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Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'
Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
31 reviews
revolverreads's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Much like the red hearts and decorations that pop up everywhere for Valentine's during the month of February, the red flags of our main character are virtually impossible to miss.
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn’s debut, "Yinka, Where Is Your Husband," follows our thirty-something Oxford-educated leading lady, Yinka, a British Nigerian who is working hard to maintain optimism in her capitalist nightmare of a job. She’s done everything right so far, is even expecting a promotion, only to be told that she has been made redundant at work. Complicating matters, she had already shared the news of her anticipated promotion with her mother, inadvertently making the entire Nigerian population aware, courtesy of her well-meaning aunties.
Adding to the complexity, Yinka's younger sister is happily married and expecting, while her cousin is engaged, prompting her family to initiate public prayers for Yinka to find her husband. These personal and societal pressures become the backdrop against which Yinka's story unfolds.
Rather than confronting the momentary embarrassment with honesty, Yinka opts to run with the lie, believing that securing a new job will be easy. However, she inadvertently digs herself into an even deeper hole. Apparently, lying is the most fun a girl can have, right next to making a clinical plan of how to find a boyfriend by the wedding, creating a KPI system.
Thus begins Yinka's Mean Girls transformation, who changes everything about herself to capture the attention of Alex, Bachelor #1, only to discover that he harbors affections for her best friend. The descent into Bachelor Nation only continues, and Yinka seems to find all the wrong men to date.
There is so much potential to sympathize with Yinka, and for the most part, you find yourself doing just that. She’s been sold this idea of a capitalist dream ladder to climb, pressured to adhere to a predefined timeline for relationships and life, all the while contending with overbearing aunties who can't seem to mind their own business. However, her actions, including lying, stealing clothes from her friend without permission, and then taking over her nephew's baptism with a self-centered speech, leave you wanting to shake Yinka and urge her to read the room. She's not a flawless protagonist, and maybe she is not meant to be, but she was definitely a frustrating one to follow.
"Yinka, Where Is Your Husband" is brimming with chaos and marked by some regrettable life choices by its central character, creating a recipe for a good time. Yinka undoubtedly requires a healthy dose of self-love, the guidance of a therapist, and periodic reality checks to navigate the tumultuous journey she finds herself on.
If you’re considering reading, or have read it, consider checking us out at Revolver Reads: A Bookclub Russian Roulette on your podcast platform of choice, or simply @revolverreads on Instagram and let us know what you think. If you’d like to email us any future book suggestions for our roulette wheel, feel free to send them to [email protected]
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
sandysmith's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I enjoyed this book so much. It was a journey to self-love, about family, church, religion, and friendship pressures. It's not just the main character that grows, so do the people around her. Her Nigerian background was written in a way that I understood, and key themes of self-awareness, racism, and skin tone were explored. I don't like comparing books, but it was a black Bridget Jones more modern with teeth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Body shaming
Moderate: Death of parent and Alcohol
micaelamariem's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I really wanted to like this book…
A lot of people are comparing it to Bridget Jones Diary and I also hated that book so I guess that makes sense.
I appreciated the theme of women not needing a man to be happy and to be content with who you are. I liked the creativity of using mixed media (like Google searches etc) in the chapters.
However, I found the main character extremely u likable, constantly making nonsensical decisions and judging everyone else. I thought the dialogue was cringey and unbelievable. And honestly, I was just grimacing the whole time 😭
A lot of people are comparing it to Bridget Jones Diary and I also hated that book so I guess that makes sense.
I appreciated the theme of women not needing a man to be happy and to be content with who you are. I liked the creativity of using mixed media (like Google searches etc) in the chapters.
However, I found the main character extremely u likable, constantly making nonsensical decisions and judging everyone else. I thought the dialogue was cringey and unbelievable. And honestly, I was just grimacing the whole time 😭
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Death of parent, Alcohol, Cursing, and Sexism
laurataylor's review
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Sexual content
passionatereader78's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Lizzie wrote this book beautifully. She challenges the thought that women need to be married before they are 30 and if they aren't they are spinsters. Yinka is 31 and single. She is having a bad year. Starting with her little sister gets married and is pregnant before her. She's been let go from her job instead of getting a promotion that she has been working hard for. She runs into her ex-fiancé and his new girlfriend. The topper is her cousin is getting married and her mother and aunties want her to bring a boyfriend. I love Yinka's friends and family. The way Nina and Yinka hang out together and have no problem speaking their truths. I enjoyed this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent
mariamsaidwhat's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Yinka is immature and seems younger than her thirty-something years. It also feels like I was tricked into thinking this would be a rom-com so I would pick it up. Somehow, I still don’t (totally) mind. It was refreshing to read about someone in her 30s dealing with her insecurities and not being forced into the perfect HEA by the end of the book. I would’ve loved an HEA, but the possibility of something felt more real than any other ending would have.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Grief, and Death of parent
There is a good amount dealing with the negative toll of colorism on her emotional state by the main character who is a dark-skinned Black woman.taleofabibliophile's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Pregnancy
Moderate: Grief, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, and Sexism
Minor: Cancer and Terminal illness
Content warning: Colourismadrienne_rennie's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Death of parent, Outing, and Alcohol
yamooz's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Racism, and Death of parent
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A well written story about self love, sisterly love, motherly love, and a quest for true love.
I both loved and hated Yinka. It was a real rollercoaster. LoL. I loved her at the start of the book as the reader is getting to know her. I felt a lot of sympathy for her—the struggles she was faced with and how she was treated by family.
But then I hated her as she became completely self absorbed and obsessed with dating. Her lying/omissions spun out of control and she became a disgusting person. I definitely wouldn’t have wanted to be her friend and she’s lucky she didn’t alienate everyone who cared for her.
After some tough love and hard truths from her friends and family, Yinka worked on herself with the help of a therapist and she stepped into her true self. She gained the self confidence she needed to become the woman she was meant to be.
I both loved and hated Yinka. It was a real rollercoaster. LoL. I loved her at the start of the book as the reader is getting to know her. I felt a lot of sympathy for her—the struggles she was faced with and how she was treated by family.
But then I hated her as she became completely self absorbed and obsessed with dating. Her lying/omissions spun out of control and she became a disgusting person. I definitely wouldn’t have wanted to be her friend and she’s lucky she didn’t alienate everyone who cared for her.
After some tough love and hard truths from her friends and family, Yinka worked on herself with the help of a therapist and she stepped into her true self. She gained the self confidence she needed to become the woman she was meant to be.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Racism
Minor: Death of parent