“Stay With Me” by Ayobami Adebayo (Nigeria)

Review

Readers agreed that this was an easy book to get into, with lots of twists and turns which kept them turning the pages. They loved the descriptions and felt that the author used subtle details to bring the scenes alive. They liked the two points of view and alternating chapters between the protagonists’ voices, though one reader found they weren’t distinctive enough. Readers liked the insights into their middle-class lives and enjoyed the political backdrop. They felt there was an extreme deference to the older generations and that the traditions about marriage and children weighed heavily on the protagonists. There were mixed feelings about Yejide, who some readers warmed to and others felt sorry for. Readers agreed that she was a headstrong woman and some liked her authoritative voice. One reader felt she was unbelievably naïve at times and had to suspend disbelief about some of her actions. Overall, it averaged an 8.25 out of 10.

Synopsis

Yejide is hoping for a miracle, for a child. It is all her husband wants, all her mother-in-law wants, and she has tried everything. But when her relatives insist upon a new wife, it is too much for her to bear… Read more

Nicola’s Book Club reading list

Season 22 – “Connection” (Dec 2021 – Apr 2022)
“Summer Light, and Then Comes the Night” by Jon Kalman Stefansson (Iceland) *
“Stay With Me” by Ayobami Adebayo (Nigeria)
“Before the Coffee gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Japan)
“Holiday Heart” by Margarita Garcia Robayo (Colombia)

* The book club favourite
In italics, Nicola’s Coup de Cœur