Scan barcode
lipglossmaffia's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
shannanh's review
5.0
Although Eziafa Okereke was born in Nigeria, he now lives in America. He decides not to tell the Nigerian American woman he's dating that he is going back to Nigeria to find a wife. He brings his new wife to America, 18 year old Zina, and as they grow, their life is never the same.
Although this book has several triggering aspects to it, it was such a good and very well written book. It was exciting, and I did not want it to end. I had no empathy for Eziafa, and I felt so sorry for Zina. There were so many twists and turns that I was not expecting. Such a great read
I received a copy of the book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review
Although this book has several triggering aspects to it, it was such a good and very well written book. It was exciting, and I did not want it to end. I had no empathy for Eziafa, and I felt so sorry for Zina. There were so many twists and turns that I was not expecting. Such a great read
I received a copy of the book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review
kofoworola's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
This is a classic story of a man marrying a much younger girl (who typically has no choice) he believes can he can 'mold to his taste' and then killing her when she realises she's in bondage and wants her freedom.
----
Eziafa is a man who has tried to make something of himself in America and has not succeeded. He then decides, at the behest of his mother, to go back to his village so he can marry a young, naive girl he can 'mold to his taste.' He picks Zina.
Zina is 18 years old, twenty years younger than Eziafa. She is smart, ambitious, in love with her village boyfriend, and has no desires to marry a much older stranger. But like many young girls in her shoes, she is not given a choice, and is married off to Eziafa.
After bringing her to America, Eziafa reveals his plans to use Zina as his retirement plan. He enrolls her in nursing school despite her interest in business.
It was infuriating to read all of Zina's struggles. Eziafa takes her passport away, married her so she could be his retirement, gave her allowances from money she worked for, basically took her life away from her. But in all of it, I took consolation in the fact that he never got physically violent with her.
That's why the end of the book was so shocking. I knew Eziafa would lash out about his hurt pride, but I did not think she would actually die. At the same time, was it really shocking? Were we that surprised?
No.
A great, well-paced read.
----
Eziafa is a man who has tried to make something of himself in America and has not succeeded. He then decides, at the behest of his mother, to go back to his village so he can marry a young, naive girl he can 'mold to his taste.' He picks Zina.
Zina is 18 years old, twenty years younger than Eziafa. She is smart, ambitious, in love with her village boyfriend, and has no desires to marry a much older stranger. But like many young girls in her shoes, she is not given a choice, and is married off to Eziafa.
After bringing her to America, Eziafa reveals his plans to use Zina as his retirement plan. He enrolls her in nursing school despite her interest in business.
It was infuriating to read all of Zina's struggles. Eziafa takes her passport away, married her so she could be his retirement, gave her allowances from money she worked for, basically took her life away from her. But in all of it, I took consolation in the fact that he never got physically violent with her.
That's why the end of the book was so shocking. I knew Eziafa would lash out about his hurt pride, but I did not think she would actually die. At the same time, was it really shocking? Were we that surprised?
No.
A great, well-paced read.
liralen's review
4.0
Yes. It feels like I've been waiting years to read this, even though it only came out in September—but then, I did read [b:Daughters Who Walk This Path|13419252|Daughters Who Walk This Path|Yejide Kilanko|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331744784l/13419252._SX50_.jpg|18776012] in 2014. (Incidentally, the characters from [b:Chasing Butterflies|25184320|Chasing Butterflies|Yejide Kilanko|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1426893716l/25184320._SY75_.jpg|44892221] have cameo roles here.)
A Good Name opens with Eziafa, a transplant from Nigeria to Texas by way of Minnesota. He's been in the States for more than a decade and doesn't have much to show for it: money is still tight, he's still unmarried, and pressures from home are mounting.
And then there's Zina, whom Eziafa meets on a trip home. At eighteen, Zina's whole life is ahead of her—but she too is subject to familial and cultural expectations, and to an implicit understanding that what an older man (Eziafa is more than twice her age) wants is more important than what a younger woman wants. And so it is that Zina, too, finds herself in Texas, in a situation that is not what she expected or wants.
I don't want to say too much about the plot here, or the characters' actions, because a lot of the power in the book is the gradual way in which it unfolds. Instead I'll just say that one of things I loved about Daughters Who Walk This Path was the complexity of the characters, and the same holds true here; no character is limited to good or evil, cruel or kind, smart or foolish. There are definitely characters to root for and characters to avoid in real life, but they're far richer than that. Would recommend.
A Good Name opens with Eziafa, a transplant from Nigeria to Texas by way of Minnesota. He's been in the States for more than a decade and doesn't have much to show for it: money is still tight, he's still unmarried, and pressures from home are mounting.
And then there's Zina, whom Eziafa meets on a trip home. At eighteen, Zina's whole life is ahead of her—but she too is subject to familial and cultural expectations, and to an implicit understanding that what an older man (Eziafa is more than twice her age) wants is more important than what a younger woman wants. And so it is that Zina, too, finds herself in Texas, in a situation that is not what she expected or wants.
I don't want to say too much about the plot here, or the characters' actions, because a lot of the power in the book is the gradual way in which it unfolds. Instead I'll just say that one of things I loved about Daughters Who Walk This Path was the complexity of the characters, and the same holds true here; no character is limited to good or evil, cruel or kind, smart or foolish. There are definitely characters to root for and characters to avoid in real life, but they're far richer than that. Would recommend.
bukolayemi's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
You can take a man out of the village but you can’t take the village out of the man. Eziafa Okereke is an Ibo man from Nigeria living in Houston.
After twelve years, he returns to Nigeria to find a good village wife despite falling in love with an African American with Ibo parents because he wanted someone ‘fresh’ and with a good name.
In this fast paced immigration story, Yejide Kilanko explores morality, cultural expectations, black tax, relationships and marriage.
Although sad in parts, other parts were heart warming and even brought smiles to my face. I loved the character development in this book, it is such that even minor characters were lovable and unforgettable.