The Son of the House

We meet Nwabulu and Julie first as middle-aged hostages of a kidnapping, in the eastern Nigerian city of Enugu. But they go straight into telling us their life stories, Nwabulu coming of age as a housemaid, badly mistreated by her wealthy boyfriend, and Julie struggling with family matters. Their paths soon intersect, though without either being aware of the other until many years later.

The kidnapping is an odd narrative device that seems to serve little purpose, not even creating tension and strangely devoid of drama. But for me this was the only serious weak point in a wonderful novel. Nwabulu and Julie are engaging characters right from the beginning. Pushed around by societal expectations of the role of women in late 20th century Nigeria, by the men who dominate their lives, and by poverty, both find ways of pushing back, first to survive and later, after much effort and some serious deception, to thrive.

The secret at the heart of the novel is revealed to us around halfway. We see what neither woman knows - a link between them that is both immensely powerful and hidden to both. Before that moment, we had separate stories of two women with very different positions in society, linked only by the city they live in. After, as we see their lives grow closer together, surely they will eventually discover the truth.

The writing flows very smoothly, making it a joy to read. The characters and story are by turns fascinating and heartbreaking. I enjoyed this immensely.

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Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC, in return for an honest review.

Two women's stories intertwine in ways they never thought possible, culminating when they are both kidnapped in broad daylight. Kept in a dark cell, awaiting their fate, they take it in turns to tell each other about their lives.

Nwabulu, an orphan at 10 years old, is sent away to become a housemaid for a family in a different village, where she falls in love with a neighbour's son.
Julie is an educated, modern woman, older than Nwabulu and used to the finer things in life. Nigeria's patriarchal society affects them in different ways.

I loved this book! The rich cultures of Nigeria weave their way through each page, teaching the reader everything from sights, sounds, and smells, to language.
I found the first half of the book, mainly Nwabulu's story to be most compelling; not to say that Julie's was less because I still wanted to know what happened. Excited to read more from this author!

The book is split into 3 parts. All of which I found equally compelling. The book starts with a short scene and the rest of the parts tells the story over decades of one woman’s life story.