A review by simplymodest
Stay with Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

challenging mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

You meet the love of your life at University and marry shortly after meeting. His family expects him to have many wives, but you and he have always said that polygamy was not for your marriage.  But after four years of marriage and many visits to medical specialists and healers, you still can’t get pregnant, and the family brings your husband his 2nd wife and forces him to marry her.  Broken, hurt, and furious, you know you must get pregnant.  You finally do, but at what cost???

Whew… so the synopsis is what made me want to read this book. I had no idea what I was getting into. While the book has a slow start and sometimes slow moments that seem to drag, the twists in the story will keep you intrigued. This story is an interesting and heart-wrenching read.  

I listened to the audio version of this book and found it helpful. A lot of Nigerian language is used, and cultural ways of addressing each other could be a bit confusing only because they were new to me. I found this part to be very informative, and I learned more about the culture. For the first novel, I found the book to be done well. I recommend this one, but I also give you the warning that it does move a bit slowly.