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amandalorianxo's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.5
e As the title suggests, it does revolve around marriage but it’s told from the voice of Afi, a young woman in her twenties who marries a man she hasn’t actually encountered in her personal life. Eli Ghanyo is a rich man and his family is also well known in their home country of Ghana (where the story takes place.) Except, Eli’s mother is not a fan of Eli’s girlfriend Muna who he shares a daughter with. The matriarch thinks marrying Afi will make Eli want to leave Muna. We follow Afi for roughly two years as she comes to terms with the situation she finds herself in and the courage to do what is right for her. I definitely saw sparks of Deepti from Love is Blind in Afi because this a woman who chose herself ultimately over what other people wanted her to do. Afi knows she, nor any woman, should stick around with someone who won’t give 100% of themselves to their spouse/partner. I enjoyed this semi short novel in addition to the fact that the setting is wonderfully depicted. Ghana isn’t a country that we normally hear about in fiction so I’m happy the author was able to highlight the culture and food(the most important😜) Even though I learned a lot internally and externally from Afi, I think this book might have been a little bit more enticing if we were able to get Mina’s POV in this as well, since Afi gets a variety of opinions about her that seem to only taint, not improve any thoughts about her.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content and Infidelity
whatcassiedid's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-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
While Afi was already an adult at the start of this book, it had big bildungsroman energy. She grows a lot over the course of the story, but the book is overall quite sad and slow.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
greatexpectations77's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.5
I am really excited to read more by this author. I felt like the narrator made the audiobook version of Afi more whiny and pleading than I think I would have read her, so I might have to read this over again. But I really loved entering into the Ghanaian culture, which with I'm so unfamiliar.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexism, Emotional abuse, and Pregnancy
Minor: Child death
hotkoolaidpotato's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny
treegirl22's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
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
Enjoyed reading this book. It's an easy read and interesting. I would have liked more fleshing out of some of the characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Sexual content
Moderate: Misogyny and Pregnancy
alexhaydon's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
annchmn's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I liked her strong will.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Infidelity
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
belle2008's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexual content
kierscrivener's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
4.0
This was phenomenal book.
In contemporary Ghana, Afi lives in a small town where after her father's death ten years earlier they survive on the generosity of Aunty Ganyo (the rich non related head of business in their community), but everything changes when Aunty arranges for Afi to marry her son Eli in order take him from a relationship with a woman she dislikes. It is a story that subtly grew on me until by the end I was in love. Afi begins the novel as a twenty-one year old who is attempting to make a living as a seamstress and is thrust into a life where her future is dependent on winning back a man she has only known by appearance and who has a stand in at their wedding. She cooks, cleans and pretends to be a virgin and fulfil the proper image of a traditional wife, but throughout the novel she becomes more fully herself.
I love that Medie never makes any morality checks, we live in Afi's head and in her mindset. We don't spend any time denouncing co-wives or the limitations of gender norms but instead she allows the book to speak for herself. We see the progress naturally and without any commentary or sharp moments instead Afi acts in the way she understands and feels. And that is powerful. I don't want to say too much because I think it is a story you should read for yourself. But I appreciate that the ending isn't a cookie cutter simple answer. Instead we see that sometimes the answer is a hard one.
Medie is an editor, journalist and scholar and writes on Gender and Politics and I already have her curated list of research and journals queued up to read.
In contemporary Ghana, Afi lives in a small town where after her father's death ten years earlier they survive on the generosity of Aunty Ganyo (the rich non related head of business in their community), but everything changes when Aunty arranges for Afi to marry her son Eli in order take him from a relationship with a woman she dislikes. It is a story that subtly grew on me until by the end I was in love. Afi begins the novel as a twenty-one year old who is attempting to make a living as a seamstress and is thrust into a life where her future is dependent on winning back a man she has only known by appearance and who has a stand in at their wedding. She cooks, cleans and pretends to be a virgin and fulfil the proper image of a traditional wife, but throughout the novel she becomes more fully herself.
I love that Medie never makes any morality checks, we live in Afi's head and in her mindset. We don't spend any time denouncing co-wives or the limitations of gender norms but instead she allows the book to speak for herself. We see the progress naturally and without any commentary or sharp moments instead Afi acts in the way she understands and feels. And that is powerful. I don't want to say too much because I think it is a story you should read for yourself. But I appreciate that the ending isn't a cookie cutter simple answer. Instead we see that sometimes the answer is a hard one.
Medie is an editor, journalist and scholar and writes on Gender and Politics and I already have her curated list of research and journals queued up to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Infidelity, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Miscarriage, and Sexism
Moderate: Chronic illness and Cursing
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
abookandaspotoftea's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Misogyny, Infidelity, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship