Tomorrow I Become a Woman by Aiwanose Odafen
Searing and beautifully rendered
Koa Beck, author of White Feminism
'This story of love, loss and resilient female friendship is a definite must read.
Tola Rotimi Abraham, author ofBlack Sunday
'Unflinching and cuts to the core'
Chika Unigwe, author of On Black Sisters Street
Anaccomplished and emotional triumph
Louise Beech,author of How To Be Brave
What can I do? she asked. You can fight, I thought, you can fight for your daughters. But then again, who was I to speak of such things
For Uju, the daughter her mother never wanted, marriage would mean the attainment of that long elusive state of womanhood, and something else she has desired all her life her mothers approval. All will be well; he is the perfect match, the country will soon be democratic again and the economy is growing, or so she thinks
Loosely based on the stories of real women known to the author, Tomorrow I Become a Woman follows a complex relationship between mother and daughter as they grapple to come to terms with tremendous loss. This powerful debut by Aiwanose Odafen is a sensitive exploration of a womans struggle to meet societal and cultural expectations within the confines of a difficult marriage, a tribute to female friendship and a love story that spans two decades and continents against a backdrop of political turmoil and a fast-changing world.