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zelinacarstens's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.5
blessing_aj's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Whew! 💆🏽‍♀️ Where to start with this one… 🥺
The first thing to note about this book is that it is supposedly a feminist retelling of the Greek myth of Hades and Pesphorone, in which amongst other things Hades abducted Pesphorone and tricked her into marrying him and then loving him. Stating this outright because IMO, it’s gives necessary context to the framework of the story and I realized that the synopsis on my copy doesn’t mention it at all.
In The Middle Daughter, Chika Unigwe flips the script and makes everything much more intense. We meet Nani, a young woman who in the course of mourning for her father and resenting her family for moving on too soon, falls into the hands of Ephraim, a wicked preacher who will go on to unleash an untold acts of violence and oppression on her, after he tricks her into a sham marriage.
Irrespective of however anyone feels about this book, I think that one thing we can all agree on is the fact that her talent at putting together beautifully crafted prose, speaks for itself. While reading this book, I encountered a good number of such passages and sentences and I just had to reread before moving on, for the sheer pleasure of it. The Udodi, Chorus interludes, had a lot of these.
Unfortunately as heartbreaking and emotionally grueling as Nani’s story turned out to be, I was unable to suspend disbelief enough to feel fully submerged into her reality. This is a big deal for me because even though this is a retelling, it is also literary fiction and the major thing that endears most readers - myself included - to this genre is its proximity to real life as can be obtained from fiction. This is not to say that a young Nigerian woman cannot be deceived by a man in similar circumstances as Nani was, but in many scenarios, the actions of a lot of characters as developed in this book, did not come across to me - as a Nigerian and an Igbo woman - like what one would expect from them in real life.
If I hadn’t felt so exasperated by the actions and inactions of all the major living characters in this book, I probably would have better appreciated what the author was trying to do. But irrespective of whatever I feel about it, I think it’s one of those cautionary tales new adults and women in general need to read to beware of manipulative people and to learn empathy for the women who may have become victims of such abuse.
The first thing to note about this book is that it is supposedly a feminist retelling of the Greek myth of Hades and Pesphorone, in which amongst other things Hades abducted Pesphorone and tricked her into marrying him and then loving him. Stating this outright because IMO, it’s gives necessary context to the framework of the story and I realized that the synopsis on my copy doesn’t mention it at all.
In The Middle Daughter, Chika Unigwe flips the script and makes everything much more intense. We meet Nani, a young woman who in the course of mourning for her father and resenting her family for moving on too soon, falls into the hands of Ephraim, a wicked preacher who will go on to unleash an untold acts of violence and oppression on her, after he tricks her into a sham marriage.
Irrespective of however anyone feels about this book, I think that one thing we can all agree on is the fact that her talent at putting together beautifully crafted prose, speaks for itself. While reading this book, I encountered a good number of such passages and sentences and I just had to reread before moving on, for the sheer pleasure of it. The Udodi, Chorus interludes, had a lot of these.
Unfortunately as heartbreaking and emotionally grueling as Nani’s story turned out to be, I was unable to suspend disbelief enough to feel fully submerged into her reality. This is a big deal for me because even though this is a retelling, it is also literary fiction and the major thing that endears most readers - myself included - to this genre is its proximity to real life as can be obtained from fiction. This is not to say that a young Nigerian woman cannot be deceived by a man in similar circumstances as Nani was, but in many scenarios, the actions of a lot of characters as developed in this book, did not come across to me - as a Nigerian and an Igbo woman - like what one would expect from them in real life.
If I hadn’t felt so exasperated by the actions and inactions of all the major living characters in this book, I probably would have better appreciated what the author was trying to do. But irrespective of whatever I feel about it, I think it’s one of those cautionary tales new adults and women in general need to read to beware of manipulative people and to learn empathy for the women who may have become victims of such abuse.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Abandonment, Bullying, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse
morybaby's review against another edition
I’ve reached my threshold for domestic violence and sexual abuse in fiction this year 🙏🏿 will revisit another time.
stephlovesreading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
m_ren_watson's review
3.0
If I had the chance to go back and not read this book, I would consider it. If you go into this book (like me) expecting the modern retelling of Hades and Persephone like the back of the book says, you will probably be unpleasantly surprised. I would never classify this book as a retelling of mythology, even though there may be some parallels.
If you go into it expecting and wanting a hard to read book about abuse and entrapment (unlike me), you may like it more.
I think the writing was good- although I definitely could’ve done without the Ephraim chapters. If you are triggered by stories of intense domestic violence, repeated SA, grief of loved ones, etc I would tread very lightly with this book.
Rooting for Nani and wanting her to prevail made me stick with this book, but I had to put it down a couple times and considered not picking it back up.
If you go into it expecting and wanting a hard to read book about abuse and entrapment (unlike me), you may like it more.
I think the writing was good- although I definitely could’ve done without the Ephraim chapters. If you are triggered by stories of intense domestic violence, repeated SA, grief of loved ones, etc I would tread very lightly with this book.
Rooting for Nani and wanting her to prevail made me stick with this book, but I had to put it down a couple times and considered not picking it back up.
the_azeezat's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-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
4.0
thatothernigeriangirl's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-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
3.75
I have a lot to say but first of all throw EVERYONE away , excluding aunty Enuka, Anuli, Ndu and Oku (I refuse to use the foolish name that disgusting piss of swine gave them!)
cherechi's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
georgiastyan's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-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
4.25
This book is easy to read, but not an easy read in terms of subject matter. The author uses such vivid and beautiful language and the chapter layout of the book is also unique. Nani's story is heartbreaking but hopeful.
sir_presh's review
2.0
I like Chika's writing style in this book. I found it relatively easy to read without having to stumble over words or reread sentences.
I didn't enjoy this book. I enjoyed the first thirty pages, but the rest felt off to me.
I didn't like Nani. I think the intention was to show her as an individual who doesn't know how to deal with the grief of losing her sister and father in death, is misunderstood by her mother and remaining sister, and as a result, falls into the hands of a beguiling and controlling man. But there's nothing in the story that makes this believable to me.
In my opinion, Nani is incredibly stupid, not broken by grief or anything. Just plain stupid.
I honestly tried to understand her, but I just couldn't; as a Nigerian neither as someone who has read a lot of broken characters.
None of her decisions made sense to me and it made reading this book all the more tiring.
For me, it would have made more sense if Nani came from a dysfunctional family. But as far as I could tell, before the death of her sister and father, they were a well-rounded family that also had the advantage of being wealthy with sensible parents.
I didn't enjoy this book. I enjoyed the first thirty pages, but the rest felt off to me.
I didn't like Nani. I think the intention was to show her as an individual who doesn't know how to deal with the grief of losing her sister and father in death, is misunderstood by her mother and remaining sister, and as a result, falls into the hands of a beguiling and controlling man. But there's nothing in the story that makes this believable to me.
In my opinion, Nani is incredibly stupid, not broken by grief or anything. Just plain stupid.
I honestly tried to understand her, but I just couldn't; as a Nigerian neither as someone who has read a lot of broken characters.
None of her decisions made sense to me and it made reading this book all the more tiring.
For me, it would have made more sense if Nani came from a dysfunctional family. But as far as I could tell, before the death of her sister and father, they were a well-rounded family that also had the advantage of being wealthy with sensible parents.