Just curious if the fact that Nigeria leads the world in female genital mutilation is at all dealt with or addressed since it is closely tied to the belief that FGM is linked to the primary role of women as child bearers and that seems to be a theme of the book.
3
Polygamy isn't going anywhere in the African culture. Because it's supported by "women" . Men get second wives because their mothers pressure them to do so. My father was told by his mom ( a second wife herself) to get a second wife . Her explanation : because without second wife , there wasn't you(my dad). But he waited until my mom hit menopause then they used that as an excuse to get another one because my dad was "still young" (according to his mom) to stop having children! My mother didn't agree, she left with 10 children, with the older children were already finished school and had jobs .
8
I get a little tired of stories claiming that love is still love even if it's been beaten to death by betrayal.
What it generally is is possessiveness--"I own you and won't let you go, but I have the right to lots and lots of extras and freebies and whatever else I can grab, while keeping you tethered in case I might need or want you or something from you."
English is a language in which lush and hypnotic rhythms can disguise the fact that sometimes there's no there there.
I think I'll skip this one.
What it generally is is possessiveness--"I own you and won't let you go, but I have the right to lots and lots of extras and freebies and whatever else I can grab, while keeping you tethered in case I might need or want you or something from you."
English is a language in which lush and hypnotic rhythms can disguise the fact that sometimes there's no there there.
I think I'll skip this one.
12
Have you seen the 2013 film "Mother of George?" It is set among Nigerians living in Brooklyn. Very similar plot, characters. It is available for streaming.
4
Yes, I have seen it, too. Highly recommend.
2
"Mother of George" is a very good recent film set among Nigerians in Brooklyn. It is almost the same story. It's available for streaming.
1
". . . opening a window . . . ."
The phrase brought me up short. I didn't recognize it; and yet, I recognized that it must be -- likely was -- an allusion to some literary work. So -- I was compelled to stop reading the review and google the phrase. Having discovered its origin I was then compelled to consider what its function in Kakutani's review was.
The poem's theme is suffering, its ordinariness, and our general indifference to it. Is that the theme of Adebayo's novel? Continuing on with Kakutani's review it didn't seem to be. Then, why was the phrase sitting there? Did Kakutani put it there to elevate the literariness of the review? to elevate her readers' self-satisfaction -- at least of those of her readers who recognized the allusion?
What do you think?
P.S. The poem is "Musee des Beaux Arts" by W.H Auden.
"About suffering they were never wrong,
The old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along"
The phrase brought me up short. I didn't recognize it; and yet, I recognized that it must be -- likely was -- an allusion to some literary work. So -- I was compelled to stop reading the review and google the phrase. Having discovered its origin I was then compelled to consider what its function in Kakutani's review was.
The poem's theme is suffering, its ordinariness, and our general indifference to it. Is that the theme of Adebayo's novel? Continuing on with Kakutani's review it didn't seem to be. Then, why was the phrase sitting there? Did Kakutani put it there to elevate the literariness of the review? to elevate her readers' self-satisfaction -- at least of those of her readers who recognized the allusion?
What do you think?
P.S. The poem is "Musee des Beaux Arts" by W.H Auden.
"About suffering they were never wrong,
The old Masters: how well they understood
Its human position: how it takes place
While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along"
9
Another novel about "love and loss and the possibility of redemption" that takes place in Nigeria? (I'm going to overlook Ms. Kakutani's notion that this novel is "deeply informed" by literature because it's reminiscent of Gone Girl.) Is the American publishing industry in even worse shape than Hollywood? Do we have to be fed a steady stream of these books tailor-made for the bestseller list, the film deal, the Oprah's Book Club selection? I get that publishing is a business, and there's clearly a market for books like this, but then the NYTimes doesn't need to spend valuable space promoting them. (Knopf, I imagine, has a healthy marketing budget.) Can the Books editors please shed light on more books that are off the beaten path?
14
A 29 year-old Nigerian woman wrote the book. Sounds off the beaten path to me.
18
Good novels are good novels. If you don't like the idea of this one then don't read it. I know that I'm planning on reading it, and appreciate having become aware of it. Thank you NYTimes.
9
g - I find your comment confusing. How many books about "'love and loss and the possibility of redemption' that takes place in Nigeria" are there, actually? And even if there are dozens of them (which I doubt), why should there be dismissal for an exceptional new book on the subject? Just what is the "market for books like this"? In fact, what are "books like this"? Strange comment.
10
"If the burden is too much and stays too long, even love bends, cracks, comes close to breaking and sometimes does break. But even when it’s in a thousand pieces around your feet, that doesn’t mean it’s no longer love.”
That is simply one of the most beautiful paragraphs I have ever read. Thank you.
That is simply one of the most beautiful paragraphs I have ever read. Thank you.
28
Except it isn't true. Love ends, and this sentiment is slavish and masochistic.
11
So excited to read this!
8
Ayobami Adebeyo's book is a stunning part biographical portrait of her friend/relative.
A potential Booker Prize winner.
She has portrayed the angst of women,whose sole identity is having Children.
Society has been generally very harsh to women,added to which the deception of her husband who claims to be in love with her.
Love in the times of Sickle Cell Anaemia.
A potential Booker Prize winner.
She has portrayed the angst of women,whose sole identity is having Children.
Society has been generally very harsh to women,added to which the deception of her husband who claims to be in love with her.
Love in the times of Sickle Cell Anaemia.
8