What do you think?
Rate this book
In Dependence
It is the early-sixties when a young Tayo Ajayi sails to England from Nigeria to take up a scholarship at Oxford University. In this city of dreaming spires, he finds himself among a generation high on visions of a new and better world. The whole world seems ablaze with independence at home, the Civil Rights movement and the first tremors of cultural and sexual revolutions. It is then that Tayo meets Vanessa Richardson, the beautiful daughter of an ex-colonial officer. "In Dependence" is Tayo and Vanessa's story of a brave but bittersweet love affair. It is the story of two people struggling to find themselves and each other a story of passion and idealism, courage and betrayal, and the universal desire to fall, madly, deeply, in love.
257 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2008
109 people are currently reading
2426 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Ladipo Manyika
11 books166 followersSarah Ladipo Manyika was raised in Nigeria and has lived in Kenya, France, and England. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and for several years taught literature at San Francisco State University. Sarah currently serves on the boards of Hedgebrook and the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco. Sarah is a Patron of the Etisalat Prize for Literature and host to OZY’s video series “Write.” Her second novel
Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun
was shortlisted for the 2016 Goldsmiths Prize.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
December 25, 2022
Holey moley, Sarah Ladipo Manyika* has done it to me again... blown me out of the water with her writing! Sometimes I finish a book, and feel like immediately applauding, this is one of those books.
Starting in Nigeria but spreading its wings to England, and little bits of Senegal, France and the United States, In Dependence charts the life of 'middle class' Nigerian academic Tayo and his first-love English journalist Vanessa, whose father did post-Colonial service in Nigeria taking his family with him. The book charts some of Tayo's youth, their time in Oxford and then excerpts of their lives to the late 1990s. Manyika writes in the 3rd person from both Tayo and Vanessa's point of view. The story starts in the glow of African countries gaining independence, and the socio-economic and political story of Africa, especially Nigeria and of Black people in general forms an ongoing theme throughout the story - which Manika somehow still makes accessible and engaging, without preaching, and more essentially without making the book a history text book in disguise! The clue is in my Profile spiel... I love character driven storytelling and this book is a near perfect example of how do it well. Oh, and Goddaman, Manyika has utterly researched the Hell, out of this book. I kept on Googling people and places (OK, so maybe a little bit of a History lesson in disguise :))
Similar to 'Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun', Manyika once again manages to create a multitude of different authentic voices for her diverse cast, a skill which so many writers lack or end up subconsciously stereotyping. As I came towards the end of this wonderful read, whilst still in the moment, I was trying to determine what makes this book so special - I wanted to capture that reason before I left Tayo and Vanessa's world. At times in the book I really thought little of Tayo's sincerity and respect for other people especially women, (coupled with his apparent lack of self awareness) but as I came to the end, I had to appreciate that Manyika writes her character so well, that they feel like real people - it made absolute sense to me, that somewhere out there Tayo, Vanessa, Kemi etc. all exist, they became so real to me.
Manyika writes cross-generational relationships so well, and also seems to understand the disparate voices of each generation. The conversation and interactions between parents and their kids is so on point, to use modern vernacular! See my genre label... yep... did I not mention that this is a romance! Similar to 'The Time Traveller's Wife' this book has personally startled me into realising that there are still innovative ways of writing a story about love. There's probably a deeper level of this book, with the title In Dependence not only referring to African Independence, but also what the legacy of Colonialism did, and maybe still continues to do to Africa's development, racial equality and race politics across the world - is Africa and its people truly independent or still in dependence? I'd really love to know anybody else's thoughts on the title... I know I've probably not fully understood it. A 10 out of 12, Five Star read.
2020 read
*Sarah Ladipo Manyika contacted me after reading my review of Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun and so very kindly sent me a copy of this book, which after reading, I'm even more grateful for.
Starting in Nigeria but spreading its wings to England, and little bits of Senegal, France and the United States, In Dependence charts the life of 'middle class' Nigerian academic Tayo and his first-love English journalist Vanessa, whose father did post-Colonial service in Nigeria taking his family with him. The book charts some of Tayo's youth, their time in Oxford and then excerpts of their lives to the late 1990s. Manyika writes in the 3rd person from both Tayo and Vanessa's point of view. The story starts in the glow of African countries gaining independence, and the socio-economic and political story of Africa, especially Nigeria and of Black people in general forms an ongoing theme throughout the story - which Manika somehow still makes accessible and engaging, without preaching, and more essentially without making the book a history text book in disguise! The clue is in my Profile spiel... I love character driven storytelling and this book is a near perfect example of how do it well. Oh, and Goddaman, Manyika has utterly researched the Hell, out of this book. I kept on Googling people and places (OK, so maybe a little bit of a History lesson in disguise :))
Similar to 'Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun', Manyika once again manages to create a multitude of different authentic voices for her diverse cast, a skill which so many writers lack or end up subconsciously stereotyping. As I came towards the end of this wonderful read, whilst still in the moment, I was trying to determine what makes this book so special - I wanted to capture that reason before I left Tayo and Vanessa's world. At times in the book I really thought little of Tayo's sincerity and respect for other people especially women, (coupled with his apparent lack of self awareness) but as I came to the end, I had to appreciate that Manyika writes her character so well, that they feel like real people - it made absolute sense to me, that somewhere out there Tayo, Vanessa, Kemi etc. all exist, they became so real to me.
Manyika writes cross-generational relationships so well, and also seems to understand the disparate voices of each generation. The conversation and interactions between parents and their kids is so on point, to use modern vernacular! See my genre label... yep... did I not mention that this is a romance! Similar to 'The Time Traveller's Wife' this book has personally startled me into realising that there are still innovative ways of writing a story about love. There's probably a deeper level of this book, with the title In Dependence not only referring to African Independence, but also what the legacy of Colonialism did, and maybe still continues to do to Africa's development, racial equality and race politics across the world - is Africa and its people truly independent or still in dependence? I'd really love to know anybody else's thoughts on the title... I know I've probably not fully understood it. A 10 out of 12, Five Star read.
2020 read
*Sarah Ladipo Manyika contacted me after reading my review of Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun and so very kindly sent me a copy of this book, which after reading, I'm even more grateful for.
October 11, 2009
I love the opening line of this book:
"One could begin with the dust, the heat and the purple bougainvillea. One might even begin with the smell of rotting mangos tossed by the side of the road where the flies hummed and green-bellied lizards bobbed their orange heads while loitering in the sun. But why start there when Tayo walked in silence, oblivious to his surroundings."
Sarah Ladipo Manyika's concern is with character, not with exoticism. If a Londoner like me went to Nigeria, I'm sure I would notice the dust, the heat, the bougainvillea, the mangos and so on. But it's not what the character is noticing, so it's not what we're told about. There are no colourful backdrops here for Westerners to gorge on - they have been replaced by believable characters, struggling with familiar problems like lost love, betrayal, regret, guilt and the difficult balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to oneself.
Specifically, the novel deals with the difficult relationship between Tayo, a young Nigerian on a scholarship to Oxford, and Vanessa, a British colonial officer's daughter. As an interracial couple in 1960s Britian, they face racism from passersby, policemen and notably Vanessa's father, and Tayo also worries about whether his own family will accept Vanessa, and whether she will be able to live in African society. Many of the problems, however, are of their own making - they hold back from saying what they feel, they miscommunicate, they misunderstand, they lash out, they are unfaithful. And then fate and politics intervene at crucial points - as Tayo is about to propose, he gets a telegram saying his father is dying and he has to return to Nigeria. A military coup prevents him from returning. Much later, he is about to visit Vanessa in England but is arrested on his way to the airport.
I kept waiting for the happy ever after moment, but to my relief it never came. The ending is happy in a way, but this is certainly not a traditional romance. By the end of the book, there's a glimmer of happiness but much has been lost. The characters' trajectory mirrors that of Nigeria, as the optimism of independence is replaced by cynicism, outside exploitation and internal corruption, until finally, at the end, there's some tentative hope for the future. I don't think the characters are meant to 'stand for' the political developments in a literal way, but there's the same sense of progress at a great price, bitter lessons learned, opportunities missed, hopes clouded by the memory of mistakes and failures.
One downside of Manyika's strong emphasis on character was that, for me, sometimes the characters' thoughts and emotions were excavated too thoroughly. Although the narration is in the third person, we have full access to all the thoughts and feelings of both Tayo and Vanessa - the narrative switches back and forth between one point of view and the other. The good part of this is that we get to know the characters very well, but I would have preferred for some of the character development to be shown through their actions and words so that I could guess or interpret their real feelings, rather than having it all laid out for me.
Still, I enjoyed the book very much, both for the love story of Tayo and Vanessa at its core and for the way political changes and ideas from Nigeria to Oxford to San Francisco are woven into the story. And, most of all, for focusing on the characters instead of the mangos!
"One could begin with the dust, the heat and the purple bougainvillea. One might even begin with the smell of rotting mangos tossed by the side of the road where the flies hummed and green-bellied lizards bobbed their orange heads while loitering in the sun. But why start there when Tayo walked in silence, oblivious to his surroundings."
Sarah Ladipo Manyika's concern is with character, not with exoticism. If a Londoner like me went to Nigeria, I'm sure I would notice the dust, the heat, the bougainvillea, the mangos and so on. But it's not what the character is noticing, so it's not what we're told about. There are no colourful backdrops here for Westerners to gorge on - they have been replaced by believable characters, struggling with familiar problems like lost love, betrayal, regret, guilt and the difficult balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to oneself.
Specifically, the novel deals with the difficult relationship between Tayo, a young Nigerian on a scholarship to Oxford, and Vanessa, a British colonial officer's daughter. As an interracial couple in 1960s Britian, they face racism from passersby, policemen and notably Vanessa's father, and Tayo also worries about whether his own family will accept Vanessa, and whether she will be able to live in African society. Many of the problems, however, are of their own making - they hold back from saying what they feel, they miscommunicate, they misunderstand, they lash out, they are unfaithful. And then fate and politics intervene at crucial points - as Tayo is about to propose, he gets a telegram saying his father is dying and he has to return to Nigeria. A military coup prevents him from returning. Much later, he is about to visit Vanessa in England but is arrested on his way to the airport.
I kept waiting for the happy ever after moment, but to my relief it never came. The ending is happy in a way, but this is certainly not a traditional romance. By the end of the book, there's a glimmer of happiness but much has been lost. The characters' trajectory mirrors that of Nigeria, as the optimism of independence is replaced by cynicism, outside exploitation and internal corruption, until finally, at the end, there's some tentative hope for the future. I don't think the characters are meant to 'stand for' the political developments in a literal way, but there's the same sense of progress at a great price, bitter lessons learned, opportunities missed, hopes clouded by the memory of mistakes and failures.
One downside of Manyika's strong emphasis on character was that, for me, sometimes the characters' thoughts and emotions were excavated too thoroughly. Although the narration is in the third person, we have full access to all the thoughts and feelings of both Tayo and Vanessa - the narrative switches back and forth between one point of view and the other. The good part of this is that we get to know the characters very well, but I would have preferred for some of the character development to be shown through their actions and words so that I could guess or interpret their real feelings, rather than having it all laid out for me.
Still, I enjoyed the book very much, both for the love story of Tayo and Vanessa at its core and for the way political changes and ideas from Nigeria to Oxford to San Francisco are woven into the story. And, most of all, for focusing on the characters instead of the mangos!
August 17, 2015
I had to get this book through Interlibrary Loan, because none of the excellent libraries to which I have access had a copy. Now I know why.
In Dependence is the rather diffuse tale of Tayo, a Nigerian who studies in England as a young man, and Vanessa, a woman with whom he becomes involved. The author has a lot of ideas, a lot she wants to say about being a student in the ‘60s, about the relationship between Europe and Africa, about writing about Africa and about intercultural romance (I wrote “interracial” first but the cultural aspect is most prominent in this book). But the plot clunks along, the first half focusing on a mundane romance and the second half trying to cover everything that happens to the characters forever after. Meanwhile, neither the characters nor the settings are fully developed; the book never quite brings to life the dynamism of student life in the 60s, and even the main characters have to do with one or two traits apiece.
Meanwhile, the presentation doesn’t help. There’s a general lack of commas, resulting in run-on sentences; there are continuity errors (Suleiman was a baby in 1970 but 18 in the mid-90s?); there’s word misuse, as in, “a ladder of taught muscles” and a “clothes shop come tailoring business, come secretarial services” (sic). The decision to italicize whenever characters are speaking Nigerian English is weird and distracting. Overall, this reads like an amateur effort by someone with a lot of ideas but who hasn’t quite mastered the nuts and bolts of fiction.
Interestingly, there are more reviews of this book on Amazon than Goodreads (which is almost never the case) and those Amazon reviews are overwhelmingly positive, in sharp contrast to the Goodreads average rating. A couple of the Amazon reviewers mention some relationship with the author, and I can't help suspecting that several more neglected to mention it.
In Dependence is the rather diffuse tale of Tayo, a Nigerian who studies in England as a young man, and Vanessa, a woman with whom he becomes involved. The author has a lot of ideas, a lot she wants to say about being a student in the ‘60s, about the relationship between Europe and Africa, about writing about Africa and about intercultural romance (I wrote “interracial” first but the cultural aspect is most prominent in this book). But the plot clunks along, the first half focusing on a mundane romance and the second half trying to cover everything that happens to the characters forever after. Meanwhile, neither the characters nor the settings are fully developed; the book never quite brings to life the dynamism of student life in the 60s, and even the main characters have to do with one or two traits apiece.
Meanwhile, the presentation doesn’t help. There’s a general lack of commas, resulting in run-on sentences; there are continuity errors (Suleiman was a baby in 1970 but 18 in the mid-90s?); there’s word misuse, as in, “a ladder of taught muscles” and a “clothes shop come tailoring business, come secretarial services” (sic). The decision to italicize whenever characters are speaking Nigerian English is weird and distracting. Overall, this reads like an amateur effort by someone with a lot of ideas but who hasn’t quite mastered the nuts and bolts of fiction.
Interestingly, there are more reviews of this book on Amazon than Goodreads (which is almost never the case) and those Amazon reviews are overwhelmingly positive, in sharp contrast to the Goodreads average rating. A couple of the Amazon reviewers mention some relationship with the author, and I can't help suspecting that several more neglected to mention it.
July 17, 2019
I love this book. I just love this book. In the wake of The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell and reading it concurrently with Lost Children Archive, it's a testament to Manyika's talent that "In Dependence" never suffered in comparison.
The novel is a master class on how the political is personal. Tayo and Vanessa meet in the 60s at a West Africa Society Meeting and fix each other in their eyes. But their own flaws and internal anxieties plus external realities stress the relationship from the start.
At moments you can guess what happens next but at no point does that predictability dull the story's impact. Manyika is exceptional at the line work, shading and depth needed to recreate the joy, beauty, sorrow, and regret in human relationships. Our ineptitude and earnestness. Our idealistic zeal and the bruises earned in the fissured realities.
It is all here bolstered by the character work that made Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun such a memorable gem for me. I thought there were parts of Tayo's life in Nigeria that were too subtly played even though they had obvious impact. I would have loved more time with Christine whose presence was too brief and enigmatic for my curiosity. But I am overall so impressed by this debut re-released for its 10th anniversary.
The author gifted me this copy. I do not seek ARCs and rarely accept when approached but I am *so* glad I took this one. Manyika's books occupy a unique space in the African literature that makes its way West. I can't wait for the next one!
The novel is a master class on how the political is personal. Tayo and Vanessa meet in the 60s at a West Africa Society Meeting and fix each other in their eyes. But their own flaws and internal anxieties plus external realities stress the relationship from the start.
At moments you can guess what happens next but at no point does that predictability dull the story's impact. Manyika is exceptional at the line work, shading and depth needed to recreate the joy, beauty, sorrow, and regret in human relationships. Our ineptitude and earnestness. Our idealistic zeal and the bruises earned in the fissured realities.
It is all here bolstered by the character work that made Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun such a memorable gem for me. I thought there were parts of Tayo's life in Nigeria that were too subtly played even though they had obvious impact. I would have loved more time with Christine whose presence was too brief and enigmatic for my curiosity. But I am overall so impressed by this debut re-released for its 10th anniversary.
The author gifted me this copy. I do not seek ARCs and rarely accept when approached but I am *so* glad I took this one. Manyika's books occupy a unique space in the African literature that makes its way West. I can't wait for the next one!
November 1, 2019
3,5
Sarah Ladipo Manyika's debut novel In Dependence gladly got a beautiful new edition by Cassava Republic Press this year celebrating its 10th birthday. But in the photo, I hold the copy which I bought years ago in Ibadan. As many of you know, I loved Manyika's second book, the wonderful, sharp, and funny novella Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun - my expectations for In Dependence were thus pretty high.
In Dependence follows Tayo, a young Nigerian man who earns a scholarship for Oxford University in the 1960s, and Vanessa, the politically aware daughter of a former colonial office. They meet admit heated debates at university: Civil Rights, independence, the world seems to be in motion, and a better - more just - future within reach. Tayo and Vanessa fall in love.
The title alludes to the independence of Nigeria and the many difficult, coups-riddled decades that followed, but also to the little dependencies we all live with: family, societal norms, our own limitations. The novel does not only portray Tayo's and Vanessa's student time but instead - with several time jumps - shows these two characters and their respective struggles for thirty years. And as tumultuous as Nigerian politics ensue, their relationship alters over time again and again.
I really enjoyed the story Manyika was telling and especially the way politics, writing, and love are deeply interwoven in this novel. I just felt that the writing was a bit less on point than in Like a Mule, some turns felt very convenient (or very sudden) and while I was interested in the characters I still was often quite detached from them. But overall, I do recommend reading this novel for its portrayal of the 70s to the 90s Nigeria and fascinating characters.
Sarah Ladipo Manyika's debut novel In Dependence gladly got a beautiful new edition by Cassava Republic Press this year celebrating its 10th birthday. But in the photo, I hold the copy which I bought years ago in Ibadan. As many of you know, I loved Manyika's second book, the wonderful, sharp, and funny novella Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun - my expectations for In Dependence were thus pretty high.
In Dependence follows Tayo, a young Nigerian man who earns a scholarship for Oxford University in the 1960s, and Vanessa, the politically aware daughter of a former colonial office. They meet admit heated debates at university: Civil Rights, independence, the world seems to be in motion, and a better - more just - future within reach. Tayo and Vanessa fall in love.
The title alludes to the independence of Nigeria and the many difficult, coups-riddled decades that followed, but also to the little dependencies we all live with: family, societal norms, our own limitations. The novel does not only portray Tayo's and Vanessa's student time but instead - with several time jumps - shows these two characters and their respective struggles for thirty years. And as tumultuous as Nigerian politics ensue, their relationship alters over time again and again.
I really enjoyed the story Manyika was telling and especially the way politics, writing, and love are deeply interwoven in this novel. I just felt that the writing was a bit less on point than in Like a Mule, some turns felt very convenient (or very sudden) and while I was interested in the characters I still was often quite detached from them. But overall, I do recommend reading this novel for its portrayal of the 70s to the 90s Nigeria and fascinating characters.
May 22, 2022
Such a wonderful book by Sarah Ladipo Manyika: the storyline, spanning 4 decades, flows naturally and really resonated with me. It is a book about life choices, unfulfilled love, mixed relations, identity and politics. I just loved it. And will for sure read more of her books.
August 31, 2022
3.5 stars
'Nigeria was home for his soul, if not entirely home for his mind'-Tayo.
In Dependence chronicles the lives and love of Tayo and Vanessa. At Balliol College, Tayo hopes to use whatever he learns to better his country, Nigeria. Vanessa as well wants to be able to pursue a career writing the stories of the Mother continent.
But circumstances separate them and Tayo returns to Nigeria becoming a professor and a well known children's author. He uses this platform to lambaste the government and military corruption that hampers the country's growth; while Vanessa becomes a well known foreign correspondent and authority on Africa.
I enjoyed this story, depth was added by including the families of our protagonist, giving the reader a look into the influences and values that helped shape Tayo and Vanessa. Being able as well to see those who were inclusive and accepting versus those who held on to outdated and bigoted beliefs was another element I appreciated.
I did not like Tayo's love of truth bending to improve his outcome with Vanessa nor her willingness to drop everything for him, but I do love flawed characters.
In the latter years before and during their reconnection, we get to peer into what each has endured over the years: loss of loved ones, settling in love, children, torture and attempted assassination.
Well worth the read.
'Nigeria was home for his soul, if not entirely home for his mind'-Tayo.
In Dependence chronicles the lives and love of Tayo and Vanessa. At Balliol College, Tayo hopes to use whatever he learns to better his country, Nigeria. Vanessa as well wants to be able to pursue a career writing the stories of the Mother continent.
But circumstances separate them and Tayo returns to Nigeria becoming a professor and a well known children's author. He uses this platform to lambaste the government and military corruption that hampers the country's growth; while Vanessa becomes a well known foreign correspondent and authority on Africa.
I enjoyed this story, depth was added by including the families of our protagonist, giving the reader a look into the influences and values that helped shape Tayo and Vanessa. Being able as well to see those who were inclusive and accepting versus those who held on to outdated and bigoted beliefs was another element I appreciated.
I did not like Tayo's love of truth bending to improve his outcome with Vanessa nor her willingness to drop everything for him, but I do love flawed characters.
In the latter years before and during their reconnection, we get to peer into what each has endured over the years: loss of loved ones, settling in love, children, torture and attempted assassination.
Well worth the read.
May 7, 2013
I really enjoyed this novel a great deal. It had been sitting on my shelf for some time, given to me by a friend. Manyika's story is wonderfully told. She is sensitive to the complexity of love and human emotion as well as to the impact culture has on us and on how we behave. She manages to steer clear of stereotypes and creates robust and very real characters.
January 7, 2020
2.5 Stars. This author’s other book, “Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream To The Sun” (LAMBICTTS) is one of my all-time favourite books by an African author. Therefore, I was excited to read this, especially since I had heard murmurings that there are strong romantic elements in this.
At it’s heart, I believe this book is supposed to be an epic love story between Tayo, a brilliant Nigerian student at Oxford Univeristy in the immediate aftermath of Nigeria’s Independence, and Vanessa, a British girl whose father was in the colonial government in Nigeria. However, much like my favourite LAMBICTTS, this novel lacks a cohesive plot and the storytelling feels very piecey. Where this worked as whimsical in the shorter form LAMBICTTS, it doesn’t work well in this longer form novel that covers Nigeria’s most dramatic sociopolitical period, the 30-odd years from Civil War to the new democracy in 1999.
My main issue with this book is the pacing which is really slow in parts and the decisions of what to show and what to tell. This book often feels very much like telling rather than showing. Apart from with Tayo, character development is not the best. I often wanted more details with plot transitions. Characters just appear and then disappear (like Salamatou, Vanessa’s friend, or Hawa, Tayo’s friend) and it all feels very snapshot-like in nature, which I think would have been good for a shorter-length book but then here, leaves you wishing for more details and a more cohesive story.
The protagonist of this book, Tayo, I found sympathetic, but I also didn’t find that he did much. Things more or less happened around him and occasionally to him and he wrote. Beyond his observations as a student at Oxford in the first half of the book or so, life kind of rushes by him. The same goes with Vanessa. I loved the potential for what this story could have been- some sort of epic Nigerian historical fiction love story. We could have understood Miriam a bit more and not have her be such a shell and the marriage of Edward and Vanessa and the next generation.
This book covered important themes like interracial and intercultural relationships, racism, corruption, post-colonial instability, intraracial conflicts, family, loss and love. These themes were perfect for the setting of post-colonial Africa with lots of opportunity for action through coups, assassinations, attacks on the intellectual elite and truth etc and the backing epic star-crossed love story. Rather, this kind of devolved into sociopolitical slice of life literary album, which was insightful, but because the plot vehicle driving them wasn’t especially compelling, the themes dragged rather than moving steadily along and enticing the reader. The author doesn’t give enough details of plot transitions especially at critical points that could have added some action and drama to the story. My favourite themes centered around brain drain, who is allowed to write about Africa, how to be African and the fine line between perpetuating stereotypes about Africa and presenting realities at appropriate times.
I think this is a good book to read about the post-colonial era. It’s not that it was bad. It’s just that I see how it could have been a lot more interesting and exciting, how the love story could have been a lot more cohesive and exciting, and how it could have wrapped well around Nigeria’s recent political history in a more compelling and unique way. This was on its way to being a book EVERYONE needs to read but it kind of got caught up in being a book to read if you are interested in Nigerian post-colonial history and want something a bit lighter than a textbook.
At it’s heart, I believe this book is supposed to be an epic love story between Tayo, a brilliant Nigerian student at Oxford Univeristy in the immediate aftermath of Nigeria’s Independence, and Vanessa, a British girl whose father was in the colonial government in Nigeria. However, much like my favourite LAMBICTTS, this novel lacks a cohesive plot and the storytelling feels very piecey. Where this worked as whimsical in the shorter form LAMBICTTS, it doesn’t work well in this longer form novel that covers Nigeria’s most dramatic sociopolitical period, the 30-odd years from Civil War to the new democracy in 1999.
My main issue with this book is the pacing which is really slow in parts and the decisions of what to show and what to tell. This book often feels very much like telling rather than showing. Apart from with Tayo, character development is not the best. I often wanted more details with plot transitions. Characters just appear and then disappear (like Salamatou, Vanessa’s friend, or Hawa, Tayo’s friend) and it all feels very snapshot-like in nature, which I think would have been good for a shorter-length book but then here, leaves you wishing for more details and a more cohesive story.
The protagonist of this book, Tayo, I found sympathetic, but I also didn’t find that he did much. Things more or less happened around him and occasionally to him and he wrote. Beyond his observations as a student at Oxford in the first half of the book or so, life kind of rushes by him. The same goes with Vanessa. I loved the potential for what this story could have been- some sort of epic Nigerian historical fiction love story. We could have understood Miriam a bit more and not have her be such a shell and the marriage of Edward and Vanessa and the next generation.
This book covered important themes like interracial and intercultural relationships, racism, corruption, post-colonial instability, intraracial conflicts, family, loss and love. These themes were perfect for the setting of post-colonial Africa with lots of opportunity for action through coups, assassinations, attacks on the intellectual elite and truth etc and the backing epic star-crossed love story. Rather, this kind of devolved into sociopolitical slice of life literary album, which was insightful, but because the plot vehicle driving them wasn’t especially compelling, the themes dragged rather than moving steadily along and enticing the reader. The author doesn’t give enough details of plot transitions especially at critical points that could have added some action and drama to the story. My favourite themes centered around brain drain, who is allowed to write about Africa, how to be African and the fine line between perpetuating stereotypes about Africa and presenting realities at appropriate times.
I think this is a good book to read about the post-colonial era. It’s not that it was bad. It’s just that I see how it could have been a lot more interesting and exciting, how the love story could have been a lot more cohesive and exciting, and how it could have wrapped well around Nigeria’s recent political history in a more compelling and unique way. This was on its way to being a book EVERYONE needs to read but it kind of got caught up in being a book to read if you are interested in Nigerian post-colonial history and want something a bit lighter than a textbook.
May 24, 2016
Although I love this novel, I'm afraid that it seems as if contemporary Africans in diaspora love stories are creating a stereotype story. The stereotype story is captured in this novel: "Her mother had told her that there was a saying among Hausa that a person never married their first love. A person always married someone else, but later in life that person would be reunited with their first love. The Hausa apparently even had a phrase for it: they called it the pick-up-your-stick-and-sandals marriage..." (209). I am not sure how true this is, but this stereotype story is evident in Chimamanda Adichie's Americanah. Anyway, it appears to be a parody of fairy tales love story.
Manyika's novel is beautiful, however. The reader sees and senses the rhythm of the beauty from the first sentence of the novel. My favourite sentence in the novel is "Uncle Bola believed only in beautiful women - not Allah, Christ, nor Ogun" (7).
Manyika's novel is beautiful, however. The reader sees and senses the rhythm of the beauty from the first sentence of the novel. My favourite sentence in the novel is "Uncle Bola believed only in beautiful women - not Allah, Christ, nor Ogun" (7).
September 2, 2017
Had a great start...just that:" a great start". Afterwards it was just difficult to read
December 22, 2020
Manyika said she, in writing this story, tried to create a really good love story set in her parents’ generation with at least one character from West Africa. The result was a beautifully written story, rich in history that spans decades and continents.
I knew that I would love this book the moment I started reading it:
One could begin with the dust, the heat and the purple bougainvillea. One might even begin with the smell of rotting mangoes tossed by the side of the road where flies hummed and green-bellied lizards bobbed their orange heads while loitering in the sun. But Tayo did not notice these – instead he walked in silence, oblivious to his surroundings. With a smile on his face, he thought of the night before, when he had dared to run a hand beneath the folds of Modupe’s wrapper.
There are so many moving parts that piece together to brilliantly tell a coherent story. One that is centered on the main characters, a West African man and an English woman, and their love for each other almost seems to transcend time. Manyika takes readers on a journey in this book, and does quite a job in capturing the nuances of time and place. Her writing is engaging and I was equally thrilled by the plot as I was with the historical context. This is book did not disappoint and I would absolutely recommend it
I knew that I would love this book the moment I started reading it:
One could begin with the dust, the heat and the purple bougainvillea. One might even begin with the smell of rotting mangoes tossed by the side of the road where flies hummed and green-bellied lizards bobbed their orange heads while loitering in the sun. But Tayo did not notice these – instead he walked in silence, oblivious to his surroundings. With a smile on his face, he thought of the night before, when he had dared to run a hand beneath the folds of Modupe’s wrapper.
There are so many moving parts that piece together to brilliantly tell a coherent story. One that is centered on the main characters, a West African man and an English woman, and their love for each other almost seems to transcend time. Manyika takes readers on a journey in this book, and does quite a job in capturing the nuances of time and place. Her writing is engaging and I was equally thrilled by the plot as I was with the historical context. This is book did not disappoint and I would absolutely recommend it
February 22, 2022
Why did this end the way it did?
It felt cheap, honestly.
It felt cheap, honestly.
January 1, 2014
In 1963 young Tayo Ajayi sets sail from Nigeria to take up a scholarship at Balliol in Oxford. Nigeria has been independent from British colonial rule for just 3 years and Tayo is part of the newly educated generation eager to take up educational opportunities abroad so that they can return to their country and help it become successful. With high hopes for the future of Nigeria and confident in his own ability to make a difference, Tayo throws himself into Oxford life, but a romantic attachment to a white English girl, Vanessa, derails his plans. Drawn to each other in spite of their widely different backgrounds, they find that interracial and intercultural relationships offer many, and sometimes insuperable, challenges.
This is a though-provoking and immensely engaging novel, which covers 4 decades from the 60s to the 90s in England, Nigeria and America. Decades of change and progress in some aspects, but decades of political upheaval in Nigeria itself. Tayo’s life is set against the trajectory of Nigeria’s political history – the military coups, corruption, ineffectual leadership and an economy in freefall. Tayo is caught between his duty and what his heart urges him to do. On the one hand this is a poignant love story, a story of mistakes and regrets and longing, and at the same time a story of political and cultural change and upheaval. Manyika handles the complexities of her subject with skill and empathy. The pacing is just right and the characterization authentic with well-rounded and sympathetic personalities. The historical background is interleaved with the narrative to good effect. All in all I found this an immensely enjoyable novel and I am surprised that it is not better known. Originally published in 2010, it deserves a wide readership and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
This is a though-provoking and immensely engaging novel, which covers 4 decades from the 60s to the 90s in England, Nigeria and America. Decades of change and progress in some aspects, but decades of political upheaval in Nigeria itself. Tayo’s life is set against the trajectory of Nigeria’s political history – the military coups, corruption, ineffectual leadership and an economy in freefall. Tayo is caught between his duty and what his heart urges him to do. On the one hand this is a poignant love story, a story of mistakes and regrets and longing, and at the same time a story of political and cultural change and upheaval. Manyika handles the complexities of her subject with skill and empathy. The pacing is just right and the characterization authentic with well-rounded and sympathetic personalities. The historical background is interleaved with the narrative to good effect. All in all I found this an immensely enjoyable novel and I am surprised that it is not better known. Originally published in 2010, it deserves a wide readership and I have no hesitation in recommending it.
February 17, 2014
I wish I could have liked this book more than I did. It was just an okay story line with okay characters. Tayo's life in Nigeria pre-Oxford was far more interesting than his life in England. In addition, Tayo's life outside of his relationship with Vanessa was much more interesting than his life with her.
When they first meet, Tayo and Vanessa are drawn to each other, him to her because she's different than women he knows in Nigeria, her to him because she seems to have a fascination with all things from the continent of Africa. As their relationship progresses, it seems that her love for him is also rooted in antagonizing her conservative, colonialist father. While she watches other interracial relationships around them implode, she begins to wonder if she is simply something for Tayo to do until he meets a Nigerian woman, as she's witnessed with friends of his.
Called back home to Nigeria, Tayo leaves England with every intention of returning to Vanessa. Delayed first by his father's illness and then by a military coup, Tayo resigns himself to staying in Nigeria and marrying a local woman. A chance meeting with Vanessa many years later provides him with an opportunity to rekindle his romance with her, but just like their earlier encounters, it feels stiff and wooden.
I can't really tell if it was the author's intention or perhaps the words she chose to describe the characters and/or put in their mouths, but at no point did I ever feel like the two characters were really in love. Though the book did a good job of highlighting the civil uprising in Nigeria and capturing the feel of 1960s England, it just wasn't enough to really hold my attention. I made it through the book, but left it not really caring about the characters or their future.
When they first meet, Tayo and Vanessa are drawn to each other, him to her because she's different than women he knows in Nigeria, her to him because she seems to have a fascination with all things from the continent of Africa. As their relationship progresses, it seems that her love for him is also rooted in antagonizing her conservative, colonialist father. While she watches other interracial relationships around them implode, she begins to wonder if she is simply something for Tayo to do until he meets a Nigerian woman, as she's witnessed with friends of his.
Called back home to Nigeria, Tayo leaves England with every intention of returning to Vanessa. Delayed first by his father's illness and then by a military coup, Tayo resigns himself to staying in Nigeria and marrying a local woman. A chance meeting with Vanessa many years later provides him with an opportunity to rekindle his romance with her, but just like their earlier encounters, it feels stiff and wooden.
I can't really tell if it was the author's intention or perhaps the words she chose to describe the characters and/or put in their mouths, but at no point did I ever feel like the two characters were really in love. Though the book did a good job of highlighting the civil uprising in Nigeria and capturing the feel of 1960s England, it just wasn't enough to really hold my attention. I made it through the book, but left it not really caring about the characters or their future.
February 12, 2020
Nigerian-born writers have compiled an impressive roster of distinguished works over the last decades. Perhaps the first in my recollection is the classic Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. A more Recent Example is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 's witty and moving Americanah. And now we can add to the group In Dependence.
I was at first a bit put off by the title. It seemed a bit cutesy for my taste. And, of course, you won't find the word "Romance" associated with many of my reviews. However, Manyika won me over in short order. Not that I'm against romance. Absolutely not. Just not in the literary--if you can call it that--Barbara Cartland sense.
As a young man, Tayo Ajay sails from Nigeria to England to take up a scholarship at Oxford. The obvious interracial attractions and conflicts ensue. However, unexpected and wrenching circumstances also intervene. Neither he nor his lover can escape culture and geography. Here's where Manyika's tale departs from standard plotting. I won't go into spoiler mode here, but I will say that we don't have the standard boy-meets-boy-loses-boy-wins-back sequence. And the results are both painful and life-affirming. This is one to buy, read, and keep.
I was at first a bit put off by the title. It seemed a bit cutesy for my taste. And, of course, you won't find the word "Romance" associated with many of my reviews. However, Manyika won me over in short order. Not that I'm against romance. Absolutely not. Just not in the literary--if you can call it that--Barbara Cartland sense.
As a young man, Tayo Ajay sails from Nigeria to England to take up a scholarship at Oxford. The obvious interracial attractions and conflicts ensue. However, unexpected and wrenching circumstances also intervene. Neither he nor his lover can escape culture and geography. Here's where Manyika's tale departs from standard plotting. I won't go into spoiler mode here, but I will say that we don't have the standard boy-meets-boy-loses-boy-wins-back sequence. And the results are both painful and life-affirming. This is one to buy, read, and keep.
May 17, 2019
This is a beautifully written book , Sarah takes us deep into cultural politics, In fact the heart of it. She brings to light what plagues Africa and it's colonisers , it's not just the political:plunder , kill , steel , devide , conqure and rule. But , the cultural , which from its roots stems the most vile of human creation , racism. Tayo , after winning a scholarship to the UK , finds himself conflicted in an alien environment, with different expectations, blindly he fall in love with a striking white woman. But yet again, racial politics takes over , they're locked in they're different worlds. A love story that could have been so beautiful is extinguished in its infancy. Tayo returns to Nigeria , to Asume a teaching post a university, only to be confronted with the corruption that's eating he's country. From then on , Sarah takes us on a thrilling political thriller.
January 10, 2018
3.5 stars. I was torn on this one because I enjoyed parts of it tremendously. The love story between Tayo and Vanessa is moving, but at times, the novel felt too slow for me. At other times it felt like things were moving too fast, especially toward the end. Maybe this is how life is. I enjoyed Manyika’s exploration of Nigerian history and the immigrant experience in the early 60’s and 70’s. It would make for a great movie.
Tayo’s repeatedly poor choices were annoying to me, even though I understood his general trepidation. There are also times in the story when Vanessa’s character felt contrived. It was a bit up and down for me, this one.
I would however still recommend this book because it tackled many important issues from interracial coupling to colonialism and more.
Tayo’s repeatedly poor choices were annoying to me, even though I understood his general trepidation. There are also times in the story when Vanessa’s character felt contrived. It was a bit up and down for me, this one.
I would however still recommend this book because it tackled many important issues from interracial coupling to colonialism and more.
August 22, 2011
I had to read this book all our incoming first-year students were required to read it. It was all right. Basically a love story between a Nigerian man and a British woman and how they negotiate their cultural differences. Interesting themes of identity and multiculturalism and all that, but I didn't much care for the characters and was annoyed at all the various poor choices they made along the way. Basically, the book doesn't end on a happy ending because of the mistakes that the characters made throughout their lives. It happens in real life, but I like to read books for escapism and I don't like unhappy endings. But what can you do?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2017
in dependence is one of such novel I read that I almost forgot it was a friction.The writer decides the character,their characteristics, lives and also the way the reader would feel it was emotion provoking and full of surprises.though I kept telling myself to stop been emotional and be critical.nothing really matters to me at first except the love story of Tayo and Vanessa(the beginning .,middle &how it gonna end) I imagined a lot and just like the writer said ''I like to dream,and when have not?I was born with a restlessness in my soul,the restlessness of an artist who is never fully satisfied''.it was a wonderful experience going through the book
January 20, 2021
There's a lot to say about In Dependence but I'll save it for now. I found the love story between Tayo and Vanessa lacking (i still can't figure out what it was lacking).
It was slow paced and unnecessarily long, i had a bit of trouble keeping up with several characters especially seeing as they just appear and disappear without a back story.
I love that it was centred around Nigeria's independence and showed the growth of Nigeria as a country fresh out of colonialism.
Eventually I would update this review and give a more in-depth review of the book In Dependence.
It was slow paced and unnecessarily long, i had a bit of trouble keeping up with several characters especially seeing as they just appear and disappear without a back story.
I love that it was centred around Nigeria's independence and showed the growth of Nigeria as a country fresh out of colonialism.
Eventually I would update this review and give a more in-depth review of the book In Dependence.
October 1, 2012
There was so much of my story in this story: identity; change; falling madly, deeply in love. Thanks for sharing, Ruth!
July 25, 2018
With the events real and the locations accurate, one can sometimes forget this is fiction.
February 16, 2021
Travelling from Nigeria, Tayo takes his place at Oxford University. In England in the 1960s, he meets Vanessa, an English girl whose father was part of the colonial rule of Nigeria. They have a deep connection, but their relationship struggles to withstand the differences in their two cultures. Seemingly destined to be and doomed to fail, this book documents their relationship through multiple decades and political movements.
I enjoyed this book. While the characters weren't perfect, they were flawed in a very believable way. Tayo makes bad decisions in his relationships. Vanessa tries to understand the black experiences, but still shows the effects of living in a systemically racist society. The whole story felt like a very realistic portrayal of what these characters would have gone through.
I found Tayo particularly interesting, as he tried to do his best for his country and himself. He struggled to define what it meant to be African. So often it seemed he was trying to do the right things and yet his friends, family or country would go against him. It was fascinating to see him try to understand what it meant to be proud of his country and how to belong. Despite returning to Nigeria after his tie at University, there was an unsettled feeling that leaving somehow meant he could no longer belong. I found his story the more interesting part of the tale, especially as I have limited knowledge of political situation in Nigeria and the idea that people might have wanted a dictator was particularly thought-provoking.
I enjoyed this book. While the characters weren't perfect, they were flawed in a very believable way. Tayo makes bad decisions in his relationships. Vanessa tries to understand the black experiences, but still shows the effects of living in a systemically racist society. The whole story felt like a very realistic portrayal of what these characters would have gone through.
I found Tayo particularly interesting, as he tried to do his best for his country and himself. He struggled to define what it meant to be African. So often it seemed he was trying to do the right things and yet his friends, family or country would go against him. It was fascinating to see him try to understand what it meant to be proud of his country and how to belong. Despite returning to Nigeria after his tie at University, there was an unsettled feeling that leaving somehow meant he could no longer belong. I found his story the more interesting part of the tale, especially as I have limited knowledge of political situation in Nigeria and the idea that people might have wanted a dictator was particularly thought-provoking.
October 23, 2021
It’s been such a fantastic read. And I know I say that a lot but really this book has been really enjoyable. I love when an author is able to develop a character who you feel a deep affinity to despite their flaws. Tayo Ajayi was that character for me, he reminded me of my dad and his deep love for Nigeria
The characters were simple yet complex. The story is one that probably happened to that Uncle or Aunty(or even parent) who studied in England after the colonial era. I am not the biggest romance fan but this book found a way to spin romance with so other topical themes like colonialism, interracial relationships, politics, class, history etc
This is the second book Sarah Ladipo Manyinka book I have read and I can definitely say I am a fan.
The characters were simple yet complex. The story is one that probably happened to that Uncle or Aunty(or even parent) who studied in England after the colonial era. I am not the biggest romance fan but this book found a way to spin romance with so other topical themes like colonialism, interracial relationships, politics, class, history etc
This is the second book Sarah Ladipo Manyinka book I have read and I can definitely say I am a fan.
June 8, 2021
A beautifully written book! Sarah ladipo Manyika takes her readers on a journey from Nigeria to Europe. From the city of Ibadan in Nigeria to the great walls of Oxford, this is the beautiful story of Tayo and Vanessa and their perception of love in a world filled with political discord and racial discrimination. A story of loss, of family, and lovers who drifted to find themselves again.
Hold on to your hearts and get swoon by this beautifully written piece that will keep you in thrall.
I strongly recommend this to everyone
Hold on to your hearts and get swoon by this beautifully written piece that will keep you in thrall.
I strongly recommend this to everyone
August 4, 2022
When Tayo sets sail for England—for Oxford—he goes with confidence, and with good reason: he's up to the academic challenge and up to the personal challenge. He falls in and out of love, and along the way into a relationship with Vanessa: an Englishwoman of means whose family history falls on the wrong side of colonialisation. They fall in, they fall out, and their relationship reverberates for both of them across the decades.
This is a fairly fast-moving book, simply because it has to be—it covers to wide a stretch of time to get stuck in any one year or decade. As such, though, it sometimes feels as though it's been told from a distance: we see an event or we see its emotional impact, but rarely do we see both.
Tayo is....complicated. He's smart and ambitious and vibrant; moreover, he's very well attuned to the political climate, in a way that...how do I put this? In a way that those whose lands have been colonised have to be, and those whose lands have done the colonising rarely are. But Tayo is also something of a womaniser whose response to most things seems to be move on to the next pretty young girl, and so even though we're following him for most of the book—and Vanessa is supposed to be the one that got away—it's hard to root for the two of them to get together, because it's hard to root for any relationship in which you know it's likely to either start or end with cheating.
Vanessa we get a lot less of. She's also smart and ambitious, though less certain, initially, of her place than Tayo is. Her story comes in bits and pieces—rarely, after the initial period at Oxford, what is happening now, but instead what has happened in the time since she last saw Tayo.
Where does that leave us? It's compelling and yet I felt as though I was reading at arm's length the whole time; there's a wonderful amount of history, and yet we only see each event in a flash before moving on to the reverberations of the next event. Three and a half stars? Glad this is getting a second wind in a new printing.
This is a fairly fast-moving book, simply because it has to be—it covers to wide a stretch of time to get stuck in any one year or decade. As such, though, it sometimes feels as though it's been told from a distance: we see an event or we see its emotional impact, but rarely do we see both.
Tayo is....complicated. He's smart and ambitious and vibrant; moreover, he's very well attuned to the political climate, in a way that...how do I put this? In a way that those whose lands have been colonised have to be, and those whose lands have done the colonising rarely are. But Tayo is also something of a womaniser whose response to most things seems to be move on to the next pretty young girl, and so even though we're following him for most of the book—and Vanessa is supposed to be the one that got away—it's hard to root for the two of them to get together, because it's hard to root for any relationship in which you know it's likely to either start or end with cheating.
Vanessa we get a lot less of. She's also smart and ambitious, though less certain, initially, of her place than Tayo is. Her story comes in bits and pieces—rarely, after the initial period at Oxford, what is happening now, but instead what has happened in the time since she last saw Tayo.
Where does that leave us? It's compelling and yet I felt as though I was reading at arm's length the whole time; there's a wonderful amount of history, and yet we only see each event in a flash before moving on to the reverberations of the next event. Three and a half stars? Glad this is getting a second wind in a new printing.
October 31, 2019
This debut novel is stunning. The storytelling sublime. The writing is 'as clean as bone'.
The characters are written in a delicate and complex manner. The telling of history and its nuances absolutely brilliant. Sarah tells the story of love, family, in dependence, race, education and intertwined histories and does it marvellously.
The story is also rich with literature of the great male writers in Africa and the diaspora, in a way making a political statement of the times. It is also filled with rich music selection, which will have you pausing to listen to the wonderful music of the times.
This is a beautiful novel that seeks to achieve a lot. I enjoyed each moment of reading this book.
The characters are written in a delicate and complex manner. The telling of history and its nuances absolutely brilliant. Sarah tells the story of love, family, in dependence, race, education and intertwined histories and does it marvellously.
The story is also rich with literature of the great male writers in Africa and the diaspora, in a way making a political statement of the times. It is also filled with rich music selection, which will have you pausing to listen to the wonderful music of the times.
This is a beautiful novel that seeks to achieve a lot. I enjoyed each moment of reading this book.
August 28, 2022
3.5🌟
At it’s core, this is a love story, every other thing is peripheral. The book reads like a movie.
Sara’s writing is high quality stuff. Anyone who needs a practical lesson in creating a realistic setting in historical fiction can learn a dozen things from In Dependence. There’s enough music, food, style and mannerisms to remind us of what the times looked like in the late nineties.
If In Dependence were a picture, Vanessa and Tayo are in constant focus while all other characters are in the background - blurry and uninteresting. At the same time, I wish we had more insight into Tayo’s mind and how it works because his words did not match his actions.
I liked that just like in “Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream To The Sun” the author moves quickly between timelines, offering no apologies and trusting the reader to get with the memo or get lost.
I can’t imagine the amount of research that went into the writing of this book. So when the book gets a bit boring, I remind myself that those dark times were not the authors making and she is merely capturing the spirit of the season.
In summary, it’s not perfect, but it’s beautiful and I loved reading it.
At it’s core, this is a love story, every other thing is peripheral. The book reads like a movie.
Sara’s writing is high quality stuff. Anyone who needs a practical lesson in creating a realistic setting in historical fiction can learn a dozen things from In Dependence. There’s enough music, food, style and mannerisms to remind us of what the times looked like in the late nineties.
If In Dependence were a picture, Vanessa and Tayo are in constant focus while all other characters are in the background - blurry and uninteresting. At the same time, I wish we had more insight into Tayo’s mind and how it works because his words did not match his actions.
I liked that just like in “Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream To The Sun” the author moves quickly between timelines, offering no apologies and trusting the reader to get with the memo or get lost.
I can’t imagine the amount of research that went into the writing of this book. So when the book gets a bit boring, I remind myself that those dark times were not the authors making and she is merely capturing the spirit of the season.
In summary, it’s not perfect, but it’s beautiful and I loved reading it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews