A family drama with a hint of the supernatural, this is a different genre to the author’s previous novel, My Sister, the Serial Killer. Set in Lagos, it explores the stories of generations of women who are cursed to never keep their men.

The narrative goes back and forth between the women, piecing the story together and including themes such as the double standard, tribalism, family honour and reincarnation. It’s very well-structured and the characterisation is great. The only criticism I have is that sometimes it wasn’t clear to me at the beginning of a chapter which time we were in. It’s a very good read and there are many Yoruba phrases, which are not always translated but you get the idea. There are many references to the women’s hairstyles which emphasise the importance and symbolism of hair in their culture. I enjoyed this book and am interested to know what Oyinkan Braithwaite will write next.

Published in 2025.