TW (book) - Rape, sexual violence, abortion, abandonment, breakdown, childbirth trauma
Adichie’s books make me angry because she talks about real issues, and describes them as it is. No sugar coating, no romanticisation. Her Latest release Zikora is a 35 pages long book which I read in no time, but the book is heavy, so it got me thinking. Zikora is a lawyer from Nigeria who gets pregnant by her ‘perfect-boyfriend’, and he abandons her the moment he gets to know about her pregnancy. The single motherhood isn’t easy, so Zikora faces a lot of things alone, physically and mentally. It is a powerful story with a lot many vulnerable moments, and I think we all should read this.
"Nature must not want humans to reproduce, otherwise birthing would be easy, even enjoyable: babies would easily slip out, and mothers would remain unmarked and whole, merely blessed by having bestowed life."
- Zikora
What did I like about this book?
This book covers so many topics in just 35 pages like single motherhood, abortion, women’s bodies, labour pain and taboos, consent, menopause, complex relationships etc. The most important aspect this book covers is pregnancy means different to different people, and the meaning can vary according to the age of that person.
It's definitely a thought-provoking read. ( Do I even need to say this for a book written by Adichie? )
What did I dislike?
The blurb of this book tells us that this book will explore the mother-daughter relationship, but I did not find it executed well. Speaking of execution, I think the entire story somehow lacked it. I loved reading it as it was a quick read, but if it would have been a little longer, I would have DNFed it. ( I guess, Idk) . So, to sum it up, I feel that the execution could have been better. Even the transitions from now to then and vice versa.
Do I recommend it?
Yes, Yes, Yes! Because it is just 35 pages long and it addresses so many things that even bigger books fail to highlight. That is why I love Adichie. She hits the nails right. So, for the importance of topics covered, I do recommend this.
The book is available free on Amazon Prime and Kindle Unlimited.