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serendipitysbooks's review
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.5
The Middle Daughter is inspired by the Hades and Persephone myth but has a feminist twist and is set in modern Nigeria. Following the deaths of her older sister and then her father 17 year old Nani is reeling. That she is grieving in a different way than her mother and younger sister leaves her feeling isolated and confused, vulnerable to the attention of Ephraim, an itinerant preacher. The plot then goes on to cover some heavy topics so do check for trigger warnings. I don’t want to give away spoilers but I will say I admired Nani’s strength and resilience, the way she was able to stay strong for her children. Her husband made my skin crawl and my blood pressure skyrocket, so kudos to Unigwe for such effective characterisation. He was a chilling representation of power hungry men who misuse religion for their own twisted and selfish ends. I struggled to connect with Nani’s mother. She loved her daughter so I have to accept that she believed she was acting in Nani’s best interests, but it really felt like she was simply trying to save face by avoiding gossip and public shaming. I couldn’t help but draw comparisons with Clarissa, an 18th century novel where the parents cut their daughter off, because she won’t obey them, but in so doing push her into a terrible situation with no means of escape. Loved that the end here offered hope after all the hardship.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Rape, and Grief
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