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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I enjoyed this book more than I expected to! Covers the serious topic of the pressures of adhering to unrealistic beauty standards and the rising numbers of women undergoing BBLs / plastic surgery to try and meet these beauty standards.
This book was a lot more emotive than I expected and covered a range of topics including family dynamics, grief and sexual assault. I also enjoyed the different points of views.
Flaws: The title is misleading and gimmicky and I disliked the ending. It felt abrupt and I wanted a more well rounded ending
This book was a lot more emotive than I expected and covered a range of topics including family dynamics, grief and sexual assault. I also enjoyed the different points of views.
Flaws: The title is misleading and gimmicky and I disliked the ending. It felt abrupt and I wanted a more well rounded ending
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
A bold, witty, and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of body image, family dynamics, and societal pressures in contemporary Nigeria. The story follows Temilade Toyebi, a 20-year-old graduate determined to undergo a Brazilian Butt Lift, a decision she announces during the reading of her late father's will. This sparks family drama, unveiling secrets and tensions among a colorful cast of characters.
the narrative employs multiple perspectives, capturing voices like Temi's sister, mother, and aunties, adding depth to the story. While humor and cultural references provide levity, the novel also confronts heavy themes such as domestic violence, grief, and societal beauty standards. It critiques the fixation on physical perfection and the struggles tied to body image, particularly in patriarchal societies.
in all loved the book 🤗
the narrative employs multiple perspectives, capturing voices like Temi's sister, mother, and aunties, adding depth to the story. While humor and cultural references provide levity, the novel also confronts heavy themes such as domestic violence, grief, and societal beauty standards. It critiques the fixation on physical perfection and the struggles tied to body image, particularly in patriarchal societies.
in all loved the book 🤗
Another anticipated read but was left rather unsatisfied. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loveeee the plot of this story! A 20-something-year-old who has fallen victim to societal’s expectations of women’s beauty and youth? In addition to the ridiculous yet captivating book title? Seated as fuck. I was fond of Temi and related to her in some way or more. I too am a Nigerian girl with a lanky frame and small butt. To say that there has never been a passing thought on how I could get my butt bigger would be a lie. Entering your 20s is absolute hell because after the long and awaited battle to surpass adolescence, now you must face the trials and tribulations of adulthood. I will say I’m more secured with myself than I was at 15 but that doesn’t necessarily mean that those small insecurities of mine don’t make quiet comebacks.
Enough about me; here are my thoughts of the story and where it went soar. As much as I am a sucker for multiple POVS, I believe it was very unnecessary here. We didn’t need Temi’s mother’s back story and how she met her late father, we didn’t need to read about Aunt Jummai and her useless affair, we didn’t need Big Mummy’s backstory either (now to think of it, I don’t remember how she played a role in this, which all the more proves she was an unnecessary addition). I don’t even understand why we needed the doctor or pastor’s perspective?? However, the only person that I was actually invested in other than Temi was her older sister, Ládun. In a way, it makes sense why she is apart of Temi’s reasoning of getting a BBL. Unlike Temi, Ládun is more filled out; she’s described to be curvy and plump in all the right places—especially her ass; a Nigerian man’s dream woman in a physical sense. But then again, majority of her point of view was literally about why she left their family home for 5 years and decided to live in Lagos like OKAY!!! WE GET IT (I skipped a chapter out of irritation and came to find out their late father wasn’t actually their father oop).
What I don’t understand is that Temi is the main character yet is treated like an extra. I don’t know if this was intended or not but I wish we got more of her perspective than Ládun. I wanted to see how her journey in getting a BBL would play out and if it would actually turn out to be a success after all the fuss. I wanted to see the bad sides of getting your body done and how things like body dysmorphia come into play. I wanted Temi to see a botched BBL (like her best friend who I forgot her name) and if that would change her mind on the surgery (actually, something like that did happen but it was mere). Honestly, I just wished the booked ended differently.
On a side note, I loved the dialogue and the banter! Everybody arguing when Temi stood her ground and told them she was getting that BBL no matter what was fucking hilarious. OUR MOTTO IS ALWAYS STAND ON BUSINESS!!!
Enough about me; here are my thoughts of the story and where it went soar. As much as I am a sucker for multiple POVS, I believe it was very unnecessary here. We didn’t need Temi’s mother’s back story and how she met her late father, we didn’t need to read about Aunt Jummai and her useless affair, we didn’t need Big Mummy’s backstory either (now to think of it, I don’t remember how she played a role in this, which all the more proves she was an unnecessary addition). I don’t even understand why we needed the doctor or pastor’s perspective?? However, the only person that I was actually invested in other than Temi was her older sister, Ládun. In a way, it makes sense why she is apart of Temi’s reasoning of getting a BBL. Unlike Temi, Ládun is more filled out; she’s described to be curvy and plump in all the right places—especially her ass; a Nigerian man’s dream woman in a physical sense. But then again, majority of her point of view was literally about why she left their family home for 5 years and decided to live in Lagos like OKAY!!! WE GET IT (I skipped a chapter out of irritation and came to find out their late father wasn’t actually their father oop).
What I don’t understand is that Temi is the main character yet is treated like an extra. I don’t know if this was intended or not but I wish we got more of her perspective than Ládun. I wanted to see how her journey in getting a BBL would play out and if it would actually turn out to be a success after all the fuss. I wanted to see the bad sides of getting your body done and how things like body dysmorphia come into play. I wanted Temi to see a botched BBL (like her best friend who I forgot her name) and if that would change her mind on the surgery (actually, something like that did happen but it was mere). Honestly, I just wished the booked ended differently.
On a side note, I loved the dialogue and the banter! Everybody arguing when Temi stood her ground and told them she was getting that BBL no matter what was fucking hilarious. OUR MOTTO IS ALWAYS STAND ON BUSINESS!!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Seriousness taken on through silliness, in both form of prose and plot. A hoot. A beach read. I once again admired Kuju’s absolute gift with words.
I think her authors note says it all: “To all the girls who have gone under the knife to seek approval from others, I am sorry. You are enough. To all the girls who went under the knife for themselves, you are bad bitches, and I salute you.”
It was enlightening to me to see how Kuku makes her love of God clear both in personal and fictional writing alongside irreverence, open love of the erotic, and queer acceptance (and joy). I have not experienced God in that way and to write a book called “only big bumbum matters tomorrow” and to thank god in your acknowledgements and to say “I hope I am telling the stories the way You have told them to me” was healing for me.
She so perfectly captured the infuriating, tacit, long-enduring and elastic love and criticism of family. The feeling of “I can insult my sister but anyone else that does has to go through me first”. I loved that I could see my family in Morinville, Alberta saying the exact same things as these characters across the world in Nigeria and see their mirroring dynamics even though they were talking about something so outrageous and specific as the family dynamics of a bumbum surgery.
“The war did a lot of damage, because when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers, so the indigenes of both towns, Ilé-Ife and Modákéké, lost loved ones and properties.”
“Aunty Jummai suddenly found her voice again. "Is this what that friend of yours did? That one that came to the burial with the big yansh that did not rhyme with her body. Is it because we didn't disgrace her?"”
I think her authors note says it all: “To all the girls who have gone under the knife to seek approval from others, I am sorry. You are enough. To all the girls who went under the knife for themselves, you are bad bitches, and I salute you.”
It was enlightening to me to see how Kuku makes her love of God clear both in personal and fictional writing alongside irreverence, open love of the erotic, and queer acceptance (and joy). I have not experienced God in that way and to write a book called “only big bumbum matters tomorrow” and to thank god in your acknowledgements and to say “I hope I am telling the stories the way You have told them to me” was healing for me.
She so perfectly captured the infuriating, tacit, long-enduring and elastic love and criticism of family. The feeling of “I can insult my sister but anyone else that does has to go through me first”. I loved that I could see my family in Morinville, Alberta saying the exact same things as these characters across the world in Nigeria and see their mirroring dynamics even though they were talking about something so outrageous and specific as the family dynamics of a bumbum surgery.
“The war did a lot of damage, because when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers, so the indigenes of both towns, Ilé-Ife and Modákéké, lost loved ones and properties.”
“Aunty Jummai suddenly found her voice again. "Is this what that friend of yours did? That one that came to the burial with the big yansh that did not rhyme with her body. Is it because we didn't disgrace her?"”
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
I liked reading everyone's stories and the message behind bodies and the images we want to portray, very important messages. But why did it just end like that?