Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo {Yomna's Review}

4.5/5

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Canongate Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book!

This book gets released on the 2nd of March, 2017. This is a spoiler free review! It has a little bit of an overview (synopsis) of the book and my opinion on it and why you should read it!

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This book is heartbreakingly incredible, and it made my heart ache with every page. 

This book is about a woman called Yejide and her husband Akin. All Yejide wants is a child, it's what her family and her husband's family want. After several years of marriage, Yejide and her husband have none. So Akin's family force him to marry a new wife named, Funmi. 

The book explores so many subjects, love being one of the main themes; loyalty, children, disease and most importantly heartbreak. The story is captivating, with so many stories in one, and great and dynamic characters. 

I loved this book. I am so glad I read it. Along with a great plot, and incredible characters, it comes with a dose of Nigerian culture and tradition, and that really brings the story to life

This is the first book I've read by a Nigerian author, and I'm so happy I came across it. This book is so beautiful, and every page I read was so worth it.

The main character, Yejide was amazing. She's a strong, independent, character. I related with her strongly and that is amazing to see in a book because Yejide has a completely different life from mine and yet I understand her and relate to her wholeheartedly. 

This book does have themes of cheating. I am tired of books romanticising cheating. I don't care if your husband is annoying or if your wife is a freaking madwoman. Never ever forever. However, this book does not tell that kind of story. It is a story about vulnerability, cheating, manipulation, but the author has managed to twist it away from a story that justifies or romanticises the bad things that happen in it. 

The mythology, stories, and traditions in this book are incredible. It's set in our world, yet it feels like there is a whole other dimension to it that we don't have in our regular lives. The stories I felt provided tenderness, depth, and meaning to the events in the book. 

In the book, Yejide and her husband go through a lot of stuff that I would consider the worst things that could ever happen to a human being. They get damaged internally and hurt so many times it's easy to lose count. However, this book shows all things good in the world, as well as the bad. This is story about how love can survive the sorrows and pains. 

I loved the message, the story, and the characters. Solid read about love, loss, life, (three 'L's!) I strongly recommend it. This novel, I feel, speaks to the heart. It made me ache inside and it is a story I will certainly remember for a while. 

For every book I read, I try to feel something, learn something, find something that speaks to me as a human being, and this story did it for me. It was so effortless to read it and I enjoyed it thoroughly. 

Thanks,

Yomna