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thecriticalreader's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-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
4.0
Review:
Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli is a novel about grief. Full stop. After the unexpected death of her husband by suicide, Eve must grieve without closure and deal with a mother-in-law from hell who blames her for her son’s death. Nwabineli unflinchingly confronts the ugly, terrifying, messiness of grief head-on. Eve does not respond to her loss with dignity or strength—she careens into a bottomless pit of despair and does not begin to crawl out of it for months. She self-destructs and pulls everyone around her, including the reader, into the vortex of her pain. The result is a book that is excruciating to read; Eve’s pain is raw and unrelenting, and it’s hard not to become frustrated with her as she utterly fails to take responsibility for herself and behaves selfishly toward her friends and family. For some readers, Eve’s privilege might make her an unlikable or unrelatable character. After all, she shows little gratitude for her Herculean familial support system and the financial security that allows her to quit her job. However, in giving Eve access to anything that a grieving person could possibly need, Nwabineli underscores the way that grief is an inherently destructive force, even in cases of extraordinary privilege.
Someday, Maybe is a well-written debut that deftly traverses moments of heart, humor, and heartbreak. The book is illuminated by its rich cast of characters that make up Eve’s British Nigerian family and her friends, all of whom display strength and compassion in their own ways. One only wishes that the vibrancy with which Nwabineli constructs these side characters and their relationships carried over to Eve and her dead husband, Quentin. Despite the fact that the book is ostensibly dedicated to these two characters and their marriage, something about these two never quite feels authentic—almost like a rom-com relationship peppered with hinted moments of darkness rather than a realistic romantic relationship. The novel does an incredible job painting a portrait of grief and a British Nigerian family, but its inability to paint a strong enough portrait of its main character and her husband prevent it from reaching the level of a masterpiece.
The Run-Down:
****PLEASE READ TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS BOOK!***
You might like Someday, Maybe if. . .
· You want to read a gutting portrayal of grief
· You like books that feature loving and successful African families
· You want a raw, unrelenting, and unflinching depiction of grief as a destructive force
You might not like Someday, Maybe if . . .
· You are not in the best mental state or if you become triggered by topics of suicide and grief
· You don’t like main characters who behave selfishly and act ungrateful in the face of immense privilege
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Vomit
Minor: Racism, Abortion, and Bullying
kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
Deeply moving and terribly sad. This book displays the rawness of grief in a stunning and real way. The peeks into Nigerian culture were fascinating and gave the novel depth it wouldn’t otherwise have. The author brings truth and honesty to the characters brilliantly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug use, Abortion, Death, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Toxic relationship, Classism, Abandonment, Mental illness, Suicide, Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, and Medical content
pyronautphea's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Suicide, and Grief
Moderate: Abortion, Alcohol, and Drug use
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content
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