Stay with Me

Reviewer:  Uche Eze Book: Stay with Me Author: Ayobami Adebayo Publisher: Canongate Books ISBN: 9780451494603 This is a story of a couple – Akin and Yejide who had difficulties conceiving a child. Yejide is portrayed as desperate as she goes to unspeakable length to get pregnant. Their need to have children and  pressure from their […]

Reviewer:  Uche Eze

Book: Stay with Me

Author: Ayobami Adebayo

Publisher: Canongate Books

ISBN: 9780451494603

This is a story of a couple – Akin and Yejide who had difficulties conceiving a child. Yejide is portrayed as desperate as she goes to unspeakable length to get pregnant. Their need to have children and  pressure from their parents and the society gradually tears their marriage apart. Adebayo’s exploration of grief, motherhood and how sometimes you just can’t stop loving someone is captivating. It touches emotions through its realistic portrayal of hope, sorrow and general human weakness.

The novel, set in Nigeria between the 1980s and 2008, raises a number of socio-cultural, socio- political and religious issues. The struggles of the protagonist, Yejide, are depicted against a backdrop of a political turmoil. The most intriguing part of this novel is the perfect depiction of Nigerian culture and traditions. Here light is shed on the psychological effects these traditions have on individuals. Moomi, Yejide’s mother-in-law, presents to the readers the pilgrimages, sacrifices and rituals believed to be equally as effective as medicine in resolving issues. While these practices are enthralling, and at times entertaining, they are also harrowing.

Adebayo is an astounding storyteller and an exciting addition to the new voices in African writing. Her impressive debut creates a portrait of a marriage in crisis in a deeply patriarchal and oppressive society. “Stay with Me” is a richly imaginative novel that boasts not only of great literary sophistication but also a narrative drive so compelling that one finds it difficult to put down the book. With an impressive style and language, Ayobami Adebayo brings her originality to bare on an experience that remains a motif in the lives of many women in Nigeria. 

This novel is realistic because it raises awareness on the damaging physical and psychological effects that the expectation of motherhood can create in women across the globe. “Stay With Me” reminds its readers of something which is prevalent in the society.  Adebayo’s writing style delivers a message in a carefully yet measured way, proving this stereotype wrong. There’s a hint of comedy amidst the sadness and gloom. In her quest for a child, Yejide is seen doing unimaginable fetish things, like breastfeeding a goat.

Yejide and the other complex characters populating this book will continue to linger in your imagination long after the book has been closed. This deeply impressive novel of infertility, loneliness and longing is the first novel by the author, and it packs a tremendous wave. Adebayo’s prose is unpretentious, as it explores issues mostly avoided, flecked with smart Nigerian-English dialogue. This intriguing book was shortlisted for this year’s Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction- you’ll see why when you read it. Although it didn’t win the prize, this is a great start for the author, and we cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.  The most enjoyable aspect of this book is its unpredictability. The plot that drives this character development makes “Stay With Me” a gripping and compulsive read.