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A review by bookph1le
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
4.0
4.5 stars
So I'm calling this book psychological suspense not because you don't know who did it--it's right there in the title, y'all--but because this book gradually peels away the layers of both Korede and Ayoola, giving the reader insight into what's been driving Ayoola and what motivates Korede to keep covering for her sister. And, boy, does it give the reader a lot to chew on.
This is a book that needs unpacking. This isn't because it's a dense read. It's actually very fast, with short, snappy chapters and an extremely compelling plot that kept me turning pages. What needs unpacking are the themes Braithwaite has woven into the book; specifically, the way girls and women are conditioned by the society in which they live, and the many toxic ways in which that soul-destroying conditioning manifests itself. It's a feminist book, but never in a preachy way. Instead, it draws you into these women's lives, revealing bit by bit what has made them the people they are, and in so doing makes it hard not to feel a lot of compassion for them both--even for Ayoola, who the first pages make clear is a pretty unapologetic killer. I think this is what makes it so powerful.
Braithwaite is a wonderful new voice, and I look very, very much forward to reading more by her.
So I'm calling this book psychological suspense not because you don't know who did it--it's right there in the title, y'all--but because this book gradually peels away the layers of both Korede and Ayoola, giving the reader insight into what's been driving Ayoola and what motivates Korede to keep covering for her sister. And, boy, does it give the reader a lot to chew on.
This is a book that needs unpacking. This isn't because it's a dense read. It's actually very fast, with short, snappy chapters and an extremely compelling plot that kept me turning pages. What needs unpacking are the themes Braithwaite has woven into the book; specifically, the way girls and women are conditioned by the society in which they live, and the many toxic ways in which that soul-destroying conditioning manifests itself. It's a feminist book, but never in a preachy way. Instead, it draws you into these women's lives, revealing bit by bit what has made them the people they are, and in so doing makes it hard not to feel a lot of compassion for them both--even for Ayoola, who the first pages make clear is a pretty unapologetic killer. I think this is what makes it so powerful.
Braithwaite is a wonderful new voice, and I look very, very much forward to reading more by her.