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There are currently 23 member reviews
for Stay with Me
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Marie D. (Coxsackie, NY)
Stay with Me
I couldn't put this book down after reading a few chapters. At first, it was like visiting a foreign land. The language, customs, and culture, as well as the names, were unfamiliar to m e. Soon I was immersed in the love story of Yeside and Akin as they deal with the pain of childlessness, the death of a child, a second wife, and feelings of guilt, betrayal, and forgiveness.
The political situation in Nigeria forms a suitable backdrop for this story of unfulfilled hopes and betrayals.
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Caitlin B. (Saint Clair Shores, MI)
Stay With Me - Painful & Powerful
Stay With Me is a well-written story of a young couple and their struggles with infertility, cultural norms, and trust. With every page turn, there was a new shock in their lives that shook my very being. It shows the two sides of their story and how each faced the same challenges. A very sad story, but filled with many meaningful messages. One of my favorite books and I would recommend to those looking for a short, impactful read.
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Erica M. (Chicago, IL)
A Hearbreaking Story
This story reminded me of The Gift of the Magi in the way in which each spouse selfishly gives their love to the other in such a way that the gift becomes, somehow, meaningless - and yet the love of each other is so overriding that in the end, that is all you see. The first chapter gives the foreshadowing of the heartbreak we will witness, but the story builds slowly, and it is easy to forget that foreshadowing. It is, surprisingly, not a tearjerker, just so horribly sad. And yet there is redemption in the end. Saying anything more would spoil your reading of this elegant, thoughtful and well-developed story.
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Paula J, Bath ME
Do we ever really know anyone?
"Stay with me" is a novel of one couple's life, set against the backdrop of Nigerian culture and gender expectations. The character of Yejide is well written and likeable.I felt her love and pain of losing her children. The story develops through the views of Yejide and her husband Akin; what each imagines the other is thinking...which, of course, is never the reality. There is much pain in this story, and I felt all of it. But there is also the hope of freedom, forgiveness and redemption.
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Joan P. (Owego, NY)
Stay With Me
The constant political instability in Nigeria is the backdrop to this story of love and secrets. Akin, the husband, and Yijeda, the wife, face infertility, family pressures, and dark secrets that finally force them apart. I am always fascinated with cultures that blend the old ways with modern life in a seamless way. Yejida tries potions and prayers to no avail. She is a strong woman that seems destined to be alone, no parents, no children, no husband. There are interesting secondary characters that flesh out the narrative.
I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time writing this review without revealing the plot. Look beyond the good story and you will find universal fears, foibles and feelings. A great debut novel.
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Jane B. (Chicago, IL)
Wonderful Not To Be Missed Book
This is the best book that I have read in some time. One can almost forget how an author can beautifully unfurl a plot with a line of well chosen words. The revelations are well paced and the characters well drawn. Chapters alternate between the wife's viewpoint and the husband's. The book is about their love but as the wife's father tells her: love is a test.
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Debra V. (Kenosha, WI)
Love and infertility in Nigeria
A good novel about a Nigerian couples struggle to love and live in a society that defines and judges a marriage on their ability to have children. The backdrop of the unstable political climate adds to the novel's tension. When I read a book like this it angers me that in so many places women are still not valued or encouraged to make an intellectual or spiritual contribution to society. Perhaps it explains why so many patriarchal countries are badly managed. I would enjoy a book club discussion on the question-- Why do patriarchal cultures value fertility so much?
