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lydiaareads's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
stuckinafictionaluniverse's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
The libraries are completely closed down in Sweden right now, so I have to find other ways to read. Luckily there are many audiobook apps with a free trial, so this book was my first attempt at an audiobook. I alternated between reading the physical book that I got from the library ages ago, and listening to it in Swedish. Side note: Do all narrators have the same amount of passion in their voice as Google translate or does the Swedish language really sound that dull?
Anyway, Adébáyó's writing is beautiful and tells this story of a childless marriage with delicacy and empathy. Her language is simple yet filled with so much emotion. It captivated me from the first page. It becomes clear that the wish for a child not only comes from Yejide and Akin, but from the others around them. The societal pressure to have a child was one of the most interesting parts of the book. It was also fascinating to see how most of the blame was put on Yejide and how she handled the pressure of becoming a mother.
While the book always kept my interest, I was disappointed with the direction of the plot. Eventually it seemed like bad things happened just for the sake of repetition. Tragedy after tragedy, and yet I felt like these events could have caused so much more character development. It does convey the hopeless feelings of the main characters and their wish for a child, but with every tragedy I felt less empathy towards the characters. In many parts of the book it seemed like things would never resolve, which I found frustrating. I almost would have preferred the pacing to be slower, because there was little time to process one bad event after the other. I did enjoy the book as a whole and would like to read more from this author.
This reminded me of another book about struggling couples, which is [b:An American Marriage|33590210|An American Marriage|Tayari Jones|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1491493625l/33590210._SY75_.jpg|54403192]. I hope Adébáyó keeps going with this theme of family conflict in her future books, because I've realized it is one of my favorite subgenres to read.
The libraries are completely closed down in Sweden right now, so I have to find other ways to read. Luckily there are many audiobook apps with a free trial, so this book was my first attempt at an audiobook. I alternated between reading the physical book that I got from the library ages ago, and listening to it in Swedish. Side note: Do all narrators have the same amount of passion in their voice as Google translate or does the Swedish language really sound that dull?
Anyway, Adébáyó's writing is beautiful and tells this story of a childless marriage with delicacy and empathy. Her language is simple yet filled with so much emotion. It captivated me from the first page. It becomes clear that the wish for a child not only comes from Yejide and Akin, but from the others around them. The societal pressure to have a child was one of the most interesting parts of the book. It was also fascinating to see how most of the blame was put on Yejide and how she handled the pressure of becoming a mother.
While the book always kept my interest, I was disappointed with the direction of the plot. Eventually it seemed like bad things happened just for the sake of repetition. Tragedy after tragedy, and yet I felt like these events could have caused so much more character development. It does convey the hopeless feelings of the main characters and their wish for a child, but with every tragedy I felt less empathy towards the characters. In many parts of the book it seemed like things would never resolve, which I found frustrating. I almost would have preferred the pacing to be slower, because there was little time to process one bad event after the other. I did enjoy the book as a whole and would like to read more from this author.
This reminded me of another book about struggling couples, which is [b:An American Marriage|33590210|An American Marriage|Tayari Jones|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1491493625l/33590210._SY75_.jpg|54403192]. I hope Adébáyó keeps going with this theme of family conflict in her future books, because I've realized it is one of my favorite subgenres to read.
big_egg's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
aleachaval's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
pained_creations's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A Nigerian family's story of love & loss, sacrifice & sickness, and of heartbreak & hope. It leaves you wanting to know more, and gives insight into a different culture. Overall, it was a great but sad story.
lou_2812's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? Yes
5.0
purplepierogi's review against another edition
3 buses to Barcelona, one audiobook
khornstein1's review against another edition
3.0
For book club...almost 4 stars. You have to commit yourself to reading the whole thing for it to come together. I was really not enjoying it at all at the beginning...I dislike dual narration. Can't say more because of spoilers. Prompted me to want to know more about Nigeria; she tied politics and plot together well at the end--reminded me of scenes from Roma. Ending was strong, even if a bit unbelievable--a rarity in contemporary fiction. Wasn't as moved as I was supposed to be but am noting that there might want to be a trigger warning for any parents who have dealt with infertility, etc. who might be more moved. 3 and a half!! I'll read her next book!
lwanja2's review against another edition
emotional
sad
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
5.0
elingunnar's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0