Scan barcode
A review by bookishevy
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I saw this book on Instagram last month and, after reading the synonsis, had to have it. The audiobook did not disappoint.
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives tells the story of Baba Segi, an uneducated but hardworking patriarch in Nigeria. Baba Segi has three wives: Iya Segi, Iya Trope and Iya Femi, and seven children. As the title suggests, each of these women has secrets. It's not until he introduces a fourth wife, the college educated Bolanle, that these secrets start to unravel.
The relationships between these wives are made even more complex when Bolanle enters the picture because she's so different from the others. She's educated, and they immediately see her as a threat they need to remove. Baba Segi leaves his wives to their own devices. As long as the chores are done, he's fed, and they are sexually available to him on their night he's happy. He's completely unaware of the battle for supremacy taking place under his roof.
I loved this story. I was going to get a physical copy, but after reading reviews of the audiobook, I downloaded it immediately. Author Shoneyin narrates and performs all of her characters, and I was thoroughly entertained. Each woman tells of how she became Baba Segi's wife and gives her perspective on what it's like living in a polygamist household - how a fourth wife means less time for each of them, having sex with a man who doesn't do foreplay, the pressure of not only giving him children but a male heir - and shares her feelings on the other wives. Every woman has a past, even one as naive as Bolanle. They each have their reasons for being his wife and doing what they do to maintain their marriages and keep a roof over their children's heads. But the first three wives share a secret, and when it comes out, I dare you not to howl with laughter. It's just too good. The hypocrisy, the sabotaging, the betrayal, the drama.
If you enjoy Nigerian soap operas, you would love this audiobook. Shoneyin is great in all of the roles, and her Baba Segi is especially hilarious.
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives tells the story of Baba Segi, an uneducated but hardworking patriarch in Nigeria. Baba Segi has three wives: Iya Segi, Iya Trope and Iya Femi, and seven children. As the title suggests, each of these women has secrets. It's not until he introduces a fourth wife, the college educated Bolanle, that these secrets start to unravel.
The relationships between these wives are made even more complex when Bolanle enters the picture because she's so different from the others. She's educated, and they immediately see her as a threat they need to remove. Baba Segi leaves his wives to their own devices. As long as the chores are done, he's fed, and they are sexually available to him on their night he's happy. He's completely unaware of the battle for supremacy taking place under his roof.
I loved this story. I was going to get a physical copy, but after reading reviews of the audiobook, I downloaded it immediately. Author Shoneyin narrates and performs all of her characters, and I was thoroughly entertained. Each woman tells of how she became Baba Segi's wife and gives her perspective on what it's like living in a polygamist household - how a fourth wife means less time for each of them, having sex with a man who doesn't do foreplay, the pressure of not only giving him children but a male heir - and shares her feelings on the other wives. Every woman has a past, even one as naive as Bolanle. They each have their reasons for being his wife and doing what they do to maintain their marriages and keep a roof over their children's heads. But the first three wives share a secret, and when it comes out, I dare you not to howl with laughter. It's just too good. The hypocrisy, the sabotaging, the betrayal, the drama.
If you enjoy Nigerian soap operas, you would love this audiobook. Shoneyin is great in all of the roles, and her Baba Segi is especially hilarious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Child death and Domestic abuse