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A review by piemully
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
3.0
Written by Lola Shoneyin, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives tells the story of polygamist Ishola Alao and his four wives-Iya Segi, Iya Tope, Iya Femi, and his fourth wife-as well as educated graduate -Bolanle, who has yet to fall pregnant.
Told from the perspective of each character, the story provides an intimate look into the Segi household. Shoneyin grips you from the first page as she delves into the histories of each wife and the surrounding factors that lead them to their marriages.
I'm not a fan of polygamy in the slightest, especially in countries that have made their patriarchal values clear, and Shoneyin does a good job of displaying this. She also represents the less-known ways in which subservient first wives hold and display power, both among their sister wives and even their husbands.
I guessed the book's plot twist pretty early on, and, as most chapters were told from the wives’ or other characters’ points of view, it took me a while to figure out which character was speaking. I also didn't like any of the many characters, especially the first three wives, who chose to perpetuate misogyny due to their own inferiority complexes about having an 'educated' woman in the house.
The ending definitely felt anticlimactic, but overall, I liked the book.
Told from the perspective of each character, the story provides an intimate look into the Segi household. Shoneyin grips you from the first page as she delves into the histories of each wife and the surrounding factors that lead them to their marriages.
I'm not a fan of polygamy in the slightest, especially in countries that have made their patriarchal values clear, and Shoneyin does a good job of displaying this. She also represents the less-known ways in which subservient first wives hold and display power, both among their sister wives and even their husbands.
I guessed the book's plot twist pretty early on, and, as most chapters were told from the wives’ or other characters’ points of view, it took me a while to figure out which character was speaking. I also didn't like any of the many characters, especially the first three wives, who chose to perpetuate misogyny due to their own inferiority complexes about having an 'educated' woman in the house.
The ending definitely felt anticlimactic, but overall, I liked the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape