Wahala
Fiction
Custom House
January 11, 2022
Hardcover
384
Free from publisher
Ronke wants happily ever after and 2.2. kids. She’s dating Kayode and wants him to be “the one” (perfect, like her dead father). Her friends think he’s just another in a long line of dodgy Nigerian boyfriends.
Boo has everything Ronke wants—a kind husband, gorgeous child. But she’s frustrated, unfulfilled, plagued by guilt, and desperate to remember who she used to be.
Simi is the golden one with the perfect lifestyle. No one knows she’s crippled by impostor syndrome and tempted to pack it all in each time her boss mentions her “urban vibe.” Her husband thinks they’re trying for a baby. She’s not.
When the high-flying, charismatic Isobel explodes into the group, it seems at first she’s bringing out the best in each woman. (She gets Simi an interview in Hong Kong! Goes jogging with Boo!) But the more Isobel intervenes, the more chaos she sows, and Ronke, Simi, and Boo’s close friendship begins to crack.
A sharp, modern take on friendship, ambition, culture, and betrayal, Wahala (trouble) is an unforgettable novel from a brilliant new voice.
My review:
I admit that the cover was the first thing that drew me into this novel. I was a bit more skeptical when I read the characters being compared to those from Sex and the City, I'm not a fan of books about twenty somethings behaving badly (although I don't seem to mind them on television). This book received the comparison more for the girlfriends aspect than their behaviors, and for that I was completely on board! I loved getting to know this friend group that has been together since grade school days. They originally bonded over their Nigerian heritage, and as they matured, each has taken on a different lifestyle and her own personality. The everyday dramas and highs/lows that are common to many made this a very believable story. Ambition, trust and culture were among the topics well woven into the plot. The introduction of a 4th friend into the group has some minor implications that seem to multiply and cause fractures within the original group. It was very well written for a debut novel, and I thought the characters were very well crafted. It was a very enjoyable reading experience.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes a believable story about friendship and the effect of adding another friend to the group. Wahala means trouble, so you know you are in for a captivating read.
