Themes/Triggers:
Parenthood, motherhood, love, marriage, Nigerian culture, social values, cultural norms, kinship, polygyny, infertility, deception, death, disease, mental health, death of an infant, grief, politics.
Synopsis:
Yajide and Akin are a married couple desperate for a miracle. In 1980's Nigeria, the pressure to have children is strong. Yajide has tried everything to appease her in-laws, from medicine to religion and cultural practices involving taxing pilgrimages and appeals to God. But when Akin's mother insists on a second marriage it is too much for Yajide to bear. A new wife will lead to jealousy, betrayals and despair - will this be their undoing?
Thoughts:
This is a remarkable novel about the societal pressures to conceive after marriage and one woman's over-powering desire for motherhood. The story opens in 2008 (present day) but is predominantly based in the 1980's where we learn about the lives of the characters as things start to unfold. The short chapters and precise writing made an easy read. The plot moves along really quickly too with some very shocking twists woven throughout. It's full of drama and dialogue which again, makes the story flow nicely.
There are only a handful of characters, all well-crafted and important. With Yajide and Akin remaining the main focus, we get to know every crevice of their minds, this really brings both characters to life. Since we get both perspectives, their secrets and reasoning behind doing things makes a lot more sense. They're an educated young couple who aren't shy of Western culture; unlike their families they are modern and open-minded. They don't agree with most of their traditions and seem to be very happy and in love. That is until Akin's family begin to make their own decisions about his marriage.
Akin's mother comes across as a malicious person who treats Yajide and even Akin (at times) with contempt, all she cares about is the continuation of the family bloodline and she's willing to go to any extreme to make sure it happens. She doesn't have the capacity to consider the hardships that the couple are going through especially Yajide's experience, instead she calls her out for being 'selfish.' This showed a lot about the Nigerian culture in previous generations and its similarity to my own where men having multiple wives is nothing new. Albeit, it's not widely accepted or practiced. There was a specific scene in which Yejide goes to the Mountain of Miracles where some very strange things happen, I found the whole scene absurd but it made me think of Yejide's state of mind with her desperate attempt and ache to be pregnant. I think this is her breaking point which leads to what happens next.
The story is tragic from start to end. It's filled with tension, gossip, drama and all the superstitions. Some rituals and customs are inhumane and inappropriate but I don't know if they are a true part of Nigerian culture or a work of fiction (you'll know which act I mean in particular if you've read this book!) There is a side-plot about the political state of the country which fits in well with the characters daily lives, it doesn't take away from the main story at all. I thought it was woven in perfectly. There are very real depictions of grief, depression and mental illness written with rawness but still hold fragility.
I was left speechless by the depth and expression of emotions in this book, it's so beautifully put together and doesn't sugar-coat the hard truths some marriages/relationships face. There were parts that I found very relatable which likely adds to why I feel like this is a special book - but to me, it's believable fiction. There is still a lot of love in this book but the fear of losing each other and staying silent when words are necessary slowly changes things. I found the final few chapters were the most moving, I was heart-broken for Yejide and Akin and wished things could have been different for them. The biggest message in this novel is that no person is any less then another regardless of their ability to have children. Most importantly being honest (no matter how uncomfortable and difficult) can save everyone a lot of pain, overthinking and wrong choices. A brilliant, brilliant booked that I'm still thinking about and highly recommend. Such an intense yet refreshing reading experience!
Favourite Quotes:
'If the burden is too much and stays too long, even love bends, cracks, comes close to breaking and sometimes does break. But when it's in a thousand pieces around your feet, that doesn't mean it's no longer love.'
'I understand how a word others use every day can become something whispered in the dark to soothe a wound that just won't heal. I remember thinking I would never hear it spoken without unravelling a little, wondering if I would ever get to say it in the light. So I recognise the gift in this simple pronouncement, the promise of a beginning in this one word.'
'The reasons why we do the things we do will not always be the ones that others will remember.'
'Besides, what would be left of love without truth stretched beyond its limits, without those better versions of ourselves that we present as the only ones that exist?'
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