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Secret Lives of the Four Wives
Secret Lives of the Four Wives | Lola Shoneyin
18 posts | 23 read | 28 to read
African-born poet Lola Shoneyin sheds a fascinating light on the little-known world of polygamy in modern-day Nigeria, in her powerful and thought-provoking debut novel, The Secret Lives of the Four Wives (previously titled The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives). Fans of The 19th Wife and HBO's Big Love will be enthralled by this riveting tale of a prosperous African family thrown into turmoil when the patriarch adds a young, well-educated fourth wife into the mix who threatens to expose the other wives' deepest, darkest secrets."Alternately funny, shocking, and sad . . . a complex depiction of family and culture in modern-day Nigeria.--Sacramento Book Review"A magical writer. . . . [A] delicious story."--Huffington Post
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review
mackelie
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Mehso-so

Baba Segi had 3 wifes when he decided to marry Bolanle who is a university graduate. The addition of the new wife upsets others and worries that their secret will exposed.

It‘s been an easy read but somehow I feel not fulfilled with the story. It was quite predictable what the secret was, although, it was interesting to read about each wives story. It somehow made you support and understand each of them.

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johncadams
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I found The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives both entertaining and thought provoking.

#literature #fiction

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ontheBL

“The choices we have to make in this world are hard and bitter. Sometimes we have no choices at all.”

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ontheBL

“”You couldn‘t have been raped. No daughter of mine could have been raped. That is not the way I brought you up.””

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ontheBL

“I reasoned that if I strengthened my thigh muscles, it would make it difficult for anyone to force my legs apart like they did in my dreams."

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ontheBL
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Pickpick

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn tackles universal themes grace and humor by exploring the interior lives of four Nigerian women through the secrets they keep in a conservative, polygamist family. I really loved this book, though it felt like reading it was akin to watching a trainwreck, but funny.

https://onthebl.org/2021/10/12/the-secret-lives-of-baba-segis-wives-by-lola-shon...

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ontheBL

"True to her character, she hid grandma's gold under her bed and pretended she didn't remember it was there when she prayed."

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S3V3N
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@Eggs #WondrousWednesday
🍑 The peach is my favorite fruit.
🤩 Her Name is Knight by Yasmin Angoe.
💞I am grateful for my health.
Thanks for the tag @DarkMina @Mavey

Eggs 😉🙏🏻👍🏼 3y
mavey 😊💕 3y
DarkMina You‘re welcome! 3y
24 likes3 comments
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rsteve388
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Pickpick

Wow, what a great read! I would never have picked this up if the Chaptr community didn't vote for it. What a wonderful book. This book really looks into the workings of a what seemed to me to be a healthy polygamist family. The family had drama amoungst it of course. But overall it felt like thoes were traditional relationship issues and not issues related to the marriage and the situation they found themselves in.

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MoniqueReads305
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"You are lucky we have a husband who believes he is more than all women and most men." page 97.

This quote was made by Iya Segi (first wife). She is telling Iya Tope (second wife) that she is lucky to have an arrogant husband because he is easy to fool.

I plan to finish this little gem Sunday and read some comics.

@rachelsbrittain #weekendreads

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jploves2read
Pickpick

How does a book leave you feeling bereft and hopeful all at the same time? That is this book. I don‘t know what else to tell you except this book was amazing. I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up (and two big toes a well). The writing was so unique and the story was riveting. I loved it. Read it! #blacklitsy #blitsy

Chelleo Wow...this summary sounds wild. Stacked! 4y
Geenie Nice 👍 review 4y
8 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Cinfhen
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives | Titilola Alexandrah Shoneyin
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#WanderingJune Came across this interesting article in The Guardian about #AfricanLady novelists. Of course I added these 4 books to my #TBR https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/dec/15/novels-african-women-female-author...

BarbaraBB Great article. And there‘s Segu too, i posted about it the other day #wherethestreetshavenoname. It‘s really good! 5y
Cinfhen Yes @BarbaraBB I recognized that title from your previous post ❣️❣️❣️ it looks really good!!! My TBR is just ridiculous 5y
TrishB Apart from Litsy The Guardian is responsible for a lot of my tbr! 5y
See All 11 Comments
Kalalalatja I really want to read Kintu after hearing about it at a talk about East African literature. It is supposed to be a great family saga, and that‘s my jam 👌 5y
Ruthiella I loved Kintu! 5y
BarbaraBB @TrishB Mine too! 5y
GatheringBooks checked out the link - great resource, stacked so many books, put a few in my goodreads to-find list as well. :) 5y
KarenUK Thanks for sharing this article... 👍💕 5y
Cinfhen My pleasure @KarenUK @GatheringBooks I thought it was really interesting too!!! I‘m glad to hear Kintu is good @Ruthiella it‘s going on my to buy list once I get to the States @Kalalalatja 5y
Cinfhen I agree @TrishB their book reviews are really spot on!! It‘s some of their other articles I have trouble with 🙄😝 5y
TrishB I treat most journalism with a big dollop of scepticism! (edited) 5y
95 likes3 stack adds11 comments
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SW-T
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Pickpick

This was sitting patiently in my TBR stack for a while gathering dust. Glad I brushed it off and read it finally. Complex, dramatic, humorous, and heartbreaking, it was also very empowering. Told in multiple voices, on the surface it‘s about wife number four joining a family and their struggles to adjust. In truth, it‘s about Bolanle living life on her own terms, even though it‘s hard. Beautifully told.

#diversereads #nigerianauthors #polygamy

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Pelican71
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Pickpick

Complex, dramatic and humorous at times. I really enjoyed this book. Although I had an idea what the big secret was, I couldn‘t put it down.

Tamra Sounds good - stacked! 5y
34 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Pelican71
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Pelican71
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sarahu
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I'm obsessed with Nigeria. The female authors I've read from Nigeria are magicians. This book (I'm only 77 pages in) is no exception. What are they teaching the girls in Nigeria that allows them to write like this? Nigeria seems like such a complex place- a struggle between the past and the future. Patriarchy and ( I don't like this word because it's become derogatory) matriarchy. I can't wait to finish! Hopefully tomorrow! #aprilreads #feminist

DebinHawaii Welcome to Litsy!! 🎉📚👍😀 7y
5 likes1 stack add1 comment
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RandySusanMeyers
Pickpick

If you missed this when it came out, you have a treat waiting. I am ready to reread it