself, and he frequently performs on the streets to earn money. He never completed school, which means his opportunities are limited, but he makes up for it with guile and determination. His closest friend is Redemption, a local rogue who serves as Elvis’ mentor and teaches him how to make ends meet on the streets. Redemption is a small-time criminal, and frequently pulls Elvis into various dangerous and ill-advised jobs.

Life was very different for Elvis when he lived in the small village of Afpiko. At that time, his mother Beatrice was still alive. They had a good relationship, and she raised him to believe he was capable of great things. Then she became sick with breast cancer. She was cared for by her family, including her younger sister, Felicia. Elvis became close with Felicia, and the two helped each other through their grief after Beatrice passed on. However, the village was also home to Joseph, Elvis’ uncle, a corrupt, ruthless, and wealthy man who led took family away from their village to live in Lagos. Elvis’ relationship with Sunday was never good, but it took a turn for the worse after Beatrice died. Without his wife, Sunday had no one pushing him to be a decent man and a good father.



In the present day, Elvis decides to leave home, but quickly runs afoul of robbers who kidnap him. They’re part of a large ring of kidnappers who sell, abuse, and kill children. He even finds skulls in the truck he’s being transported in. He’s taken to a dungeon where he’s abused, but he’s able to trick his captors and escape. Back on the streets, Elvis knows more than ever that he has to find a way out of the city.

Elvis starts taking jobs for Redemption, who’s always been a smooth talker, able to take advantage of any opportunity. He even used to bribe teachers when they were in school together. However, Elvis’ conscience nags at him, and he remembers the things his mother and grandmother told him when they were alive. Also pulling him towards the side of good is a mysterious, one-eyed man known only as the King of Beggars. This man shows up whenever he’s needed, and always seems to know what Elvis is up to. His efforts to help Elvis indicate that he is supposed to represent Elvis’ conscience. Redemption’s criminal activities eventually draw the attention of the Colonel, the corrupt and ruthless man in charge of security in Lagos. While he’s ostensibly the face of law and order in the city, he’s actually more interested in enriching himself and has side deals with many of its criminals.

Towards the end of the novel, Sunday is killed when a bulldozer hits him. Elvis has complicated feelings about his father’s death, but grieves for him. He soon meets a girl named Blessing, and the two form an instant connection. The book ends with Elvis in the airport, armed with a passport given to him by Redemption. He tells the security official that his name is Redemption, and he’s on his way at last.



Chris Abani is a Nigerian-American author, who has published four novels, two novellas, seven works of poetry, and an essay. He is highly acclaimed, winning multiple awards from the PEN Foundation. In 2009, he was named a Guggenheim Fellow in Fiction.