Reviews

Não achei essa coisa espetacular que muitos acharam, mas é sim um livro muito bom. Muito interessante para saber mais sobre a Nigéria (país sobre o qual eu não sabia muita coisa) e pela crítica à realidade da mulher nigeriana na primeira metade do século XX. É incrível a quantidade de perrengue a que a personagem principal, Nnu Ego, se submete só para poder dar filhos a seu marido, pois o papel de mãe seria o único papel que a dignificaria como mulher perante a sociedade. A cada nova gravidez que ela anunciava ao longo da história eu pensava "meu deus, mais filho??".

mutsa's review against another edition

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5.0

i don't even know where to start with this review, but i think a good starting point would be saying that i loved it. it did not promise to be a heartwarming story from the very first page (contrary to what the title may make you believe), but despite the gut wrenching feelings i had as i turned to each next page, i simply could not put it down.
i love how well the characters are written, they could literally pass as actual people, and not just characters in a book, as well as how perfectly it shed light on the role of the girl child, and what it means to be a "woman", especially during that time period.
i love the pacing as well, everything about this book was perfect.

ale's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

nadhjasmine's review against another edition

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3.0

Beautifully written by Buchi Emecheta, The Joys of Motherhood narrates you a story about Nnu Ego, a Nigerian woman whose life struggles on being a woman and being a mom. Known as a noblewoman from her tribal community, as her father is the chief of the community, Nnu Ego's life becomes uneasy when she starts moving to Lagos after her second marriage in the time of British colonization. This life-changing moment then revolves around the hardship of raising her children while supporting her family which having unstable economic conditions.

Emecheta gives a solid depiction of a woman's sacrifice under the name of motherhood, a fight towards patriarchal systems, and the undeniable impacts of socio-economic classes on women.

The title is kinda misleading. I thought it will tell you how blessed and joyful for women who choose their path to be a mother. I was hoping that it will tell you the reason why some women decided to build a family and having children, but it isn't. It is a heartbreaking story indeed, I could not find "where" is literally the happiness of being a mom.

Though it is not answered my question of "why some women want to be a mom", the book is very enlightening and I enjoy the whole of the story.

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