Book Review: The Secret Lives of the Four Wives by Lola Shoneyin

Recently, I had the pleasure of reading the Secret Lives of the Four Wives  by Lola Shoneyin. This novel is about a modern polygamist family in Nigeria.  The story begins at the union between Baba Segi and his fourth wife, Bolanle. Her arrival into the somewhat tension filled utopia brings anger and ill intentions into the household.    The wives are intimidated by her education, youth, and beauty. Throughout the book, you learn more about each wife and how they found comfort in a polygamist union during a time where polygamy in Nigeria was  becoming obsolete. As tempers and frustrations  start to spin out of control the secrets of the women are released page by page in this tailwind drama.

Lola Shoneyin, does a excellent job weaving together the literary structure of the book that holds true to her first love, poetry. Her poetic storytelling of this realistic portrayal of women and a family is clear, concise, and cross-cultural. This novel  will make you feel  sympathy and yet triumph for each woman, find humor in the irony, and feel the underlying heartache.  As you near the end of the book you  are waiting for the proverbial stuff to hit the fan with  the turn of every page.  You begin to feel as though you are watching the Real Housewives of a Polygamist Family In Nigeria, but not as commercialized but just as much drama.

Overall, the book  is not as deep as  I thought it would be, but strong enough to understand the universal impact of life, gender, and hardships of being a woman. I would HIGHLY suggest that everyone reads this book.