Book Review: Stay With Me, by Ayobami Adebayo

This is the only book I have read (so far) from the shortlist of this year's Baileys Prize for Women's Fiction, and is the debut novel of this young Nigerian author. 

Set against the backdrop of social and political upheaval in 1980s Nigeria (with occasional flashes forwards to the early 21st Century) this novel tells the story of the marriage of Yejide and Akin, two young people who meet and marry at university. Despite being deeply in love their marriage is not blessed with a child and pressure is mounting on Yejide, from her in-laws,to provide them with a grandchild. Wider pressure from society grows too and their marriage comes under increasing strain. 

Although Yejide is the main character the story alternates between chapters from her viewpoint and that of her husband, Akin, and it is Akin's chapters that reveal the most surprises to the reader. His chapters are important for the plot and moving the story forward, whereas Yejide's chapters are important for character development and the emotional involvement of the reader. And this is certainly an emotional book. Yejide is a likeable character and the reader is drawn completely into her world and her head. We share in her love, her hope, her disappointment and her grief, and these powerful emotions are explored over and over again throughout the novel. 

The setting in Nigeria in the 1980s and present day provides interesting insights into Nigerian life, particularly the contrast between contemporary Western lifestyles and values and more traditional Nigerian lifestyles and the way in which these two can mix. There is also some interesting information about the political background of Nigeria but the real joy of this novel is Yejide's story and the emotions it evokes in the reader - a meditation on love, grief and the role / value of women in society. Powerful and emotional it is definitely worth a read. It will stay with you (and, as an added bonus, the hardback edition of the book is really beautiful too - I especially love the yellow pages!).

4 (very) long books that are definitely worth the effort...

Long books can be a little daunting. Especially if you get your reading material from the library, where most of the new books are in hardback. I borrowed a couple of these titles from the library and actually had to return them unread because the hardback copies were just too unwieldy! I often fall asleep holding my book and there was no way I wanted to get bashed in the face by one of these bad boys. But I got round to reading them eventually and believe that you should too as they are completely and utterly worth the effort. And yes, there is effort involved in reading books this long - not only the time commitment but also the physical effort...if you like to read lying on your back, just holding the book up can be tricky and you reach a certain point in the book where keeping it open with your thumb becomes really tiring! And books of this length are less portable - it was a struggle to fit my copy of A Little Life inside my handbag. Persevere though - you will be rewarded!

A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara (720 pages)

I have just finished reading this book and it really should come with a warning. It is one of those books that consumes you completely - you cannot get the characters and their lives out of your head. On the surface, the novel is not about much. It follows the lives and friendship of 4 college classmates over nearly more than 30 years as they leave college, move to New York and begin and develop careers and relationships. The pivotal character of the novel is Jude, a lawyer haunted by his traumatic past. All his interactions with the other characters are shaped by his past and his friends' lives are also profoundly affected. It is a heart-wrenching novel that will leave you raw and weeping as it explores love, grief, the nature of happiness and the legacies of childhood. Have some tissues handy.

Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel (674 pages)

This novel won the Booker Prize in 2009. It is another book to get totally immersed in and transported back to the court of Henry VIII,where we follow the rise of Thomas Cromwell, from the humble beginnings of a blacksmith's son, to becoming one of the most powerful men in England, as advisor to the King. The historical detail and the beautiful descriptive writing mean that Tudor London really does come alive. The novel is written almost as Cromwell's stream of consciousness and that, coupled with the authentic language and turns of phrase from the sixteenth century, can make it difficult to get into, but again persevere because it is worth it. This kind of total immersion in another time and place is what I crave when reading and Mantel achieves it. I really felt like I was living in Tudor London. A fascinating insight into a turbulent period in history and a look at power and the desires, dilemmas and corruptions associated with it. A worthy Booker winner.

The Luminaries, by Eleanor Catton (848 pages)

Another Booker Prize winner, this time from 2013. This is a huge novel in both length and scope. It is set in New Zealand during the gold rush of the 1860s. A very clever plot structure opens with a man stumbling upon a secret meeting of twelve men all gathered together to tell their stories. It turns out that all these stories are linked (often through many intricate layers) and a compelling mystery is gradually revealed. It is a page turner - you really want to get to the bottom of this mystery (even the nature of the mystery is not immediately apparent - is it a murder, disappearance, fraud?) and the way it is revealed is original and intelligent. The structure of the novel is important, but does not overpower it. The writing is eloquent and highly evocative of time and place. A real triumph!

A Suitable Boy, by Vikram Seth (1504 pages)

I am pretty sure this is the longest novel I have ever read, but it does not drag or seem overly long. In fact I did not want it to end. The reading experience was fantastic, and the writing style made it a surprisingly gentle and easy read. There is a huge cast of characters but none of them seems extraneous and the setting of post independence India as the first free elections are looming is so beautifully evoked that I really felt I was living there alongside these characters and I truly felt bereft when I had finished. The title of the novel is important as we follow Lata's search for her ideal husband, both according to her own ideals and what her family considers suitable. The political backdrop adds another dimension to novel as we learn about the tensions between different classes, castes and religions in this new nation struggling to find its place in the world. It is truly fantastic writing and a book to be savoured. It may be long, but it will make you laugh out loud, and it will move you to tears, and you will not want it to end.

What very long novels that are too good to miss would you add to this list?

Book Review: Asking For It, by Louise O'Neill

I have seen this book described as a book that everyone should read. And I agree. It is a very uncomfortable read, but the subject matter is so important that everyone should read it. And it is totally unputdownable - the kind of book that you have to read in one sitting.

The book is set in a small town in south-west Ireland. The kind of place where everyone knows everyone else and their business and everyone has plenty of opinions to share on the subject of other people's business. The main character, 18 year old Emma, is pretty, popular and very powerful within her social circle. Then one summer evening, after a house party she is raped and her world and life are changed forever. In fact, the whole town is changed forever. In the age of social media, this rape becomes a public show and everyone in the town knows about it and has an opinion about it. 

The book is divided into two parts: the first part introducing Emma and her friends, describing the events leading up to the fateful party and culminating in the rape itself and its immediate aftermath. Be warned, there are some very graphic and disturbing scenes. When we meet Emma she is not a likeable person - selfish, self absorbed and manipulative - but I think this has been done deliberately to make the reader question their idea of a victim, and it certainly makes food for thought. The second part of the book details the huge fallout from this night and shows how Emma's life, and that of her family, is destroyed by the rape. 

This is a shocking and disturbing book but it is a very important one, because it makes the reader question not only their idea of a victim, but also rape culture in general, the issue of consent, and how victims of rape are treated by society. Very thought provoking - the kind of reading material that should be required reading for all older teenagers. It left me feeling emotionally drained and very, very sad. It is not a good reflection on society and society's attitudes to women and it makes me worried for my daughters, but the more people that read it, the more people will think about these issues and question their ideas and beliefs. So please read it. And then get everyone you know to read it.