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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this! It's a fast read and very engaging. I thought Kuku did a great job managing different plotlines and sharing information with the reader; the intertwining of the characters' lives was believable and came as a genuine surprise. I love that, even against the backdrop of so many heterosexual romantic relationships, Kuku focused on the complex familial relationships The multiple POVs worked well for me and I only wish we might have been able to delve into the lives of some of the characters further. I was dissatisfied by the ending, as it felt like too many things were left unresolved -- I would have gladly kept reading further!
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
sad
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
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
reflective
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fuji House of Commotion meets Everyday People in this funny yet serious satire on what it means to be a woman in Nigeria, particularly a skinny one.
I read this in one sitting. It wasn’t what I was expecting. It was raw, it was emotional and took me down memory lane.
OBBMT follows the story of Temi who is hell bent on having surgery to increase the size of her backside. What follows is a whole lot of drama that the reader is not prepared for.
Even though the writing style is the author’s signature style, it did not do this book justice but for me it didn’t take anything away because I was invested in all the family drama/dynamics and the tea spilling.
Even with all the fun and humour laced through, the book explores deep topics, such as body dysmorphic disorder, assault, r*pe and trauma.
I enjoyed how this took me down memory lane from the melodramatic aunties to the comical prophets and alfas to the street slangs to the Yoruba parties to the music, you can’t help but be immersed in the world the author has created.
I don’t know what the author was playing at with that ending but it is open ended and so much liberty has been given to the reader to create their own ending, except maybe a sequel is in the works.
If you love funny yet serious books with some dose of family drama (naija style) then you will enjoy this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In what appears initially to be a comical light-hearted novel, Damilare Kuku shines a spotlight on the unrelenting pressure and scrutiny on young women's bodies. Témì, short for Témìladé, causes a furor at the reading of her father's will when she announces to her scandalized family that she intends to get a surgical buttlift. Kuku's debut novel then pans in on each of Témì's family member's perspective and backstory: her mother Hassana, her maternal aunt Auntie Junmai, her older sister Ládùn, her paternal aunt 'Big Mummy.' Included briefly in this panning are the barrister at the scene, the family pediatrician. As Témì recounts her childhood, it becomes clear that what seemed like a frivolous desire has its roots on how she was bullied and overlooked due to her flat backside and stick figure. For the other women, their recounting is also distressing on the unwanted ubiquitous ogling, groping, harassment, sexual assaults that occurred. Further enraging is when the woman is blamed after rape. All these tie into the reason why Témì's sister left home abruptly after a big fight with her mother five years ago.
Both this novel and Kuku's book of short stories All Men in Lagos Are Mad reflect the sexism, injustice, suffering that Nigerian women go through with that dark comic undertone. High on action and snappy dialogue, it's fast reading. I am not fond of coincidental meet-ups in a big city and birth secrets, both present in this novel. The Nigerian colloquialisms like calling mistresses 'smallies' and Yoruba culture plus the influence of Christianity was interesting to me, as well as the brief mention of the 1997 conflict between neighbouring towns Ifẹ and Modákéké.
Both this novel and Kuku's book of short stories All Men in Lagos Are Mad reflect the sexism, injustice, suffering that Nigerian women go through with that dark comic undertone. High on action and snappy dialogue, it's fast reading. I am not fond of coincidental meet-ups in a big city and birth secrets, both present in this novel. The Nigerian colloquialisms like calling mistresses 'smallies' and Yoruba culture plus the influence of Christianity was interesting to me, as well as the brief mention of the 1997 conflict between neighbouring towns Ifẹ and Modákéké.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Biphobia, Domestic abuse
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes