Great African Reads discussion

This thread is for discussions of our May/June 2021 read of His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie - Notice that there may be SPOILERS (Find the no-spoiler thread here)

- Feel free to discuss anything you like about the book here: Here's a few questions to get you started:

How did you like the characters? The plot? The style? The portrayal of characters and their surroundings?

I hope to get to this one in June. In the meantime this article may interest some of you:
https://johannesburgreviewofbooks.com...

I just finished this book and I did enjoy it. Here's my short review.

I am not completely finished with the book but so far I have mixed feelings the book does make for an easy read but it also seems to be dragging. Im almost at the half way mark and hope to see some progression,resolution soon.

The beginning of the book dragged. Halfway through the book and I was over the constant re- wording of the same thing. But it does pick up :). I really like that AFI grows a back bone and finally meets the other women. I also wanted to know how the other woman responded to meeting her. Had Eli told lies to her as well or was she accepting of being in a polygamous relationship? I really like the dynamics between tradition and modernization. I liked that it shows patriarchy but how women support its structure. I even liked the fact that, the book didn't demonize Eli, the book gives the sense that he truly did love both women. One thing I can't figure out though. If ELI defied his mother and kept seeing Muna, why not marry her? To my understanding he wouldn't be cut off from having money. Why get close to AFI, if he was so in love with the woman he was with? Why not tell her this marriage would be in name only? I feel I could have respected him more if he hadn't straddled the fence. Overall an easy read with so many dynamics at play.

Calla wrote: "The beginning of the book dragged. Halfway through the book and I was over the constant re- wording of the same thing. But it does pick up :). I really like that AFI grows a back bone and finally m..."

I agree with all of your points, Calla 100%. I'm Jamaican-American, and I'm married to a Ghanaian man, so I often read a lot of books like this to understand the various ethnic groups in Ghana. I really enjoyed seeing how Afi evolved from the shy village girl to becoming an independent woman on her terms. Within the culture itself, children/adult children undergo a great deal of pressure to carry out the family's wishes and very rarely disobey their parent's wishes. Life is more of a "we" than a "me" type of thing. Culturally, he was trapped, and although it was a crappy plan, it was the only way he could please everyone, including himself. He just didn't count on Afi not buying into his perfect dream. I agree about respecting him more if he didn't straddle the fence, but I get it after living in Ghana and understanding how certain things are done. I'm just glad that Afi didn't just take it and decided she wanted better for herself and her son.

Anetq wrote: "This thread is for discussions of our May/June 2021 read of His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie - Notice that there may be SPOILERS (Find the no-spoiler thread here)

- Feel free to discuss anything ..."

I really enjoyed this book, and while it did take a while to get good, I'm glad I stuck with it. As an American living in Ghana, I understood everything about Afi and her transition into her new life. Many investors are coming to Ho to create many types of businesses, but that wouldn't be the area Afi would be coming from, so seeing her transformation from the village to holding her own in the posh areas of Accra was nice to see.

I loved that Afi figured out the truth for herself and did not settle because she knew her worth. To leave a wealthy family that would take care of you for the rest of your life is no small thing in West Africa; it's like throwing away your security. But, I loved that she stayed true to herself and was determined to make it independently. Her uncle really got on my nerves, but people like that really do exist and expect to be compensated when you "make it big."

I was so crushed once she and Eli had that difficult conversation, and he refused to grant Afi's wish. I'd love to see how Afi gets on in a few years and what becomes of her.