“Ayoola summons me with these words –Korede, I killed him. I had hoped I would never hear those words again”.
The first two lines of the debut novel by Oyainkan Braithwaite are direct and set the stage to this dark and gripping story.
Mine initial thought, when I read these lines were: WHAT?
The second thought: what a deadpan reaction and Korede I need more!
Thankfully, the book is an easy read with a nice flow, allowing everything to unfold in a few hours.
The book revolves around two sisters: Korede, a dull, dependable and meticulous nurse in a Lagos’ hospital and Ayoola, the stunning, fickle and oblivious serial killer. Korede always assisted her sister because of loyalty and the strong need to shield her from harm. The book touches on the complexity of sibling relationships, family loyalty, female beauty, childhood abuse/trauma and mental health in the background of the patriarchal Nigerian society.
An interesting thing of note in the book is Korede’s lack of deep connections to others. Her only confidant is a coma patient, depicting her loneliness and a disheartening aspect of her life. It makes you wonder about friendship, the comfort with others and the importance of these relationships. What does friendship mean to you? When struggling, who would you ask for support? Do you even have a person?
All summer I was excited to read the book because many people recommended it to me. I liked the book; it was a quick and light read, but I wished it delved more into the past and characters.
Interested in the author? Check out her website: oyinkanbraithwaite.com
Bookish Naija Gal 