And just like that, another year comes to a close! I’ve complained throughout the year that I couldn’t get my hands on good fiction, but this month, I was spoilt and blessed. The two novels that I read were such a treat and has reinvigorated my love for good fiction. Check out the list below and let me know what you’ve been reading!
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo (Status: Finished)
Blurb: 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 in-laws insist upon a new wife, it is too much for Yejide to bear. Unravelling against the social and political turbulence of 80s Nigeria, Ayobami Adebayo weaves a devastating story of the fragility of married love, the undoing of family, the wretchedness of grief, and the all-consuming bonds of motherhood.
Reverencing The Wombs That Broke You: A Daughter of Rape and Abuse Inspires Healing and Healthy Family by Umm Zakiyyah, Melanie Davidson and Haleh Banani (Status: Finished)
Blurb: Her mother was raped. This is how Melanie was born. For years, the sight of Melanie’s face reminded her mother of the sexual assault, so Melanie herself was verbally and physically abused through childhood. But Melanie’s obligation was to love and honour her mother, she told herself. This is what Melanie believed as a Christian, and it’s what she believed even more so after converting to Islam. In the Qur’an, God commanded, “Reverence the wombs that bore you.” But what if those wombs broke you, and incited deep emotional trauma? What then? In this groundbreaking book about healing from family abuse, internationally acclaimed author Umm Zakiyyah shares the true story of Melanie Davidson, a daughter of rape and abuse, whose commitment to family and self-healing offers lessons to us all. Each glimpse into Melanie’s life is followed by powerful commentary inspired by the words of mental health professionals, the teachings of divine texts, and the experiences of abuse survivors themselves.
Season of Crimson Blossoms by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim (Status: Finished)
Blurb: An affair between 55-year-old widow Binta Zubairu and 25-year-old weed dealer Reza was bound to provoke condemnation in conservative Northern Nigeria. Brought together in unusual circumstances, Binta and Reza faced a need they could only satisfy in each other. Binta – previously reconciled with God – now yearns for intimacy after the sexual repression of her marriage, the pain of losing her first son and the privations of widowhood. Meanwhile, Reza’s heart lies empty and waiting to be filled due to the absence of a mother. The situation comes to a head when Binta’s wealthy son confronts Reza, with disastrous consequences. This story of love and longing – set against undercurrents of political violence – unfurls gently, revealing layers of emotion that defy age, class and religion.
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