Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - Nightbloom

Nightbloom is the story of Akorfa and Silasi, cousins so inseparable when they were young girls that they were more like sisters or best friends. But then circumstances changed, they changed and their bond that was once so strong frayed and eventually broke.

The storytelling was wonderfully engaging and the structure, whereby we first learn Akorfa’s story and then Silasi’s, was really effective at highlighting how no one person necessarily knows the complete true story, and that different people can interpret the same information in totally different ways. As a reader I thought I knew what story this book was telling, but adding Silasi’s perspective which included new information, meant the actual story was very different from my first impression.

In many ways this was a difficult book to read. Not only does it deal with child sexual abuse but the casual way the children were neglected, abandoned, emotionally abused, held responsible for the actions of adults, and used as pawns in adult disputes was really confronting. I can only hope the featured behaviour isn’t the cultural norm.

The story was rich and layered, exploring so many additional themes - racism in America, sexism and misogyny, political corruption in Ghana, family structure and dynamics, intergenerational trauma, class, wealth, personal and cultural values - yet they always felt intrinsic to the story; never heavy handed nor shoe-horned in.

The characterisation was excellent. Both Akorfa and Silasi as well as many of the minor characters leapt of the page - flaws and all. And all the characters were flawed. Many grew over the story, some more than others, yet their essential temperaments, personalities and associated flaws remained, which added to the authenticity in my opinion. Which brings me to the ending. It may not necessarily have been realistic and is definitely not to be recommended or emulated. And yet in the context of the story I could totally understand the reasoning and may even have cheered silently.

Content Warnings

internationalreads's review

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dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I LOVED her first book but this one was a disappointment. Way too long and overly explained (telling rather than showing). I did like the narrative shift halfway through though.

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