The Book:
His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie
Published September 1st 2020 by Algonquin Books
Date read: July 30, 2021
The Characters:
Afi, Elikem
Buy it on Bookshop.org | Amazon
The Plot (from Goodreads):
“Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding.”
Afi Tekple is a young seamstress whose life is narrowing rapidly. She lives in a small town in Ghana with her widowed mother, spending much of her time in her uncle Pious’s house with his many wives and children. Then one day she is offered a life-changing opportunity—a proposal of marriage from the wealthy family of Elikem Ganyo, a man she doesn’t truly know. She acquiesces, but soon realizes that Elikem is not quite the catch he seemed. He sends a stand-in to his own wedding, and only weeks after Afi is married and installed in a plush apartment in the capital city of Accra does she meet her new husband. It turns out that he is in love with another woman, whom his family disapproves of; Afi is supposed to win him back on their behalf. But it is Accra that eventually wins Afi’s heart and gives her a life of independence that she never could have imagined for herself.
The Review:
Thank you to @algonquinbooks for this free copy provided for the tour.
I really loved Afi’s story, and she was a great MC. She was so strong and independent, and an honestly good person. Her growth throughout the book was really interesting to read about, and I loved her friendship with Evelyn and how Evelyn taught her how to make a life for herself in Accra. Obviously arranged marriage isn’t a situation I know anything about, and it was incredibly interesting to see inside a culture completely different to my own.
I listened to the audiobook of His Only Wife. Soneela Mankani’s narration was the perfect thing to add another layer of depth to the story, and it was a joy to listen to.
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