I received an audiobook copy of This Motherless Land by Nikki May from Libro, and I was thrilled to get into it! It’s set in Lagos, Nigeria and I’ve been eager to explore more Nigerian literature lately. So, this was perfect timing. I had mixed feelings going in since I DNF’d this author’s debut, but I like to give authors a couple of tries before deciding if their work is for me.
My thoughts
This Motherless Land by Nikki May takes us between Nigeria and England, following Funke, who has a Nigerian father and a (white) British mother from when she was a young girl until she’s of age. Funke spends her early years in Lagos with her brother, but after a tragic event, she’s sent to live with her mother’s family in England. The story unfolds from both her perspective and that of her cousin, Liv.
The scenes set in Lagos really stood out to me—the 70s and 90s Nigerian life felt so vivid. The audiobook narrator’s accents were a bit off here and there, but nothing that pulled me out of the story. This novel explores layered themes like identity, being mixed-race in Nigeria versus the UK, racism, colorism, grief, and family dynamics.
While I enjoyed the book’s engaging start and solid pacing, the story relied on a few too many convenient coincidences, which made the plot somewhat predictable. I found myself wishing for a less foreseeable, more thought out ending. Character-wise, there were definitely more frustrating personalities than lovable ones, which tested my patience at times. Still, This Motherless Land offers a heartfelt exploration of identity and delivers some genuinely touching moments.
Leave a Reply