Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Μείνε μαζί μου by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

30 reviews

nadiamasood's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book took me through every emotion—hope, admiration, anger, heartbreak, frustration, and even disgust. Adébáyọ̀’s writing completely pulled me in, and I just couldn’t put it down. I had both the ebook and audiobook from the library and when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it. I finished the book in 2 days!

This book gives a great glimpse into Nigeria’s culture, traditions, and family dynamics—some of which are actually pretty similar to my own society. It made it easy for me to relate to what the characters were going through.

Stay with Me starts as a love story but quickly dives into darker themes like toxic masculinity, cultural pressures, and the intense struggles around motherhood. Infertility and its mental toll is the central theme, which could be triggering for some readers.

Yejide is a complex character who faces immense pressure to have children in a society that blames infertility solely on women and defines womanhood by motherhood.

As the story unfolds, her husband's secrets, the stress of infertility, and societal pressure push Yejide to her breaking point. She grapples with both imagined and real pregnancies, shifting from the isolation of being childless to the trauma of loss, ultimately shutting down emotionally and leaving Akin behind. Adébáyọ̀’s portrayal of Nigerian culture stands out, showing how tradition often gaslights women into silence and sacrifices.

Set against Nigeria’s political chaos from the 1980s to 2008, I think the novel beautifully contrasts public unrest with the characters' private struggles.

The storytelling is smooth and engaging. I like how Adébáyọ̀ sort of skips long descriptions and just dives right into the drama and dialogue, making the book feel sharp and to the point.

There are a few reasons why I couldn't give this book 5 stars.

First, it's hard to believe that a university-educated grown woman who has access to a library to look for sickle cell disease is completely clueless about basic human reproductive physiology and is unable to suspect and look up impotence. Second, has NO ONE ever heard of artificial insemination? Not even the brilliant doctors treating Akin's condition? I am totally disgusted by the solution he came up with!!! And finally, how easily did Akin get away from both murder and attempted murder? He deserved punishment! I felt the ending was unfair to Yijide.

This book really drew me in and shook me. I get that people are willing to sacrifice a lot to have a child—and that’s totally their right—but crossing certain lines just feels wrong. Some mistakes come with a cost that can make us lose ourselves and our ability to love and care as human beings.

This book is great for readers who enjoy thought-provoking literary fiction, especially those interested in Nigerian culture. It may resonate with anyone navigating issues of fertility and identity, but be aware that it includes sensitive topics like infertility, terminal illness, death, and mental health, which might be triggering for some.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Infertility, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Terminal illness and Death of parent

thekrujue's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Alcohol

kwedork's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

tranghoang's review against another edition

emotional

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.25

this is one scandalous and heartbreaking book

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death and Death of parent

pickashelf's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Death, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Rape

jazlem's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

My first 5 star Read of 2024! This book will really stay with me for a long time (excuse the pun!) The characters had so much depth to them and the plot kept me guessing throughout, I did not expect the ending or any of the twists. It was beautifully written and kept me hooked throughout. It of course deals with some heavy themes of child loss, familial abuse and political turbulence in the landscape of 1980s Nigeria but it had a hopeful ending and I recommend everyone to read this!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Police brutality, Medical content, and Death of parent

irie_e's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Infertility, and Infidelity

Moderate: Death of parent

bookishkellyn's review against another edition

sad tense

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

5.0

I thought this was just going to be a dual POV novel about an infertile couple (Akin & Yejide) and the second wife (Funmi) forced upon them in the tradition of polygamy. But the book’s synopsis barely touches on the real drama that unfolds in the rest of the story–lies, deception, infidelity, murder, death. Akin was THE most duplicitous character in the book. He reminds me of a quote: “Imagine the messiest person you know. It’s a man, isn’t it?” The plot twists were an A+.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Gun violence, Excrement, and Murder

prairiek's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Violence, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, and Death of parent

georgie_mb's review against another edition

emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

An easy 5 stars. 

Heartbreaking and moving, this had me routing for all the characters. The struggle of Yejide trying to conceive soon lifts back the curtain of the lies and deceit that makes up her household. There are so many twists and turns that had me gasping out loud, and if this hadn’t been part of a readathon I would have read this quicker than I did!

I also loved the settings, shifting from Nigeria in the 1980’s to the modern day, and discovering the cultural and historical references along the way. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Medical content, and Death of parent

Minor: Excrement