The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin

-

Warring Wives


The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives is a snapshot of an unforgettable Nigerian polygamist family with surprising photobombs from the past.

Baba Segi is a succesful Nigerian business owner. He lives comfortably; he has a nice home and a personal driver. He has three wives and seven children, the pride of his existence. He should be content with such a sweet life, but maybe he gets just a little bit too greedy. The day he decides to acquire a new bride is the day that upsets the balance of the household. The other wives aren’t thrilled with the fresh arrival, a woman whose education threatens to overshadow them.  They consider her “the wicked wind that upturned the tranqulity of their home.”[1]  Is it a case of too many cooks spoil the broth?

Things are off to a rough start for rookie Bolanle.  The seasoned wives don’t accept her outstretched offers of kindness, and worse than that, Bolanle isn’t able to offer her husband what he really wants (and really works hard at)—another child. Unfortunately, Bolanle’s “belly is as flat as a pauper’s stomach”[2] and that causes problems. 

The story unwinds to reveal all the wives’ turbulent, violent, tragic past lives and shocking secrets.  It’s an engrossing tale that brings the reader to an understanding of the past, present, and a captivating anticipation of the future. 

I loved this book!  It was such a unique story—a leap into a different country, culture, and an exceptional dilemma. Despite the many brutal and heartbreaking aspects of it, it is narrated in a humorous tone that drew me in and kept me going.  I wanted to find out what brought the four individual women into the arms of a polygamist and what their future holds.

This book, also found with the title “The Secret Lives of Four Wives,” was my book club selection.  My fellow members felt the same way I did about the book. Ranging from "really like" to "love" this book was a big hit. Different. Funny. Harrowing. Memorable. And just plain good!

Happy Reading,
Annette




Questions or comments?  Email Readinginthegarden@gmail.com


[1] Lola Shoneyin, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives (London: Serpent’s Tail, an Imprint of Profile Books Ltd, 2010.), 245.

[2] Ibid., 5.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Short Stories by O. Henry

-
Image
Candy for the Mind O. Henry is pen name of William Sydney Porter, who wrote over 600 short stories in his lifetime. Often funny, sometimes touching, always witty and imaginative, each story ended with a surprising twist. One of his most famous stories is The Gift of the Magi ,   where a young, penniless couple sacrifices something dear to their hearts in order to buy the perfect Christmas present for each other. The ending has a sweet twist to it, kind of like an Oh, Henry! candy bar, which supposedly pays tribute to the beloved author. Read it here: https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/1-the_gift_of_the_magi_0.pdf There is almost an endless selection of books containing his short stories. While there are too many stories to list, below are some of my favorites. Lost on Dress Parade is about a young man who saves his money for ten weeks so he can go out and pretend to be a rich man for one evening.  Outside the restaurant he meets ...
Read more

Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

-
Image
 Remains of the Day This book immediately struck me as a character study. I didn’t expect much action, and predictably, didn’t get much.  Mostly it was about getting inside a stuffy, dignified butler’s head, listening to his internal dialogue, his thought process, and his many recollections of a thirty-year career, annnnnnnnnnd—I LOVED IT!!  💗 It had such depth and insight that I couldn’t wait to return each day to see what Mr. Stevens would reveal and what the outcome of his quest would be.  I was not disappointed.  In fact, the book stirred me more than I expected.  Yes, those tears fell freely when I wasn’t looking.  It snuck up on me—all of it, all of Mr. Stevens’ days that he shared moved me in some way.   I’m not sure this book is for everyone.  "Boring" is how one friend described it as he politely set it aside. BUT I truly believe if my friend got into his Zen mode and picked it up again, he might—if not quit...
Read more

Liebster Award

-
Image
Ich Liebe the Liebster Award!   In July Marianne from Let’s Read blog nominated me for the Liebster Award , an award given to smaller blogs.   I was extremely honored, especially coming from Marianne, whose book review blog I just love.   My beautiful mother passed away at the time Marianne nominated me, and although I already had posts scheduled in advanced, I wasn’t in the mood to do much, even the simple rules of the award below…until now.   Rules for the award: 1.    Thank the amazing blogger who nominated you.  (check) 2.    Answer the 11 questions the nominator provided (answer on your blog.) (check, see below) 3.    Nominate 11 other bloggers who have less than 200 followers. 4.    Post 11 different questions for your nominees to answer on their blogs. (check, see below) 5.    Contact your nominees to let them know that you've nominated them.  (check...
Read more