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babsbee's review
- 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
4.75
It's a challenging read but also a very fast one, and one that I highly recommend for everyone to read.
Graphic: Classism, Abandonment, Abortion, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Racism, Grief, Misogyny, and Rape
amy_park's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the originality of the book being separated by the first half being told by Akorfa and second half from Selasi's perspective. I found it engaging and having both perspectives you really digged deeper into the characters and storyline.
Many heavy areas were explored, which emotionally drew me in. I would read more from this author and definetly would recommend reading via audiobook.
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Racism, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Rape, and Abortion
booksillremember's review
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
The novel is a commentary on #metoo, racism and classism in Ghana and to a lesser extend the US. Towards the end, it feels really quite preachy, as if the author doesn't trust her characters to convey the message or she doesn't trust her readers to understand it otherwise (there's a few pages where Akorfa mentally lists all the pros and cons of living in Ghana vs the US as a black person, almost like a school essay).
I feel the author relies too much on 'tell, don't show' instead of letting the character's actions speak for themselves. I also wish more time had been spent on the main characters coming to term with their pasts.
That said, the writing style is very accessible and I enjoyed learning a bit about Ghana (and really want to try the food now), so I'd definitely recommend picking this up if you need a break from more challenging reads.
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Rape, Abortion, Classism, and Racism
linda_elaine's review
4.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Rape, and Racism
emziesreads'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
3.75
Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Rape
jouljet's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Rape, Grief, Medical content, Racism, and Sexual assault
alisonannk's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Body shaming, Classism, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Toxic friendship, Racism, Sexual harassment, Blood, Rape, Abortion, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Police brutality, Gaslighting, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail
tiamia1084's review
- 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: Death of parent, Classism, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Racism, Bullying, Misogyny, Grief, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Abandonment
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexism, Misogyny, Rape, and Sexual assault
Such a good book! Picked it up randomly at work because the cover was pretty but this book was so good! At times very frustrating to see how the two main characters that such different lives and yet had gone through many of the same struggles. They were bound from speaking of their experiences because of tradition, family honor, class, societal pressures, pressure from corrupt government, racism. This was such a complex and multi-level story. It was so good so so good.arsenelouppain's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
It was intriguing to see the same set of events unfolding from two different perspectives. Peace Adzo Medie did an excellent job of creating realistic protagonists that were sympathetic despite their faults. Though I do wish there had been more distinction between their unique voices.
Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Blood, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Classism, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
readingwithcoffee'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? Yes
4.0
Specific review to the audio book: over all enjoyed and liked it but I found the woman who narrated the first part a bit too soft spoken for me but my earphones are also a bit busted so maybe it was that. The third narrator also has a very bad French accent which barely came up when Phillip is such a. Minor character and doesn’t talk for most of his scenes but it was very surprising how bad the French accent was for those two lines lol.
My biggest issue with Medie’s writing is always pacing bc I think her writing can drag (though here the first part is very intentionally slower then the second or third that both pick up) also bc I don’t think she excels like some others literary writers especially other women in talking about violent mundane social issues and also the mundane joys and comedy of life that the lack of can make the books sometimes feel suffocating and unbearable at parts even when I adore her protagonists for this one. So that’s a major pacing issue for me especially when I both get and like the point of how suffocating machismo is! That said I know I didn’t not really pick up or enjoy the comedy elements in His Only Wife i know others did so I might not be appreciating elements in asking for that are in this and her debut book that others might.
At other points I felt like that for all that I wish her books were more anticapitalist bc it feels like her characters only get through their lives by becoming very wealthy despite her excellent criticism of corruption and violence in elite institutions and organizations it feels ironic that a lot of her characters who suffer ultimately get their lives were worth it because of money even if we both agree the world does listen to money over women.
Akorfa in my honest opinion never really learned to be more thoughtful of others interpersonally even if she’s truly not that bad a person and does develop over the book and I would say is actually her positive to people. But her never truly addressing trivial to serious problems her friends had with her was so funny.
Selasi deserved her complimentary comparison to Jesus :). My favorite girl/woman
Also I’ve been to Washington DC and Georgetown and lived in Pittsburgh and been to university of Pittsburgh and it was so much fun hearing those cities described and the library staircases I’ve also been to.
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Abortion, Death of parent, Racism, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Incest