Nikki May

This was the perfect book to read while on vacation. Three friends, all mixed-race African-English, find themselves in a maelstrom when one of them brings a fourth into their group. Simi, Ronke and Boo have been friends since college, and each woman is at a different stage of life. Boo is married with a young child, and she is increasingly disenchanted with her life. Ronke longs for marriage and family, but can’t seem to find a good man to settle down with. Simi’s marriage is happy but currently long-distance, and she and her husband are in different places when it comes to having a family. Enter Isobel, who seems to show each woman what she is missing to fulfill her dreams, but who is actually sowing the seeds of discord. I figured out partway through that Isobel has some kind of ulterior motive, but the full story is only revealed at the very end. It is a true test of the trio’s friendship, withstanding the malicious mischief that Isobel wreaks. It’s a well-crafted story of female friendship, quite enjoyable.… (meer)

Ronke, Simi, and Boo are mixed-race Anglo-Nigerian women who met at university and remained best of friends. All three live in London and meet regularly to share their troubles. They lead outwardly successful lives, but frustration is catching up with them. Dentist Ronke longs to find a Nigerian husband and have children but instead ends up dating a string of unsuitable boyfriends; Simi is a high-flying marketing executive but feels unrecognised at the office and is increasingly annoyed at her husband’s insistence that they try for a baby; Roo has a kind French husband and an intelligent child, but misses her scientific work. Unexpectedly, Simi reconnects with Isobel, an old acquaintance from her Nigerian childhood. Rich and glamorous, Isobel insinuates herself into the tight-knit group and vows to solve each woman’s problems through a mix of psychology and retail therapy. But Isobel also spells “Wahala” or “trouble” and her tactics drive a wedge between the three friends and their respective partners. And maybe this was Isobel’s plan all along…

Wahala is a light read. It does not aspire to deep philosophical insights or to some ground-breaking use of style and language. However, it is also one of the most entertaining books I’ve read lately, and I can understand why it has widely been touted as a debut to look out for. I enjoyed its mix of comedy and thriller. The dialogue is sharp and witty and often reads like a script. I was by no means surprised to learn (in the novel’s afterword) that it will be turned into a TV serial later this year. The final revelations, albeit rather far-fetched, bring the same satisfaction as the ending of a Victorian sensation novel, where the characters are revealed for what they are and secrets of the past catch up with them. The Nigerian recipes at the close of the book provide an added "feel-good" bonus.

https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/2022/01/wahala-by-nikki-may.html… (meer)