Swallow

I read this book in a 4.5 hour stretch, plus 20 minutes the next day. I wasn’t quite sure at the end what I thought of it, and had to think through if I think it’s a 4 or 5 star book.

I liked most of the things about the book, the stories of the characters are realistic and seem to reflect well the situation in Nigeria at the time, some of the factors of which still last till today. Tolani’s relationships with Rose and her neighbours are relatable. I don’t want to give to much away, but though the ending of the first part was foreseeable, it still had the intended effect on the reader, and you keep reading to see how things go.

The part that I am conflicted on the most is the sections on Tolani’s mother’s life. The first time, I thought we were just going to hear her story once, but as we kept going back more and more times I realized it was part of the novel (and re read the back which confirmed it). To be honest, at first I was not interested in her mother’s story and considered glazing over it whenever it came up, but I am glad I read it as well because it was interesting, and her defiance and confidence was a welcome feature in a story about the times she lived in.

By the end though, I was still not quite sure on the connection between Tolani’s story and her mother’s. The two are related and reflect two women living through different times, but something in the connection of the two stories was just missing for me.

However, I’m still giving the novel 4.5 stars rounded up to five because I think not seeing the connection is my fault, not the author’s. It’s almost like I know something is there but I’m not thinking of the story in the right way to understand it. It still deserves five stars because it’s beautifully written, engaging, and as I mentioned an accurate reflection of a period in time.