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A review by emswantree
This Motherless Land by Nikki May
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Book Review: This Motherless Land
@nikkimaywriter
🎧 Libby
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I knew as soon as I posted my favorite books of the year it meant I would find another one. And this book is it!
This is a modern update on Mansfield Park- but a bit tenuous in that connection where it matters (because we don’t marry our cousins anymore do we?😬).
Funke is Nigerian and lives in Lagos with her brother and her parents. When a terrible accident leaves her life completely altered her dad sends her to live with her mother’s family at their estate in Surrey, England. As she settles into her new life the writing around her culture shock is absolutely breath-taking. Funke receives an English name, has to endure canned soup, the British love of antiques, and ridiculous weather. She is also called Black for the first time. But she makes a deep connection with her cousin, Olivia, and their sisterly love for each other drives the rest of the book.
I won’t get into more of the summary but there is so much to talk about with this novel - this writer deftly examines so many hard things while making the characters real, conflicted and even loveable people. The symbols throughout the book could be a study in and of itself. Somehow she does all of this while never being too heavy handed or over explaining, the story just flows.
There is happenstance in this book but like in Austen you want it to happen. You want your people to find each other so as the reader I loved every second of it. Lately my favorite books have been those with beautiful and meaningful female relationships. I am loving what is being writing around our friendships and familial bonds lately. I am here for all of it!
This book was a Read with Jenna pick - and while that isn’t the reason I read her picks overall have been pretty amazing for me. This would be a great pick for your next book club.
Have you read this one? What did you think?
#bookish #bookstagram #fivestarbooks #readerlife #fiction #readwithjenna #thismotherlessland #bookreview #reading #bookclub #readersofinstagram #modernclassic #nigerian #anglo-nigerianauthor #lagosI’m
@nikkimaywriter
🎧 Libby
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I knew as soon as I posted my favorite books of the year it meant I would find another one. And this book is it!
This is a modern update on Mansfield Park- but a bit tenuous in that connection where it matters (because we don’t marry our cousins anymore do we?😬).
Funke is Nigerian and lives in Lagos with her brother and her parents. When a terrible accident leaves her life completely altered her dad sends her to live with her mother’s family at their estate in Surrey, England. As she settles into her new life the writing around her culture shock is absolutely breath-taking. Funke receives an English name, has to endure canned soup, the British love of antiques, and ridiculous weather. She is also called Black for the first time. But she makes a deep connection with her cousin, Olivia, and their sisterly love for each other drives the rest of the book.
I won’t get into more of the summary but there is so much to talk about with this novel - this writer deftly examines so many hard things while making the characters real, conflicted and even loveable people. The symbols throughout the book could be a study in and of itself. Somehow she does all of this while never being too heavy handed or over explaining, the story just flows.
There is happenstance in this book but like in Austen you want it to happen. You want your people to find each other so as the reader I loved every second of it. Lately my favorite books have been those with beautiful and meaningful female relationships. I am loving what is being writing around our friendships and familial bonds lately. I am here for all of it!
This book was a Read with Jenna pick - and while that isn’t the reason I read her picks overall have been pretty amazing for me. This would be a great pick for your next book club.
Have you read this one? What did you think?
#bookish #bookstagram #fivestarbooks #readerlife #fiction #readwithjenna #thismotherlessland #bookreview #reading #bookclub #readersofinstagram #modernclassic #nigerian #anglo-nigerianauthor #lagosI’m