Reviews

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin

ruthie_wk's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective sad fast-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

5.0

It took me so long to get to this but I'm happy I read it at this time. I was better able to appreciate the prose and beauty of the book. I now understand the hype. Well written, fast paced, and highly engaging, this is a remarkably addictive story that will remain in my mind for a while.

amropali's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

profadelengua's review against another edition

4.5

Me ha impactado mucho este libro, no tanto por lo sorprendente de la trama, como por el estilo de su autora y la realidad que muestra. Me lo recomendó mi compañera Eva y la recomendación llegó justo cuando empezaba a pensar que visito pocos libros no occidentales. Así que me apetecía mucho empezar a proponerme un reto (sin fecha límite) para ir leyendo más libros de otros países y otros continentes. 

Baba Segi está casado con tres mujeres y toma una cuarta esposa. Bolanle, a diferencia de las anteriores, tiene una educación formal y es 20 años menor que Baba Segi. No es el tipo de mujer que se casaría con un hombre como él. La acogida de las otras esposas es fría y hacen lo posible por espantarla. La historia arranca pasados dos años de este último matrimonio, pues no llegan hijos y esto es un problema para él (para quien los muchos hijos son muestra de prosperidad y virilidad) y para ella (que está convencida de que, si tuviera hijos, podría hacerse respetar por las otras esposas).

Lola Shoneyin es una magnífica narradora que adopta las voces de las cuatro esposas y de Baba Segi para contar esta historia de un polígamo y sus esposas desde múltiples puntos de vista. La novela habla de temas muy duros, pero al mismo tiempo está narrada con gran sentido del humor. El contraste entre civilización y barbarie, entre educación y grosería, entre honestidad y engaño, hacen de este libro algo muy especial. ¡Lo recomiendo!

buyube_'s review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

aura_rurubele's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Vomit

Moderate: Child abuse, Rape, and Death of parent

Minor: Police brutality and Sexual harassment

It's just so good and phenomenally written

noahsingh's review against another edition

3.75

enjoyed the kinda girlboss ending for Bolanle and enjoyed a lot about the book, including the way it jumps between perspectives but unfortunately the combination of fatphobia, Segis death (which felt unnecessary to me idk), and lack of consequences for Iya Femi and Iya Segi (to an extent) for their role in Segis death, and Iya Topes (to me) quite sad ending stopped me from properly loving this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Racism, Religious bigotry, Car accident, and Abortion

Minor: Addiction, Animal death, Confinement, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Colonisation, and Classism

debra_reads_'s review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Dear The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives,
I am not sure how I feel about you. You were really unlike any story I have read before. I didn't enjoy you, but I didn't hate you either. There was not one character I liked. I felt terrible for all of the women, because of the cultural trauma that they experienced. I really hated Baba Segi as well. He came off as entitled and ignorant and arrogant. But your story was interesting and you gave me a window into a life that I would never experience. You were an interesting perspective and unforgettable.

romantics03's review against another edition

funny hopeful

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

5.0

darbi_ms's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this book, it was slightly slow at the start but quickly picked up and was hard to put down. I enjoyed the different narratives and backstories of the wives and other characters.

lolabrown's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5