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kellyofcali's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Death, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Grief, Child death, Dysphoria, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Infertility, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Medical content, Abandonment, and Physical abuse
Minor: War
prairiek's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Gaslighting, Violence, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Infidelity
Minor: Sexual content, Bullying, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Death
sakisreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was a weird read for me. I kept putting it down and picking it back up, so I definitely didn’t process all of it fully.
I was SHOCKED at the twist (I’ll put the spoilers in below) but I ate it up 😳
The content warnings will also be included in this review.
Akin and Yejide were so human and that always interests me in books; I’ve often seen too many ‘perfect’ characters that don’t feel real to me.
There were definitely peaks and troughs in this story, so I’m giving it 3.5 stars out of 5. Thank you ✨
Graphic: Grief, Child death, Medical trauma, Blood, and Death
sharifas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child death, Death, Gaslighting, Infertility, and Misogyny
karinahull's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Very interested in coming back to this book when I have a family, I think several things would hit much harder with that context.
Beautiful writing, very emotionally complex story. I wish it was longer!!!
Graphic: Pregnancy, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Infertility, and Infidelity
georgie_mb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Heartbreaking and moving, this had me routing for all the characters. The struggle of Yejide trying to conceive soon lifts back the curtain of the lies and deceit that makes up her household. There are so many twists and turns that had me gasping out loud, and if this hadn’t been part of a readathon I would have read this quicker than I did!
I also loved the settings, shifting from Nigeria in the 1980’s to the modern day, and discovering the cultural and historical references along the way.
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Gun violence, Child death, Chronic illness, Medical content, Death, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Minor: Excrement
katiejohns's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Grief, Child death, and Infidelity
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Body shaming, and Death of parent
annreadsabook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved that Adébáyọ̀ uses this book to consider the pressures that people face to become parents, and the lengths some might go to both have and protect their families. Yejide gets into some extremely difficult situations because of both external and internal pressures to have a child with the man she loves, who has taken a second wife at the behest of his family. Meanwhile, Yejide, whose own mother died giving birth to her, continues to navigate her own struggles with ideas of motherhood and family.
Through Yejide and her husband Akin, Adébáyọ̀ highlights the unique ways in which unfulfilled (and fulfilled) desires to have children can shape a marriage. And behind all of these complicated dynamics is the tumultuous political landscape of ‘80s-‘90s Nigeria. I loved seeing the development of both Yejide and Akin, and how they both worked through their desires for children (and justified their choices). Sometimes dual-POV books are tough to pull off, but I think this one was quite well done.
This is a great book for those looking for a domestic fiction that makes you think and keeps you on your toes. It’s an intimate glimpse into the battles we fight to keep the ones we love close.
Graphic: Grief, Pregnancy, Infertility, Child death, Chronic illness, and Death
vedpears's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Death, Grief, Child death, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Dysphoria, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Toxic relationship, War, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Bullying, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings
jillybeanreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Child death, Infertility, and Sexual content