Date of Completion: 09/09/20
I must start this review off by congratulating Oyinkan Braithwaite for the immense success she has achieved on her debut novel. Reminiscent of Chimamanda’s ‘Americanah’ in how it made me feel, the telling of black stories that go beyond the typical narrative is always so refreshing especially as an African in diaspora and this novel is no exception. I clearly remember sending my sister a screenshot of the cover and knowing that, I HAD TO READ THIS!
Ayoola summons me with these words—Korede, I killed him.
The storyline of this novel centres around the dilemma faced by the main character, Korede. As the older sister of two siblings, Korede bears the responsibility for the action(s) of her young and reckless sister, Ayoola. However, Ayoola is not your typical spoilt younger sibling. She is a serial killer claiming self-defence as the ground for each life she takes.
I quickly fell in love with Korede’s character as she is certainly one that I relate to, being an older sister myself. The responsibility that comes with that position and the added pressure, particularly in Nigerian culture, is one that is portrayed clearly and in many ways, accurately throughout this novel. I remember asking myself what I would do if I was ever called upon by my sister for such a task…
Besides the basic premise described above, this seemingly simple novel has multiple layers which are very apparent to me as an African, particularly Nigerian reader. Indeed, Ayoola’s “serial killing” hobby really could be a metaphor for anything if you are a Nigerian older sibling. Like Korede, I myself have been burdened with the responsibility of being accountable for my younger sister’s actions on numerous occasions, despite being in no way involved in her decision making.
The cultural elements incorporated throughout this novel are another element that I loved, as they triggered moments of nostalgia and understanding for me. I found myself speeding through this novel for several reasons. One of these being the conversational but descriptive writing style which Oyinkan creates, with phrases and words written in Yoruba being explained clearly so everyone can follow along. Nevertheless, there are certain phrases and situations which do not always translate as effectively but are delightfully familiar to me as a Nigerian.
The more he talks, the more I realize that I am a maga—a fool who has been taken advantage of.
The short chapters Oyinkan uses are another reason I went flying through this novel. It also kept me coming back for more as I could digest the short segments easily. However, despite thoroughly enjoying this read, I felt its ending fell a little short. Various aspects were left open to interpretation by the reader and in comparison to the rest of the book, it seemed a little rushed.
Overall, I found this to be a great read and it is definitely one I would recommend! It did fall just a little short of the perfect mark- hence 4.5 stars!
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