A Review of Oyinkan Braithwaite’s "My Sister, the Serial Killer" by Enokela Patience
When you pick up a book and finish it in the first sitting, you know it's either gripping or just that good. In the case of the book "My Sister, the Serial Killer", it was both.
Was it the exquisite story telling? Oyinkan's flair for the dramatic? The quiet humour? Or perhaps the impeccable plot? It was clear that Oyinkan let no plot holes through.
Still on the matter of the plot,the story is centered around Korede; a nurse who finds herself cleaning up after her sister's mess, or should I say murders, each time she decides to bag a man and Ayoola; the sister in mention and a fashionista to the tee, albeit a bratty one, who doesn't seem to care that she murders men at the slightest confrontation,in self defense.
With Korede getting more and more agitated and fed up with Ayoola's behavior towards her despite covering up for her, what happens when Ayoola gets chatty and coquettish with the charming Dr. Tade Otumu, the only man worthy of a meal of amala and efo from Korede's kitchen?
Set in the heart of Lagos, Oyinkan's novel will leave you hungry for more. With the strategic use of English, Yoruba and Pidgin, this book appeals both to the local and Western audience. You can't get enough of the homesickness it gives you if you're a Nigerian stationed abroad and you definitely can't get over the visuals she paints with each chapter.
This book is bound to leave you cracking up at some parts whilst evoking redolent memories of the everyday Nigerian life.
Her style just takes the cake. The detailing of events that happened in the book gives the reader an outer body experience—like one has simply jumped into the body of the character! Every scene is painfully described, leaving nothing and yet everything to the imagination. If you feel like starring in your own virtual novel, Oyinkan's got you covered. I mean, any Nigerian writer who, perfectly describes as little a detail as the sweet-sour experience of licking the agbalumo fruit, is definitely worth her grit.
But then again, there's more to this luscious read than what meets the eye. Braithwaite braves issues we consider "normal" in our everyday Nigerian society. The themes she explores span across a wide range but to mention a few:
Though subtly hinted, Oyinkan uses the character of Korede to describe the definition of beauty in our society today. Korede considers herself a plain Jane and her sister,the Nigerian Snow White. This inflicts a bad case of low self-esteem to Korede and it goes on to the end of the book as nothing is being done to correct it; neither does she feel the need to. Hence most people in our society today fail to grab the perfect they've been longing for, which has been right in front of them all along, simply because it doesn't come in the expected packaging. Or simply put in Ayoola words "all they want is a pretty face".
She also lays the cream on thick on the aspect of older children taking full responsibility for their younger ones in the African home, and getting the short end of the disciplinarian's stick when they don't. All this whilst the younger one is given free reim. Sighted in the book, one time too many, are moments where Korede is blamed for Ayoola's lack of cooking prowess, educational failures but to mention a few. It is only natural she takes responsibility for her sister's murderous mistakes thus losing her own voice in the whole process.
One aspect I cannot fail to mention is how Braithwaite uses this medium to bring to light the unsavory deluge of domestic violence in our today's society. Sure it might seem like sparing the rod could spoil the child. But then again, repetitive and unwarranted use of the rod could scar the child as in the case of Korede and Ayoola, who grew up in the hands of the man who fathered them but couldn't really be called their father. Indeed, it is safe to say "they chop cane taya". For these two, it only honed instincts and thoughts they shouldn't have had at such a young age. So could Ayoola's reaction to abusive men or men in general really be termed as a surprise? It's up to you to find that out, I already have!
Oyinkan Braithwaite's novel, though a debut, has doubtlessly stunned and has warranted every hype it has garnered. Believe me when I tell you to pick up this book — you won't be disappointed.
