“Nothing in this world is free, let alone a woman.”
Genre: Fiction
Published: 29th June, 2010.
Pages: 245
Rate: 4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads Synopsis
To the dismay of her ambitious mother, Bolanle marries into a polygamous family, where she is the fourth wife of a rich, rotund patriarch, Baba Segi. She is a graduate and therefore a great prize, but even graduates must produce children and her husband’s persistent bellyache is a sign that things are not as they should be. Bolanle is too educated for the ‘white garment conmen’ Baba Segi would usually go to for fertility advice, so he takes her to hospital to discover the cause of her barrenness.
Weaving the voices of Baba Segi and his four competing wives into a portrait of a clamorous household of twelve, Lola Shoneyin evokes an extraordinary Nigerian family in splashes of vibrant colour.
My Take
Every time I think about the of Baba Segi and his 4 wives, I find myself smiling and in a happy mood.
I had seen The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives all over and even had a few people (who we have similar reading tastes) recommend it to me, so I knew I was in for treat. Boy was I right! The book is hilarious and I finished it in one sitting. Lola writes beautifully and weaves the story of the wives seamlessly. There are multiple POV in the story and if you’re not careful, you may not get who is narrating.
“A real woman must always do the things she wants to do, and in her own time too. You must never allow yourself to be rushed into doing things you’re not ready for.”
I went through a range of emotions throughout the story, where I weeped with the wives through their struggles and trials, laughed through their shenanigans and even got angry at some point.
What I didn’t like was that the book reads like a movie, it has a cinematic feel and at some point I felt like I’m watching Afro- Cinema but in book form.
“Everyone chooses their path in life.”
A small book that packs a punch and definitely worth your time. Highly recommend.
Have you read this book? If yes, did you like it? If no, would you pick it up?
Let me know down in the comments.
Happy Weekend! 😊❤️
I’m glad you liked it so much!
It’s something I have not read before.
Great review hun!
Thank you for stopping by. 🙂
I’ve heard a lot about the book. I actually like books That read like a movie. So I should check it out.
Let me know what you think about it if you do get around to it. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by.
Loved this one too.Takes me back.And that AfroCinema feel😂 I bet we’d all rather read it than watch it
Hahaha I definitely agree with you!
Great review, loved this one too and it also made me smile. I still remember the twist, that was brilliant. Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you! I feel like it’s an underrated book.
I liked it. It was a good read full of drama from Baba Segi’s wives. However I didn’t think it deserved a 4 star because of its predictability. Otherwise it’s an interesting read one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.
I think the beauty of it was more in the characters than the plot. They made the book come alive