By Oyinkan Braithwaite
This book is about a woman in Africa who seems to always come in second to her beautiful sister. Her sister, Ayoola, can get any man she wants, and any thing from that man, because of her obscene beauty. People never really notice Korede, a dedicated nurse at the hospital who is also our narrator. Korede has been protecting Ayoola since her younger sister was born, and it seems like she is getting tired of it.
We open with Korede coming to Ayoola’s aid in the clean up of her third murder scene. Korede’s meticulous attention to detail and her obsession with protecting her sister make her exceptionally qualified to accomplish this task. And so she does…numerous times. Their relationship seems to be reaching a breaking point when Ayoola sets her sights on Tade, the doctor whom Korede works with and has been attempting to flirt with for years.
Through flashbacks we explore the motivations behind both women. We see glimpses of the present through Korede’s eyes. It is up to the reader to judge if Ayoola is trying to prove a simple truth to Korede: all men are obsessed with looks. Or does Ayoola’s psychopathy stretch to her family as well, and he is just another challenge for her to exert dominance over Korede? Which side will Korede choose? There are also complications from a confidante Korede explained their sordid history to, and what will come of this confession. A thriller from a different perspective, the accomplice.
Pros & Cons & Potential Spoilers
Pros
- Unique setting and point of view
- Climax was not what I predicted
- We are not defined by our past but by the choices we make in the present
Cons
- Male characters seem a bit flat – not much dimension or dynamics to them
- Unreliable, frustrating narrator
- Seems a jaded point of view and plot line