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irie_e's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Misogyny and Toxic relationship
Minor: Self harm, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
tabby2920's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
4.0
I loved the family dynamic and the realism that was presented here. It provides a twist towards the end and leaves open-ended questions that the reader can interpret on their own terms. Claudine is an amateur sleuth in finding out what happened to her niece. However, it is not how amateur sleuths are usually depicted in fiction; they are represented uniquely and realistically.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Child abuse and Rape
bookdragon217's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
"The last photo of Tonye and Nicole showed a man in love with his wife, but pictures could lie. Men lied all the time. Men held you in their arms and lied and smiled and lied...Even with their last breath."
The Nigerwife by Vanessa Walters was just the story I needed to whisk me away for a while. The dual POV's and air of mystery kept me interested the entire time. Walters' vibrant storytelling brought the culture and vibe of Lagos to life. Seeing the story unfold in pieces through different characters and flashbacks really built up the suspense nicely. The themes of generational trauma, abandonment, and classism of Lagos blended nicely with the overall story. Thrillers after a while start feeling redundant but this one had a unique feel and a cast of characters that had me looking at everyone suspiciously. I love when authors can write a unique blend of characters without it feeling muddled and confusing. Also, the idea that nothing is at it seems echoed throughout the story and fit the reveal perfectly.
If you're a thriller reader and looking for a new author to add to your TBR, consider picking this one up. Thanks to @atriabooks for the gifted copy.
You'll love this one if you like stories with:
🇳🇬 dual POV's
🇳🇬 Nigerian setting and language
🇳🇬 secrets of elite society
🇳🇬 diasporic experiences
🇳🇬 fast paced thrillers where everyone is a suspect
🇳🇬 slow reveals
🇳🇬 secrets and lies
🇳🇬 suspicious characters
I can't wait to read more from Vanessa Walters. I thoroughly enjoyed her way of storytelling and her ability to bring the setting to life.
The Nigerwife by Vanessa Walters was just the story I needed to whisk me away for a while. The dual POV's and air of mystery kept me interested the entire time. Walters' vibrant storytelling brought the culture and vibe of Lagos to life. Seeing the story unfold in pieces through different characters and flashbacks really built up the suspense nicely. The themes of generational trauma, abandonment, and classism of Lagos blended nicely with the overall story. Thrillers after a while start feeling redundant but this one had a unique feel and a cast of characters that had me looking at everyone suspiciously. I love when authors can write a unique blend of characters without it feeling muddled and confusing. Also, the idea that nothing is at it seems echoed throughout the story and fit the reveal perfectly.
If you're a thriller reader and looking for a new author to add to your TBR, consider picking this one up. Thanks to @atriabooks for the gifted copy.
You'll love this one if you like stories with:
🇳🇬 dual POV's
🇳🇬 Nigerian setting and language
🇳🇬 secrets of elite society
🇳🇬 diasporic experiences
🇳🇬 fast paced thrillers where everyone is a suspect
🇳🇬 slow reveals
🇳🇬 secrets and lies
🇳🇬 suspicious characters
I can't wait to read more from Vanessa Walters. I thoroughly enjoyed her way of storytelling and her ability to bring the setting to life.
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
starrysteph's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
An uneasy dive into familial pressures, hierarchies, and trauma that highlights cultural isolation - and a slow-burn mystery.
Claudine’s niece Nicole has disappeared, and she’s determined to uncover the truth. So she steps into Nicole’s seemingly-perfect life in Nigeria, with a wealthy family, two young kids, and a mansion overlooking beautiful waters. But the deeper she digs - combating the detached family of Nicole’s husband and the tight lips of those who surround them - the more disturbing elements come to light.
Claudine’s current day search is woven side-by-side with Nicole’s timeline from the past. We watch Nicole slowly unravel amidst her difficult marriage and complicated friendships (many with fellow ‘Nigerwives’, foreign women who moved to Lagos after their marriage), and the two stories slowly come together as past secrets are revealed.
I wouldn’t quite call it “twisty and electrifying” per the blurb, but it held my attention with a slowly-mounting sense of dread. The cultural elements were detailed & fascinating (from the fabrics to the food to the strict hierarchies and pressures around social images), but occasionally the dialogue & writing in general were a bit too meandering and dry for my taste.
I could really feel Claudine’s frustration & guilt, and although some ‘twists’ were predictable, I still thought the reveals were well-executed. It was less about the surprise element and more about seeing the reveal through the eyes of the person narrating at the time.
It was also not my favorite type of ending - but there was at least some resolve and satisfaction.
CW: violence, death (incl. child death), murder, sexism, misogyny, rape, pedophilia, domestic abuse, toxic relationship, self harm, animal death, addiction, body shaming, classism, colorism, racism, slavery (discussed), infidelity
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(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Body shaming, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Addiction, Classism, Infidelity, Murder, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, and Sexual assault
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