This book is so divisive because you go in thinking that it wouldn't be as deep as it is. This book has me thinking about a lot of different aspects of my life. It is a real thoughtful piece of writing disguised as a novel.

Témì is 20, she's been mocked all her life for her flat bottom, she's finally saved up and she intends to get surgery to enhance her buttocks. It's a shame she decides to announce this in front of her mum and sister, all the aunties and the family lawyer at her father's will-reading. The family fractured a few years ago with her sister rushing off to Lagos; now Témì wants to go there, too, seeing the city as the cure-all. But her sister Ladun wants to return, broken by her life there, her heart broken too as her beloved Tiwa suddenly dumped her out of the blue ... except her parents know why.

We go backward and forward through Hassana and Tito's and Ladun and Témì's lives, but it all makes sense and you're always clear where you are. And there's so much on expectations of women at work and in the family, in love and in friendship, on society's expectations of its government, even, with the protests against police brutality and the Covid lockdowns getting their mentions. I will definitely look for the author's previous and future books - a great read that really had something meaningful to say behind that amusing title.

Review to come 12 October on my blog https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2024/10/12/book-review-damilare-kuku-only-big-bumbum-matters-tomorrow/

Damilare Kuku is so insanely talented and this book solidified it for me! Hilarious from chapter 1, I absolutely recommend this to everyone

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Nigeria, Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow follows the journey of Temi, a 20-year-old graduate who embarks on a quest for love and fulfilment. In her pursuit of a meaningful relationship and the dream of settling down, Temi decides to transform her lifestyle, navigating the complexities of societal expectations and personal desires.

The narrative offers a multifaceted view of Temi's world, weaving in perspectives from her family members, which adds depth and richness to the story. Each character's voice contributes to the exploration of family dynamics, cultural norms, and the varying expectations placed upon women in contemporary Nigerian society.

While the storytelling can be messy at times, this rawness brings authenticity to the narrative, reflecting the chaotic nature of love and life. Temi's journey is relatable and poignant, making it a compelling read for those interested in the intersections of personal growth, romance, and cultural identity. The book ultimately serves as a reminder that the quest for love can be as intricate as it is rewarding.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow is a funny book and a worthy successor to 'Nearly All the Men in Lagos are Mad', Damilare's Kuku's debut fiction book which shook our home Nigeria. While the latter is a collection of short stories, this new piece is a novel with heavy - or big, if you wish - themes. Damilare Kuku offers a significant commentary on the socio-cultural expectations surrounding beauty, identity, and the body in postcolonial Nigerian society. While the novel may at first glance seem like a straightforward narrative about one woman’s obsession with her physical appearance, it is, in fact, a profound exploration of the broader issues concerning power, representation, and the colonial legacy in shaping modern African societies. The book exposes postcolonial realities showing how these have altered traditional gender roles and how modernity, capitalism, and globalised media have intersected to create a new kind of subjectivity that is obsessed with body image, particularly in women.
At the centre of the story is Temilade Toyebi whose fixation on a Brazillian Butt Lift (BBL) is something several people conversant with the Nigerian social media sphere will smile at. This fixation to reshape herself can be looked at as a metaphor of sorts showing the sense of inferiority that several people feel, likened to the context of formerly colonised nations whose development agenda are now based on the fixation or gaze of Empire or coloniser. It echoes Frantz Fanon's position in 'Black Skin, White Masks' (1952) that the colonised subject internalises the gaze of the coloniser, seeing themselves as inadequate and constantly striving to meet standards of beauty and success that are external to their own culture. Temilade's body dysmorphia can be seen as a symptom of this enduring colonial gaze, now replaced by the more insidious gaze of global capitalism and media.
But away from theoretical positioning, one sees that through the lens of beauty standards, Kuku takes us on a journey through the psychological entrapments that women—and indeed society at large—face when their worth is measured by physical attributes. It is said that the eye is blind when the mind is asleep, and Kuku’s novel serves as a wake-up call to those who believe the superficial can be separated from deeper existential battles.
Where Kuku’s brilliance shines through is in her ability to weave humour into the stark realities of pain, uncertainty, and societal judgment. The Nigerian woman, as presented here, is not merely a victim of circumstances but a resilient figure who uses wit and grit to navigate her path. Her internal monologue and the dialogues she has with her family offer moments of levity, often capturing the Nigerian spirit of laughing in the face of adversity which once earned the country the title of 'World's Happiest People.'
Not a bad read at all. One only wonders what next Damilare will come up with...

How much did I enjoy this hilarious page turner,eh?! But don't be fooled! Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow is a very sharp analysis of Nigerian society from politics, corruption, ethnic groups complexities to intricate family dynamics; noting has been left out! While I really enjoyed that, what I really loved is the message: if you really must alter yourself, make sure you deal with your issues first, and then think again!

Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow by Damilare Kuku is a multi-perspective exploration of the experience of women in modern day Nigeria through the eyes of Temi, a 20 year old who has dreams of surgically enhancing her backside, moving to Lagos and snapping up a rich husband.

Kukufor breaks the fourth wall for Temi which allows for an interesting technical reading experience in her interactions and perceptions of others and I was all over it. It gave a delicious curvature to the book and the storylines flourished even further. It would have been a great book without, but this detail made it an incredible book

A fun title with an immersive insight to Nigerian culture in the 21st century. An excellent read and highly recommended

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster UK | Simon & Schuster UK and the author Damilare Kukufor this stunning ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

We are thrown in the deep end right from the start when the FMC makes a shocking announcement right after her father’s funeral - she’s getting a BBL.

The writing is clever and humorous, bringing this family to life and highlighting how a woman’s physical appearance can dictate the trajectory of her life.

The author's use of each character's voice to narrate their own story effectively explains their responses to the MC's choice. This approach helps in fully developing the characters and fostering reader empathy.

Thi s book is a blend of humor and profound themes, delving into secrets, lies, family dynamics, relationships, trust, and the challenges faced by Nigerian women in today's world. It's a quick and engaging read with short chapters that will leave you eager for more.

3.75*

This is a humourous and touching family saga of the drama that unfolds when 20 year old Témì announces at her father's funeral that she is going to move to Lagos to get her 'bumbum' enhanced. What follows is an unfolding of family secrets and lies and the realisation that Témì might be the sanest member of her family.

I was intrigued by the premise of this story, given the pressure on women to look a certain way predominantly due to the pressure of social media and influencers and I wanted to read about this from the perspective of a country and culture different to my own (this book is set in Nigeria).

I really enjoyed being put into the middle of this chaotic situation. The narrative style really gave a sense of what it is to be a part of a large and intertwined family and from everything that I've got to know about Nigerian culture from friends and colleagues, it really captured that aspect of community that is so hugely important. The use of Nigerian Language and dialect interspersed with English was also a great way to add to this too.

There are a number of POVs in this story which can get confusing, but it means that it reads like what I expect it would be like being in the middle of that situation - multiple voices all shouting to be able to give their perspective and view on the situation, that concern about what others will think and how to uphold family honour.

In amongst these voices commenting on Témì's decision we also get backstory to the other women in her family and get to understand why the family dynamic is what it is and that is what made the story so intriguing. We get the humour from the desire to get a BBL but we get the heart from what has happened in the past and how it can be reconciled in the present.

I read this predominantly as an ebook but also listened to the audiobook which I felt really brought the words, women, humour and culture to life and would highly recommend it as an alternative option for experiencing this book. I also felt that the 2nd person perspective worked better in audio format for me.

It's a relatively short and fast read that touches on so many important topics including body dysmorphia and body image but keeps humour and heart at its centre. The narrative style may not work for everyone and it was a little confusing at times but I enjoyed it and liked what I had to say and the way that it said it.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster UK and Netgalley for an eArc of "Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Fresh out of university, twenty-year-old Temi knows exactly what her next move should be: having surgery to give her the voluptuous bottom enjoyed by every other woman in her family, then moving to Lagos, where she will undoubtedly find a man who will shower her with love. Temi is sure that her flat backside is the only obstacle between her and true happiness. However, when Temi announces her plans to her extended family, she does not quite receive the unequivocal support she had hoped for.

Temi's decision to save up for a Brazilian buttlift, inspired by an advert on Instagram, is initially played for comic effect in Damilare Kuku's first full length novel, Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow. She is an impulsive young girl making a flippant decision to surgically enhance her body in order to align herself with the girls she sees on social media. As the story unfolds, however, we learn how the entrenched concept of what an ideal woman's body should look like has led to Temi feeling ugly and unlovable, convinced that she will only be desired and accepted if she too has a big bottom. As a reader in the UK, where thinness has long been exalted, it was sobering to see the flipside - Temi being bullied at school and mocked on social media for being too thin.

Cleverly, Kuku weaves the stories of Temi's older sister, mother and aunties into Temi's narrative, undermining the idea that possessing the idealised curves means that a woman's life will be easy and highlighting how the fetishisation of women's bodies is harmful for all women. Temi's older sister, Ladun, and her auntie both developed early and not only found themselves subject to unwanted attention from older boys and men, but also made to feel responsible for men's behavior towards them, while her mother's beauty saw her treated like a prize to be fought over by men.

Kuku's novel holds a mirror to a culture of rampant misogny in Nigeria, in which women are regarded as second-class citizens whose only value is in their appearance, while boys are brought up expecting women to serve them and meet their needs - and to look the other way when their husbands move onto a younger, tighter model. Kuku also acknowledges how this culture negatively impacts men and boys; if they are raised within such rigid structures of what masculinity looks like, what chance do they have to learn a different way of being? Temi's gentle, thoughtful father is a welcome relief from the various manifestations of toxic masculinity which pervade all of the novel's strands, and the mutually supportive relationship between him and Temi's mother, Hassana, was beautifully written.

The stories of Temi's aunties, sister and mother show the reader that a big bumbum doesn't equal a perfect life, and that being conventionally attractive brings its own problems. However, no one talks about their experiences so Temi doesn't see this, pinpointing another element of the culture in which she lives - that of avoiding discussing negative experiences out of shame. We see this too through the secret which led to Ladun walking out of the family home when she was twenty-one and not returning for five years.

The delivery switches between first, second and third person depending on which character we are following, and this is a bit discombobulating at times but is generally used to good effect. I especially liked the author's use of the second person for Temi's POV, compelling the reader to put themselves in her shoes and relate to her experiences. Each character is nuanced, with a detailed back story which enables the reader to understand the choices they made and how they interact with other characters; this was particularly helpful in making Temi's two aunties, who are brash and uncompromising in their interactions with their nieces, sympathetic and multi-dimensional.

Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow is a funny, sensitive portrait of one Nigerian family, and a sharply-observed examination of what it means to be a woman in Nigeria.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

When Temi announces at her father’s will reading that she’s planning to use her share of the inheritance to enhance her buttocks, her entire family thinks she’s gone mad - like nearly all the men in Lagos. What follows is a deep dive into the past that led us to this point through the eyes of Temi’s various body parts and all of the women in her life.

Reading through the histories of these women as they each thrived despite the hands that society dealt them, was very eye-opening. It was also made clear that Temi was the manifestation of so many of these women’s greatest dreams and her desire to go under the knife disappointed them. That said, the multiple POVs made things complicated and I often found it difficult to keep track of the different characters and the personalities that featured in their stories. Also, while I got to understand the bullying that Temi suffered as a child, I didn’t really get to know her well as an adult so struggled to see why the operation was still so key for her.

The premise of this book intrigued me, given the constant pressure on youngsters to look a certain way and how much social media influences thinking.
Temi is fresh out of university, living in Nigeria, and desperate for a larger, more shapely behind. Having seen all her friends and family women blessed in a way she is not, she is convinced a better bumbum will increase her prospects in all parts of her life.
However, will her family understand?
This book has many POVs, from Temi herself to her sister, mother, and aunts. While it provides some backstories, it can also get confusing as there are so many threads of stories to follow to conclude.
It was good to read a story that gave insight into a different culture, including using language and dialect to convey the tale, but it was also a bit confusing.
However, I was invested enough to want to read to the end to find out what happened.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC.

Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow by Damilare Kuku

I overall did enjoy this story and the underlying message, but the second person narrative was really off-putting and made this quite difficult to read. Don't get me wrong, I think the fact the author managed to write a good story in second person really shows their skill, but I would have enjoyed this a lot more if it was written entirely in first or third person rather than attempting to be too "quirky" or "different" by switching between these narrative styles. I would have enjoyed this story more if we would have focused on one, or maybe two, POVs rather than all the constant flipping back and forth which felt a little forced and overwhelming. The story started off really interesting and gripping, but my interest fizzled out about halfway into the story. There's a lot of good humour included in this book which made me giggle out loud. I liked how the author explored the issues with body image, body dysmorphia ,and much more, so sensitively and humorously, but I felt like there was too much going on that these topics, which could have been explored much deeper, got somewhat lost in the mix of everything else.

I rated this a rather average 3 out of 5 stars. Thank you Netgalley and Damilare Kuku for the ARC

Not as lighthearted as the title suggests, but I didn't mind that. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives as it brought depth to the characters, especially as you start to realise that each and every one of them has faced sexism in their own ways. I thought the use of the second person in Temi's chapters was a clever way to set her story apart from the other characters and make the reader sympathise with her plight. Overall, an interesting and (to me) somewhat surprising insight into modern-day Nigeria. Would recommend!

"We must be stronger than the words people throw at us otherwise, we will never move forward"

Father and husband Tito has died and during the will reading, Temi his second daughter announces to the family that she wants to use her inheritance to get a BBL.

This book focuses on the reasons behind this decision, some backstory on other members of the family and why everyone wants to stop her from doing this. So in this book, you get the POV of her mom, two aunties, her estranged older sister Lade, the Barrister at the reading and the family Doctor.

While it’s super hilarious because I laughed so much, this book touched on serious topics like family dysfunction, body dysmorphia, sexual assault, grief, and so much more. You’ll see how all of this can become powerful to the point where it creates insecurities we wouldn’t ordinarily have.

You also see the hypocrisy with everyone else because interestingly they all contributed to it somehow - either through what they’ve said in the past or their actions like Barrister and his smallies. But then you see that not all mean to. And of course, there’s a family secret to give the plot some mystery and tie everything together.

The end was abrupt because you’ll never know whether she eventually got the BBL or not. I was a little taken aback cause I wasn’t expecting it to even end. But whether she gets it or not was never the point. It’s the reason behind that decision.

Overall, it’s a nice short read. It’s funny, really engrossing and tackles modern day societal issues. I liked that Damilare Kuku took her time with this one. Would definitely recommend

It tugged at all my heartstrings. Loved the non-linear timeline, it really added to my enjoyment of the story. The conversations we covered here were excellent and as expected heartbreaking. I look forward to the author's next releases because we're 2 for 2 in terms of enjoyment for me.

This was a fun quick read, different to other books I have read. Based in Nigeria , Temi decides she is fed up with being mocked for having a small bum and when her dad leaves her some money she decides she wants surgery to enhance this. The book is told from different points of view of Temis family including her aunts, mother and sister where it becomes obvious they are not happy about this. I liked this book as were able to see different thoughts and morals of people in different country and cultures. It also highlights the fact that men have very sexual opinions of females from a very young age and are often contradictory and inappropriate which can have a lasting affect on females. I will be recommending this to others and will rate 3.5 star rounded up

Temí is 20 and has just finished university. She wants to be like all the other Nigerian women and is so sick of being called names due to the lack of a big bum. So she decides to go get her bum surgically enhanced. Temí believes that once she gets a bigger bum she will attract a man that will love her unconditionally.

She decides to drop this bombshell on her family at her father’s funeral but this causes an uproar in the family. The women in her family all try and discourage Temí and in doing so long lost secrets start to come out.

This book is so well written. It’s funny but also has a story to tell about the fact that young women feel compelled to change their bodies to appeal to others. It’s shows how social media depicts how you should look. It also has a story for each of the women in the family. Temí’s mother, sister and Aunties all have back stories that allow you to see the history of each of them and how they became the women that they are today. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as it was funny but also poignant and I definitely recommend reading it.

"Only Big Bum Matters Tomorrow" is an incredibly engaging book that initially captivates with its humor and the quick wit of Nigerian mothers and aunties. However, as the story unfolds, it reveals itself to be much more layered than its title suggests. The narrative weaves together the complex lives of various women, exploring themes of love, loss, identity, and grief.

As someone preparing for a move to Nigeria, this book has deepened my appreciation for the richness of Nigerian literature. It beautifully encapsulates the vibrant culture and the profound, often poignant, experiences of its characters. Through their stories, the book offers both a heartfelt and humorous glimpse into the multifaceted lives of Nigerian women, making it a memorable and impactful read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I had very high expectations for this book because I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s debut, it’s safe to say she didn’t disappoint with this one. Damilare has a flair for writing humorously about heavy issues without trivializing them. I enjoyed reading this a lot.