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This Motherless Land
From the acclaimed author of Wahala, a “vibrant” (Charmaine Wilkerson) retelling of Mansfield Park, exploring identity, culture, race, and love.
Quiet Funke is happy in Nigeria. She loves her art teacher mother, her professor father, and even her annoying little brother (most of the time). But when tragedy strikes, she’s sent to England, a place she knows only from her mother’s stories. To her dismay, she finds the much-lauded estate dilapidated, the food tasteless, the weather grey. Worse still, her mother’s family are cold and distant. With one exception: her cousin Liv.
Free-spirited Liv has always wanted to break free of her joyless family. She becomes fiercely protective of her little cousin, and her warmth and kindness give Funke a place to heal. The two girls grow into adulthood the closest of friends.
But the choices their mothers made haunt Funke and Liv, and when a second tragedy occurs their friendship is torn apart. Against the long shadow of their shared family history, each woman will struggle to chart a path forward, separated by country, misunderstanding, and ambition.
Moving between Somerset and Lagos over the course of two decades, This Motherless Land is a sweeping examination of identity, culture, race, and love that asks how we find belonging and whether a family’s generational wrongs can be righted.
Quiet Funke is happy in Nigeria. She loves her art teacher mother, her professor father, and even her annoying little brother (most of the time). But when tragedy strikes, she’s sent to England, a place she knows only from her mother’s stories. To her dismay, she finds the much-lauded estate dilapidated, the food tasteless, the weather grey. Worse still, her mother’s family are cold and distant. With one exception: her cousin Liv.
Free-spirited Liv has always wanted to break free of her joyless family. She becomes fiercely protective of her little cousin, and her warmth and kindness give Funke a place to heal. The two girls grow into adulthood the closest of friends.
But the choices their mothers made haunt Funke and Liv, and when a second tragedy occurs their friendship is torn apart. Against the long shadow of their shared family history, each woman will struggle to chart a path forward, separated by country, misunderstanding, and ambition.
Moving between Somerset and Lagos over the course of two decades, This Motherless Land is a sweeping examination of identity, culture, race, and love that asks how we find belonging and whether a family’s generational wrongs can be righted.
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 29, 2024
743 people are currently reading
35364 people want to read
About the author
Nikki May
5 books626 followersBorn in Bristol and raised in Lagos, Nikki May is Anglo-Nigerian.
Her critically acclaimed debut novel WAHALA won the Comedy Women In Print New Voice Prize, was longlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and the Diverse Books Award, and is being turned into a major BBC TV drama series.
THIS MOTHERLESS LAND is her second novel. It was shortlisted for the 2025 Edward Stanford Fiction with a Sense of Place Prize, longlisted for the Nigeria Prize for Literature and is being adapted for TV.
Nikki lives in Dorset with her husband, two standard Schnauzers, and way too many books. She should be writing, but is probably reading.
You can follow Nikki on X: @NikkiOMay
Or Instagram: @nikkimaywriter
Her critically acclaimed debut novel WAHALA won the Comedy Women In Print New Voice Prize, was longlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and the Diverse Books Award, and is being turned into a major BBC TV drama series.
THIS MOTHERLESS LAND is her second novel. It was shortlisted for the 2025 Edward Stanford Fiction with a Sense of Place Prize, longlisted for the Nigeria Prize for Literature and is being adapted for TV.
Nikki lives in Dorset with her husband, two standard Schnauzers, and way too many books. She should be writing, but is probably reading.
You can follow Nikki on X: @NikkiOMay
Or Instagram: @nikkimaywriter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,248 reviews
January 18, 2026
In a Nutshell: A loose retelling of Jane Austen’s ‘Mansfield Park’. A decolonised narrative spanning two decades in Nigeria and England. Interesting characters, amazing writing, dark and light themes interspersed. You don’t need to read the original as this one can be appreciated much better as an independent novel. Recommended!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
💐 Having complicated lead characters such as Funke and Liv always works in a character-oriented storyline. The two girls are not similar in any way except by virtue of being blood relations, so it is interesting to see how they handle the trials coming their way. Each of them grows differently over the course of the book.
💐 For a book with the word ‘motherless’ in the title, there are a surprisingly high number of mother-daughter relationships in the plot, ranging from toxic to supportive. This also includes grandmothers, close family friends who play mother-substitutes, and well-meaning but unrelated elders. The variety of the connections and their impact on the characters comes out excellently. Quite a few of these relationships bring to mind the nature vs. nurture debate, with no clear answer on which is stronger.
💐 Another dominant connection in the book is that of siblings, whether direct or cousins. The bonding, the bantering, and the bickering all get a prominent (and accurate) portrayal.
💐 Love the questions the book raises about identity. Who you are, where you belong, what is your home – all are pertinent in this increasingly global environment. It also highlights the role of choices and challenges in altering the trajectory of our life.
💐 The travails of being mixed-race or Black in the UK AND similar struggles of being mixed-race in Nigeria come out realistically without seeming over the top.
💐 The details about Nigeria, covering both the positive aspects (such as food, culture, beliefs, the friendliness of the people, and even the fabulous Afro hair styles) and the negative traits (such as the gender bias, the class divide, the corruption, the rash driving, and the infrastructure issues.) I love how we get a real taste of de-colonial Nigeria, both good and bad.
💐 Usually, books that are based in two distinct types of countries end up showing negatives of the home nation and the positives of the adopted motherland, especially if this new country of residence happens to be a white-dominant developed country (USA/UK/Australia/…). However, the author is balanced and fair in her portrayal of both countries, showing us the positive and negative side of the UK as well. I appreciate how the book portrays a well-rounded truth and also pokes fun when needed. The author’s OwnVoices credentials (she was born in Bristol and raised in Lagos) sure helped. Many Indian authors settled abroad could learn a lot from Nikki May on how to represent the truth about your country of origin without resorting to a one-sided, stereotypical depiction.
💐 The writing is powerful and thought-provoking, tackling several relevant contemporary issues such as gender discrimination, racism, white privilege, parental death, parental abuse, mental health, drug abuse, and many more. The hard-hitting points are sometimes covered in a sugary coating, but this doesn’t reduce their impact. Despite the darkish storyline, the author still manages to insert humour and light-hearted scenes into the narrative. The book isn’t exactly satirical but comes close to it in tone.
💐 As Mansfield Park had an omniscient narrator, we don't get to see how the young Fanny struggles to settle in her new abode that's so different to the one she knew before. In this aspect, the current book excels. Funke's struggle to fit into England seems true to life, with the focus not just being on the reaction of the whites to her skin colour, but also on her troubles with British food, the variation in the weather, and the maintaining of her Afro hair.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌹 This book is supposed to be a de-colonial retelling of Jane Austen’s novel, Mansfield Park. Being the good girl and sincere reviewer that I am 😉, I reread the Austen classic before picking this up so that I could appreciate its subtler points better. (No complaints about this, as I am a Jane Austen superfan!) But this turned out to be a very loose retelling, with barely any similarity between the two works. Other than the fact that a ten-year-old child is compelled to move into a different home and lifestyle, and that there’s an eight-year time jump after some chapters, there’s nothing else that reminded me of Mansfield Park. Thankfully, this novel has enough merit to stand on its own.
🌹 This novel has four sections, each coming from a distinct year. The first section is brilliant. Had the entire book been to that level, I would have given this a 4.5 and happily rounded up. However, the second section turned out to be too bleak for my liking, with the tragedies piling up and no sight of any hope. When every event is dismal, the story feels stuck in an overly disheartening quagmire. This section was really tough for me to get through, partly because some of the events aren’t what I enjoy reading. The remaining two sections mostly redeem the experience. (In other words, don’t give up during section two.)
🌹 A few of the characters are too stereotypical and fall in neat good/bad categories. Thankfully, the minor characters are more realistic, but I wish the secondary characters had been more layered, especially Liv’s mother.
🌹 The page count is much less than that of Austen’s novel, but a lot happens over the course of these 330-odd pages. This means that the pacing is obviously faster than the classic, but the depth is somewhat shallow. We cover a lot in brief rather than explore a few topics in detail.
Bookish Nays:
🌵 The climax feels rushed. After all that build-up, I was hoping for a more satisfying finish. But the confrontation scene is barely there before we move into the HEA.
All in all, I mostly enjoyed this story. If I were to strictly evaluate it as a retelling, it would not fare so well as there are not more than a couple of points in common with Mansfield Park. But evaluated as an independent story, the book performs excellently.
This is the author’s sophomore novel. I haven’t read her debut work yet, but based on my experience with this one, I am definitely adding ‘Wahala’ to my list, as well as keeping an eye out for her future books.
Definitely recommended, not necessarily to Austen fans, but to readers who enjoy literary family sagas and want a culturally inclusive experience.
4 stars.
My thanks to Random Things Tours and author Nikki May for a complimentary copy of 'This Motherless Land'. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
1978. When ten-year-old Funke loses her mom in a car accident in Lagos, she is sent to live with her mom’s estranged family in England. Her mother’s sister isn’t so receptive to the idea of raising a mixed-race child, but Funke finds a friend in her cousin Liv. As the years pass by, Funke and Liv go through varied ups and downs, both haunted by the words and deeds of their mothers – one from the past and one in the present. Can the two girls learn to stand for themselves in a world where they are first judged by gender and skin and size?
The story comes to us from the third person perspectives of Funke and Liv, beginning in 1978 and jumping a few years over four sections until it reaches 1998.
Bookish Yays:
💐 Having complicated lead characters such as Funke and Liv always works in a character-oriented storyline. The two girls are not similar in any way except by virtue of being blood relations, so it is interesting to see how they handle the trials coming their way. Each of them grows differently over the course of the book.
💐 For a book with the word ‘motherless’ in the title, there are a surprisingly high number of mother-daughter relationships in the plot, ranging from toxic to supportive. This also includes grandmothers, close family friends who play mother-substitutes, and well-meaning but unrelated elders. The variety of the connections and their impact on the characters comes out excellently. Quite a few of these relationships bring to mind the nature vs. nurture debate, with no clear answer on which is stronger.
💐 Another dominant connection in the book is that of siblings, whether direct or cousins. The bonding, the bantering, and the bickering all get a prominent (and accurate) portrayal.
💐 Love the questions the book raises about identity. Who you are, where you belong, what is your home – all are pertinent in this increasingly global environment. It also highlights the role of choices and challenges in altering the trajectory of our life.
💐 The travails of being mixed-race or Black in the UK AND similar struggles of being mixed-race in Nigeria come out realistically without seeming over the top.
💐 The details about Nigeria, covering both the positive aspects (such as food, culture, beliefs, the friendliness of the people, and even the fabulous Afro hair styles) and the negative traits (such as the gender bias, the class divide, the corruption, the rash driving, and the infrastructure issues.) I love how we get a real taste of de-colonial Nigeria, both good and bad.
💐 Usually, books that are based in two distinct types of countries end up showing negatives of the home nation and the positives of the adopted motherland, especially if this new country of residence happens to be a white-dominant developed country (USA/UK/Australia/…). However, the author is balanced and fair in her portrayal of both countries, showing us the positive and negative side of the UK as well. I appreciate how the book portrays a well-rounded truth and also pokes fun when needed. The author’s OwnVoices credentials (she was born in Bristol and raised in Lagos) sure helped. Many Indian authors settled abroad could learn a lot from Nikki May on how to represent the truth about your country of origin without resorting to a one-sided, stereotypical depiction.
💐 The writing is powerful and thought-provoking, tackling several relevant contemporary issues such as gender discrimination, racism, white privilege, parental death, parental abuse, mental health, drug abuse, and many more. The hard-hitting points are sometimes covered in a sugary coating, but this doesn’t reduce their impact. Despite the darkish storyline, the author still manages to insert humour and light-hearted scenes into the narrative. The book isn’t exactly satirical but comes close to it in tone.
💐 As Mansfield Park had an omniscient narrator, we don't get to see how the young Fanny struggles to settle in her new abode that's so different to the one she knew before. In this aspect, the current book excels. Funke's struggle to fit into England seems true to life, with the focus not just being on the reaction of the whites to her skin colour, but also on her troubles with British food, the variation in the weather, and the maintaining of her Afro hair.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🌹 This book is supposed to be a de-colonial retelling of Jane Austen’s novel, Mansfield Park. Being the good girl and sincere reviewer that I am 😉, I reread the Austen classic before picking this up so that I could appreciate its subtler points better. (No complaints about this, as I am a Jane Austen superfan!) But this turned out to be a very loose retelling, with barely any similarity between the two works. Other than the fact that a ten-year-old child is compelled to move into a different home and lifestyle, and that there’s an eight-year time jump after some chapters, there’s nothing else that reminded me of Mansfield Park. Thankfully, this novel has enough merit to stand on its own.
🌹 This novel has four sections, each coming from a distinct year. The first section is brilliant. Had the entire book been to that level, I would have given this a 4.5 and happily rounded up. However, the second section turned out to be too bleak for my liking, with the tragedies piling up and no sight of any hope. When every event is dismal, the story feels stuck in an overly disheartening quagmire. This section was really tough for me to get through, partly because some of the events aren’t what I enjoy reading. The remaining two sections mostly redeem the experience. (In other words, don’t give up during section two.)
🌹 A few of the characters are too stereotypical and fall in neat good/bad categories. Thankfully, the minor characters are more realistic, but I wish the secondary characters had been more layered, especially Liv’s mother.
🌹 The page count is much less than that of Austen’s novel, but a lot happens over the course of these 330-odd pages. This means that the pacing is obviously faster than the classic, but the depth is somewhat shallow. We cover a lot in brief rather than explore a few topics in detail.
Bookish Nays:
🌵 The climax feels rushed. After all that build-up, I was hoping for a more satisfying finish. But the confrontation scene is barely there before we move into the HEA.
All in all, I mostly enjoyed this story. If I were to strictly evaluate it as a retelling, it would not fare so well as there are not more than a couple of points in common with Mansfield Park. But evaluated as an independent story, the book performs excellently.
This is the author’s sophomore novel. I haven’t read her debut work yet, but based on my experience with this one, I am definitely adding ‘Wahala’ to my list, as well as keeping an eye out for her future books.
Definitely recommended, not necessarily to Austen fans, but to readers who enjoy literary family sagas and want a culturally inclusive experience.
4 stars.
My thanks to Random Things Tours and author Nikki May for a complimentary copy of 'This Motherless Land'. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
December 5, 2024
Just when I was about to say meh, this story turned around and I can give it a yay.
A young girl, from Nigeria, who loses her mother and brother in a fatal car crash, is sent by her distraught father to live in England with a resentful aunt and cousins.
The cousin welcomes her with open arms as if she were a missing family member. They live like sisters for the next 7 years until a bad decision fractures their relationship. Miscommunications and greed unknowingly keeps them separated.
May takes us on the emotional highs and lows of family- the loving and toxic kind, grief and loss. The cultural norms from Nigeria to England are exhilaratingly contrasted.
Surprisingly, this coming of age story worked for me with these well drawn out and flawed characters.
To Liv & Funke- The 2 sisters from different misters.
4,5⭐️
A young girl, from Nigeria, who loses her mother and brother in a fatal car crash, is sent by her distraught father to live in England with a resentful aunt and cousins.
The cousin welcomes her with open arms as if she were a missing family member. They live like sisters for the next 7 years until a bad decision fractures their relationship. Miscommunications and greed unknowingly keeps them separated.
May takes us on the emotional highs and lows of family- the loving and toxic kind, grief and loss. The cultural norms from Nigeria to England are exhilaratingly contrasted.
Surprisingly, this coming of age story worked for me with these well drawn out and flawed characters.
To Liv & Funke- The 2 sisters from different misters.
4,5⭐️
September 2, 2024
Engaging, un-putdownable a very vibrant and intoxicating read….
Nikki May is so great at writing stories that will get you riled up and interested in the characters and it is the same with this book. In The Motherless Land we are taken to Nigeria where we meet Funke and her family. She lives an idyllic life in Nigeria, with her mother, father and brother. Her father is head over heels in love with her mother and they are still happy after years of being together. Even though their relationship meant her mom was ostracized from her family in England. They’ve lived a happy life until tragedy struck and Funke is sent to live with family members she’s only heard bad things about, in a place that her mother describes as boring, grey and cold.
Funke arrives in London overcome by grief and is met with a chilly reception from her family, except for her cousin Liv. Live decides that her sole purpose will be to make Funke happy and enjoy England as much as possible. They become inseparable from childhood into adulthood, a safe space for each other, that is until a major misunderstanding happens and tragedy strikes again.
I love that the book was set in the 70s, 80s and 90s in London and Lagos and told from the perspective of the cousins. We got such an in-depth look into their characters and their
motivations. Nikki did an amazing job of exploring generational wrongs, forgiveness, sisterhood and grief. I thoroughly enjoyed Funke and Livs characters as it felt so refreshing seeing them fall into an easy friendship. I did get a bit annoyed at Liv’s mom and I felt her character got too much air time because she was so annoying.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one.
Nikki May is so great at writing stories that will get you riled up and interested in the characters and it is the same with this book. In The Motherless Land we are taken to Nigeria where we meet Funke and her family. She lives an idyllic life in Nigeria, with her mother, father and brother. Her father is head over heels in love with her mother and they are still happy after years of being together. Even though their relationship meant her mom was ostracized from her family in England. They’ve lived a happy life until tragedy struck and Funke is sent to live with family members she’s only heard bad things about, in a place that her mother describes as boring, grey and cold.
Funke arrives in London overcome by grief and is met with a chilly reception from her family, except for her cousin Liv. Live decides that her sole purpose will be to make Funke happy and enjoy England as much as possible. They become inseparable from childhood into adulthood, a safe space for each other, that is until a major misunderstanding happens and tragedy strikes again.
I love that the book was set in the 70s, 80s and 90s in London and Lagos and told from the perspective of the cousins. We got such an in-depth look into their characters and their
motivations. Nikki did an amazing job of exploring generational wrongs, forgiveness, sisterhood and grief. I thoroughly enjoyed Funke and Livs characters as it felt so refreshing seeing them fall into an easy friendship. I did get a bit annoyed at Liv’s mom and I felt her character got too much air time because she was so annoying.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one.
August 21, 2025
I will think about this book forever and ever
November 18, 2024
Reading This Motherless Land was like strapping into an emotional roller coaster—swooping, diving, and looping through all the emotions of a family and their heartbreak. We meet Funke (a.k.a. Kate, depending on where in the book you are reading), who hails from Lagos, born to a Nigerian-English mix of a mom and dad. But after a heartbreaking family tragedy, she's uprooted and moved to Somerset, where she encounters Liv, a cousin she never knew existed. Right from the beginning, their share an unbreakable bond that resonates throughout the book.
It’s based on a very loose retelling of Mansfield Park- a novel I know nothing about.
Taking place from the 70s to the 90s, we're swept along on this whirlwind tour of Funke and Liv’s lives—watching as they drift apart, collide, reconnect, and try to make sense of family, love, loss, lies, and hard truths. Their relationship is layered, bound by blood and a deep-seated need for connection, especially when both their families have failed them on so many levels, both physically and emotionally. There are moments where you will punch the sky - why everything happens is understandable, but will anger you how it all unfolds.
Sure, there were a few moments that had me a little lost—the rich sprinkle of Yoruba and references to English snacks (a whole new world of flavors for me!)—but that’s part of what makes the story special. You’re brought into this vibrant, unfamiliar world and get to live it through Funke and Liv's eyes.
"Humans are inherently greedy. They hate sharing. So they invented racism to justify keeping all the cake. Don’t give them a slice, they don’t deserve it, they’re too dark. Or too gay. Or too short. Any difference will do: sex, color, tribe, religion, whatever. I’m yet to meet a good ‘ism."
By the end, it’s clear: no matter where you’re from or where life takes you, family is what brings people together, transcending all those differences and miles. I’m definitely excited to dive into more from Nikki May and can't wait to pick up Wahala—especially since it’s headed for a BBC miniseries!
It’s based on a very loose retelling of Mansfield Park- a novel I know nothing about.
Taking place from the 70s to the 90s, we're swept along on this whirlwind tour of Funke and Liv’s lives—watching as they drift apart, collide, reconnect, and try to make sense of family, love, loss, lies, and hard truths. Their relationship is layered, bound by blood and a deep-seated need for connection, especially when both their families have failed them on so many levels, both physically and emotionally. There are moments where you will punch the sky - why everything happens is understandable, but will anger you how it all unfolds.
Sure, there were a few moments that had me a little lost—the rich sprinkle of Yoruba and references to English snacks (a whole new world of flavors for me!)—but that’s part of what makes the story special. You’re brought into this vibrant, unfamiliar world and get to live it through Funke and Liv's eyes.
"Humans are inherently greedy. They hate sharing. So they invented racism to justify keeping all the cake. Don’t give them a slice, they don’t deserve it, they’re too dark. Or too gay. Or too short. Any difference will do: sex, color, tribe, religion, whatever. I’m yet to meet a good ‘ism."
By the end, it’s clear: no matter where you’re from or where life takes you, family is what brings people together, transcending all those differences and miles. I’m definitely excited to dive into more from Nikki May and can't wait to pick up Wahala—especially since it’s headed for a BBC miniseries!
January 11, 2025
Crying uncle at 41%! The first DNF of the year came early in 2025. I vowed to go to 50% but then I couldn't. The melodrama accelerated by a factor of 10, the wooden characters became even more ridiculous and inauthentic (especially Colin, Liv and Margo -- it was Margo who left me unable to take in another word), and Funke/Kate became more Christlike. It was insufferable. 2 stars because the writer shows some talent for scene setting and character formation (though not for character development.)
Summary: Funke is a perfect 9 year old in Nigeria, child of a White English mother and a Black Nigerian father. Her life is perfect but she is nervous in the manner of a 30 year old who has been beaten up by life. She does everything right but no one really appreciates her because she is not a boy. Things happen (nospoilers) and she ends up alone living with her mother's upper class family in the English countryside. They are all terrible to her except for her cousin Liv who is so desperate for love she dedicates herself to BFF status. Liv's mother is hateful and silly for no real reason and torments both girls, but Funke more. They change Funke's name to Kate so you can know they are racists and dyed in the wool colonizers. Classism and racism make Funke's life bad despite the fact she is perfect and does nothing but try to serve others and excel at school. Yadda yadda yadda. This is that bad.
Summary: Funke is a perfect 9 year old in Nigeria, child of a White English mother and a Black Nigerian father. Her life is perfect but she is nervous in the manner of a 30 year old who has been beaten up by life. She does everything right but no one really appreciates her because she is not a boy. Things happen (nospoilers) and she ends up alone living with her mother's upper class family in the English countryside. They are all terrible to her except for her cousin Liv who is so desperate for love she dedicates herself to BFF status. Liv's mother is hateful and silly for no real reason and torments both girls, but Funke more. They change Funke's name to Kate so you can know they are racists and dyed in the wool colonizers. Classism and racism make Funke's life bad despite the fact she is perfect and does nothing but try to serve others and excel at school. Yadda yadda yadda. This is that bad.
November 20, 2024
SO much better than Wahala but it feels like she let some of the characters off too easily. There should have been a bigger reckoning and confrontation, imo.
November 4, 2024
This Motherless Land by Nikki May transports readers between Lagos, Nigeria, and England, following Funke, whose mother is British and father is Nigerian. Funke grows up in Lagos alongside her brother, but after a tragic event, she's sent to live with her mother’s family in England. The story is told from dual perspectives, hers and that of her cousin, Liv.
I particularly enjoyed the scenes set in Lagos as I found the exploration of life in Nigeria in the 70s-90s vivid. While the audiobook narrator’s accents sometimes felt a bit off, they weren’t distracting enough to detract from the overall experience. This novel explores complex themes like identity, racism, colorism, grief, and family ties.
Though I found the beginning engaging and well-paced, the story leaned too heavily on convenient coincidences, making it somewhat predictable. I would have appreciated a less foreseeable and a well thought out conclusion. The characters, too, were a mix, and there were more irksome personalities than genuinely lovable ones, which sometimes tested my patience. Despite these, This Motherless Land offers an engaging exploration of identity, with moments that are heartfelt.
I particularly enjoyed the scenes set in Lagos as I found the exploration of life in Nigeria in the 70s-90s vivid. While the audiobook narrator’s accents sometimes felt a bit off, they weren’t distracting enough to detract from the overall experience. This novel explores complex themes like identity, racism, colorism, grief, and family ties.
Though I found the beginning engaging and well-paced, the story leaned too heavily on convenient coincidences, making it somewhat predictable. I would have appreciated a less foreseeable and a well thought out conclusion. The characters, too, were a mix, and there were more irksome personalities than genuinely lovable ones, which sometimes tested my patience. Despite these, This Motherless Land offers an engaging exploration of identity, with moments that are heartfelt.
April 22, 2025
Following a family tragedy, Funke is sent from Nigeria to England to live with her mother’s sister and her family. Funke is disappointed by the conditions of the house and the family is distant, except for her cousin, Liv, who is kind and welcoming. The two girls become friends and forge their paths into adulthood.
One night, an incident occurs, forcing Liv and Funke to move forward on separate paths. As both women try to build their lives, they face new challenges and are confronted by greed, family secrets, and miscommunication.
This Motherless Land is the coming of age story of two cousins, two cultures, family, friendship, identity, and love. I really enjoyed this book, even if a few plot points were fairly convenient. I listened to the audiobook and staying curious to find out what was in store for Funke and for Liv.
One night, an incident occurs, forcing Liv and Funke to move forward on separate paths. As both women try to build their lives, they face new challenges and are confronted by greed, family secrets, and miscommunication.
This Motherless Land is the coming of age story of two cousins, two cultures, family, friendship, identity, and love. I really enjoyed this book, even if a few plot points were fairly convenient. I listened to the audiobook and staying curious to find out what was in store for Funke and for Liv.
August 2, 2025
A truly wonderful book – fascinating and highly readable.
January 9, 2025
I read this after a recommendation and thoroughly enjoyed it (even if the plot stretched the bounds of coincidence a little at times).
The story follows Funke, a young Nigerian girl whose mother and brother are killed in a horrific car accident that leaves her unscathed. To protect her from her father's family (who think she is possessed) she is sent to England to stay with her aunt.
However the family are not so welcoming and the only friend Funke (with her name now changed by her aunt, to Catherine) has is her cousin, Liv.
The story then follows the girls as they grow to maturity when another tragic accident will leave Funke alone and having to negotiate a new life for the second time in her 18 years.
As I said there are some quite forced coincidences in regards to connections with family but otherwise this is a well written, enjoyable story with an extremely satisfying conclusion.
It would make a great book club read with a lot of difficult subjects covered, such as racism, colonialism, family, greed, homosexuality belonging and friendship.
The story follows Funke, a young Nigerian girl whose mother and brother are killed in a horrific car accident that leaves her unscathed. To protect her from her father's family (who think she is possessed) she is sent to England to stay with her aunt.
However the family are not so welcoming and the only friend Funke (with her name now changed by her aunt, to Catherine) has is her cousin, Liv.
The story then follows the girls as they grow to maturity when another tragic accident will leave Funke alone and having to negotiate a new life for the second time in her 18 years.
As I said there are some quite forced coincidences in regards to connections with family but otherwise this is a well written, enjoyable story with an extremely satisfying conclusion.
It would make a great book club read with a lot of difficult subjects covered, such as racism, colonialism, family, greed, homosexuality belonging and friendship.
July 26, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. When Funke’s Nigerian life is tragically upended, she is unwillingly sent to live with her mother’s English family in the crumbling family mansion. Only cousin Liv offers warmth and kindness, a complete contrast to her cold and resentful aunt. After successfully integrating into English life, verging on starting medical school, manipulative Aunt Margot sends Funke back to the care of her father, who unbeknownst to her has quickly remarried and erased memories of her mother. As Funke struggles readjusting to life in Nigeria, Liv blames herself for Funke’s tragic departure and her self destructive partying lifestyle escalates. As time passes, both women have a chance to process the hurtful past. Another delightfully captivating novel by Nikki May.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.
December 23, 2024
4.5 stars
Having enjoyed Nikki May's Wahala, I was eager to dive into This Motherless Land and I was hooked from the start. I rooted for Funke from the moment her character was introduced and loved her connection to her British cousin, Olivia. The bond between Funke and Liv felt very genuine, as did the means of their separation. The scenes in Nigeria definitely have more color. The characters, food, setting—all it—is more visceral than those set in the UK. I stayed up late getting to the end because I had to know how things would end between the cousins. I knocked off a star because I wish Margot, the villain, had been more complex. Definitely recommend for fans of family drama, found family, and blended families.
Having enjoyed Nikki May's Wahala, I was eager to dive into This Motherless Land and I was hooked from the start. I rooted for Funke from the moment her character was introduced and loved her connection to her British cousin, Olivia. The bond between Funke and Liv felt very genuine, as did the means of their separation. The scenes in Nigeria definitely have more color. The characters, food, setting—all it—is more visceral than those set in the UK. I stayed up late getting to the end because I had to know how things would end between the cousins. I knocked off a star because I wish Margot, the villain, had been more complex. Definitely recommend for fans of family drama, found family, and blended families.
March 24, 2025
Read with Jenna Oct. ‘24 pick. Author Nikki May took her inspiration from Jane Austens’ Mansfield Park and has given me the push to read it. Set in Nigeria, Somerset and London, the story follows Funke, born to a Nigerian father and an English mother who is disowned by her family because he is African. Funke tragically loses her mother and brother, and in grief her father sends her to live with her mother’s family. Funke moves from Nigeria to London to live with her white aunt’s family that she’s never met. Now renamed Katherine, this is where she meets her cousin Liv.. her saving-grace. Then a different tragedy strikes. Keep the tissues handy as this was quite an emotional story. Maddening too.. I wanted to wring the auntie’s neck. But in the end can this family’s generational wrongs be righted or not. THIS MOTHERLESS LAND is a fresh take on strength and resilience against loss and indifference. Is a fascinating character driven, coming-of-age tale with themes of family, identity, racial dynamics, cultural differences, belonging and healing. I thoroughly enjoyed it. ❥ 4.5 stars — Pub. 10/29/24
November 21, 2024
Disappointing. This Motherless Land starts off as Funke’s story: after a tragic event, she is sent away from Nigeria to live with her British relatives. In short order, we realize that the book is not about Funke at all. Using a tacky plot device, replete with miscommunication and deceit, the author switches to Liv, Funke’s British cousin. Then the boring plot takes us through Liv’s two-decade-long journey of self-discovery, where she ultimately confronts her racism and finds love.
March 9, 2025
My favorite book of the year so far! I loved everything about this book - the characters, the writing, the turns the plot took and the differing time periods. Parts were certainly difficult to read but the struggles made the ending even that much more beautiful and satisfying.
January 8, 2026
I just finished This Motherless Land ; a very moving read and I absolutely loved it. Even though I haven't read Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, this retelling completely swept me away.
Nikki May’s writing is effortlessly smooth, transporting you seamlessly between the vibrant energy of Lagos, Nigeria, and the quiet countryside of Somerset, England.
At its heart, this is a moving story about two cousins, Funke and Liz, who are both navigating the void left by a mother’s love. While Funke deals with the grief of a tragic accident, Liz struggles under the weight of a toxic, narcissistic mother. It’s a rich, emotional journey that explores racism, classism, and the complex path to healing through sisterhood. A must-read!
Nikki May’s writing is effortlessly smooth, transporting you seamlessly between the vibrant energy of Lagos, Nigeria, and the quiet countryside of Somerset, England.
At its heart, this is a moving story about two cousins, Funke and Liz, who are both navigating the void left by a mother’s love. While Funke deals with the grief of a tragic accident, Liz struggles under the weight of a toxic, narcissistic mother. It’s a rich, emotional journey that explores racism, classism, and the complex path to healing through sisterhood. A must-read!
November 29, 2024
3.75. I really enjoyed this story. I thought the characters were interesting and definitely kept me turning the pages!
It was a retelling of Mansfield Park (which I’ve never read,) so I’m sure there were ties to that that I couldn’t appreciate😅
There was some content that wasn’t my fave but overall enjoyed my read!
It was a retelling of Mansfield Park (which I’ve never read,) so I’m sure there were ties to that that I couldn’t appreciate😅
There was some content that wasn’t my fave but overall enjoyed my read!
October 5, 2025
This book was so much more than i expected. The family drama and the toxic mother relationship were the perfect combination of conflict. Though the character of Margot we never learned the why. Why all the hatred. Or was she just the perfect example of a narcissist? Narcissist usually have likable qualities though and she was all villain.
Where I really felt like the author shined was in her characters. The friendship between the two cousins. And how she described moving between two vastly different cultures. For a person, who has lived between two countries for a decade, she wrote this authentically. How you go through this adjustment period until things feel normal, and then when you return and the adjustment starts all over again.
Where I really felt like the author shined was in her characters. The friendship between the two cousins. And how she described moving between two vastly different cultures. For a person, who has lived between two countries for a decade, she wrote this authentically. How you go through this adjustment period until things feel normal, and then when you return and the adjustment starts all over again.
December 25, 2024
"Families are complicated things." I loved this retelling of Mansfield Park by Nikki May. The relationship between cousins Olivia and Funke from Nigeria is heartwarming and endearing. Their mothers are British sisters, and when tragedy strikes, Funke is sent to live with her relatives in England. She isn't accepted warmly by most of her family. She is half British and half Nigerian, but most of the family see her as black. There are also differences of culture, class, and accent. As time moves on, there is damage done within the family that is heartbreaking. Can generational wrongs ever be made right? This is a very relatable story, and I loved both main characters. Another win by Read with Jenna.
December 7, 2024
Frankly I did not have a lot of expectations for this particular read. I had it as an ALC from Libro fm
Just like I did the author’s Wahala . After reading that the chaos in it did not make this one appealing, but I did like this one. Even though there were implausible scenarios (just like in Wahala which was even a bit much ; Yh I’d keep comparing) I feel the author has really done great with this book. There was a lot to unpack especially emotionally. She tackled heavy topics and wove them intricately into the whole story and it was commendable. Everything tied up nicely for me in the end even though I had to get through a lot of happenings to get there , Yh I’d recommend this read . Look out for triggers though;
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Dysphoria
Just like I did the author’s Wahala . After reading that the chaos in it did not make this one appealing, but I did like this one. Even though there were implausible scenarios (just like in Wahala which was even a bit much ; Yh I’d keep comparing) I feel the author has really done great with this book. There was a lot to unpack especially emotionally. She tackled heavy topics and wove them intricately into the whole story and it was commendable. Everything tied up nicely for me in the end even though I had to get through a lot of happenings to get there , Yh I’d recommend this read . Look out for triggers though;
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, and Dysphoria
December 29, 2024
6 stars. With 3 days left in 2024, did I just read my new favorite book of the year? I think so!
I adored Funke and my heart broke for her throughout this book. Life dealt her a hard hand but she she took it in stride. I loved following her journey throughout childhood and adulthood. I didn’t really care for Liv at all. Nikki May has become an autobuy author for me—I love love her writing.
I adored Funke and my heart broke for her throughout this book. Life dealt her a hard hand but she she took it in stride. I loved following her journey throughout childhood and adulthood. I didn’t really care for Liv at all. Nikki May has become an autobuy author for me—I love love her writing.
February 1, 2025
Did not put down, cried twice
August 1, 2025
She’d searched that motherless land in vain, looked for Mum all over The Ring, tried to find her by the lightning tree, sought her out at the folly. But she’d been in Lagos all along.
Reading this book was like what I imagine it feels like to be jumped, just constant, unending pain with almost no reprieve. It was like curling up into a ball and weeping for over 100 pages. Just a prevailing, relentless sense of injustice that genuinely made me want to fling the Kindle at the wall. There is nothing like a book that riles you up, that makes you well and truly angry. It's easy for a story to make you happy, to make you sad even, but to make you want to scream yourself hoarse for characters who exist only on paper is a feat of stellar storytelling. And This Motherless Land passed that test with flying colours. I hated characters with the same vigor that I loved others. A good balance, albeit a little maddening for my well-being.
This is a book about identity and family, about what it means to have a home and what it means to belong. Following the lives of two cousins, Funke, the daughter of an English mother and a Nigerian father, and Liv, a bubbly, bright spark in grey, rainy Somerset, we embark on a journey that spans decades, as their lives brush, intertwine, untangle, and then fray to pieces. We go back and forth from Nigeria and England, seeing through different years and different people as both girls grow. There are troubles and triumphs, love, hate, friendship, and failure. It is an all-encompassing story about the endurance of the human heart and the strength of survival, where characters are allowed to be flawed, imperfect people who grate on your nerves even as you root for them. Family is complicated, a lesson we learn over and over.
It's a fish out of water story that tackles racism, class, and prejudice. Funke is forced to move from her home after a tragedy and must adjust to living in the strange, motherless land of England with the Stone family. We see the difference from her perspective, the contrast between the two countries. The themes are highlighted in how her mother's family treats her and acts around her, how their perception of starving Africans living in huts colors their perceptions of a brown-skinned little girl who has been torn away from all she knows. Most of the racism Funke experiences isn't overt or explicit; there are no slurs spat or punches thrown. This is a quiet, deadly discrimination, with microaggressions galore.
Liv came to Funke’s attic bedroom first thing and tucked her in at night. In between, they were joined by an invisible thread.
The Stones are terrible people all around, the source of most of my ire. You'll want to kick them in the shins at least once every appearance on the page. Rude, judgmental, posh but somehow also poor? They never feel exaggerated or over the top; they are the insidious examples of real people, presented in a rich and reflective reality. I could see them staring across the street, and I could hear every biting remark. Never once do you question that could exist. Nasty people who believe themselves to be better than everyone are a cornerstone of our humble humanity. People suck. Seriously. And those who suffer the consequences of people being awful are often those who haven't done anything at all. Something this book wants you to understand: you can be good and do good, and still suffer, but even then, you have to keep on.
Funke and Liv grow up in two Englands, two perspectives of the same land. Similar but not the same. The way both countries are presented to us is remarkably fresh and clever. The reader is allowed to see the good and the bad of both unashamedly. There is no nose in the air, saying one is better than the other. Wet and dreary England, steaming and humid Nigeria. England, where the food is bread and butter and bland, Nigeria, where it's so spicy it makes you sweat. In England, the disparity among classes underpins everything, but in an understated or underhanded way that may not be as obvious. In Nigeria, disparity is more outright, with bowing and honorifics, barefoot children running alongside children in crisp school uniforms.
It is a crisp examination of heritage and culture, explored with an open mind and curious kindness that never feels judgmental. And there are, of course, similarities too. Nigeria was an English colony. Nepotism and connections still run rampant in both, having a long reach or a long-leg. We see how this affects those without connections and how it can browbeat them into silence and suffering. One phone call, one recalled friendship, and all is well or all is hell. No country is better and none is worse. Somerset or Lagos, it all depends on who you are or where you're standing, and having money in your pocket means you can shake the whole world.
Turned out home was where the people you loved were. And you could have two.
It's a reckoning of heritage, of understanding the relationships between two countries and what it means to belong to more than one place. Resonant writing and colourful characters bring this book to life, and the powerful examination of class and racism makes it soar. The places we visit are detailed and descriptive, and the sometimes (very sparingly) absurd hijinks will make you laugh aloud. A reflective journey where you feel an instant connection to the characters that doesn't falter even when you've finished and there's no more to read.
There was a moment, like a click, where you could see this book becoming something incredible, after a good first half. Perhaps an audible shift or a slow coming together. One chapter, where everything turns on its head and nothing is the same. It took it to greatness, a gallivanting train that never slowed down, sending me into a spiral of tears that would not stop. I knew then that I had connected with this story in a way I had not expected. And a book that surprises you is a bit like waking up to presents all around you on your birthday, a rush of excitement, love, and heartwarming happiness. I did not expect this to blow me away as it did.
The ending piles it on with marriages and engagements and children, and while it doesn't feel rushed, it could have breathed a little bit before wrapping up. Some things just happen a little too quickly. Yet after the rollercoaster of bad things, I was happy for some sugar-sweet joy and a happy ending. A story spanning decades, where kindness goes a long way, love rises above, and if you stumble and lose your way, you can find yourself again. Hurt isn't forever, and healing and hope are humanity's core.
What a way to end my worst reading slump in three years. It's like I've been blessed with a book that will stay with me for a long time.
November 27, 2024
I can already tell this is going to be an automatic 4 stars. I liked it. It was sweet, it was up and down, it was important... But it was too much build-up for the small amount of joy it finally delivered at the very end. I love love love dual POV, and that was employed here expertly, but it got too deceptive there at the end, and too many near misses and crossed wires happened to stress me out too badly before finally relieving the pressure. I wish a few more things had been emphasized, and that there had been more dialog, particularly at the end.
PLOT
Our story starts with Funke, who is 9, living in Nigeria with her Nigerian father and British mother and her little brother Femi. There's a horrible accident and Funke is sent to live with her mother's family in England. It's a grey, cold world and almost no one is kind to her, except her 10-yr-old cousin Liv, who is thrilled to have a little cousin to protect and play with.
Like in Mansfield Park, Funke (who is called Kate by all her British family) is given the bare minimum of everything, while her cousins are given better education and resources. But Funke thrives anyway, eventually getting a scholarship to a British university. Unfortunately, while Funke is thriving, Liv is slowly unraveling, and starts to resent Funke. More tragedy ensues, and Funke is sent back to Nigeria. By now, she had finally seen England as home and hates going back to Nigeria, and is quite bitter (totally rightfully so) about being sent back to "the bush."
Meanwhile, Liv hits at rock bottom in England and Funke slowly rebuilds her life in Nigeria. Through a bunch of wild and rushed circumstances, Liv finally pulls her life together and the two are finally reunited.
Happy Happy. Racism is Bad. The End.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
Funke lives in what I assume would be considered a modest situation in Nigeria as a child. And of course, living in Nigeria will always come with infrastructure issues (power, road conditions, etc...) that are not experienced in other parts of the world, but her family is actually quite well off. She is well educated and very bright. Because she is assumed to be stupid by her 'much more sophisticated' relatives in England (who live in a leaky, drafty, dilapidated mansion), I wish more about her education had been explored. She was denied the "better" school that Liv was sent to. She was denied her college education in Bristol. She still went on to be a doctor, but literally nothing of her education was covered (unless it had to do with her hot study partner).
When Funke goes back to Nigeria, her father is living in a different place and if you've never been to Nigeria, you'd have little context for all the subtle differences between where she lived as a child, where she lived while going to school, where her relatives live, and where Funke's father lives later. The author was definitely showing and not telling and I for sure appreciate that, but she could have used this opportunity to highlight ignorance AND the reversal of that ignorance on both sides.
What she did instead was introduce a bunch of characters that are not explored and are mostly forgettable but this one is wealthy, this one is old school, this one is "bush", this one is racist, this one is traditional. Again, it's showing and not telling, but it made those characters forgettable and it made you go "wait a minute, that was important, spend another minute on that!" I got so confused with the Nigerian family tree specifically because characters were just thrown in as someone's cousin or roommate or servant so you could get a glimpse (but no more!) of the varying attitudes in Nigeria. There's show-don't-tell, and then there's cheapening.
There was a blink-and-you'd-miss-it comparison between Liv and Funke's mother that was alluded to but I really really wish we could have explored more the fact that Liv was basically Funke's mother incarnate and it was beautiful when Liv finally made it to Nigeria and was so kind and joyful there. That deserved more. We deserved more of Funke's mother. We deserved more of Funke and Liv together under happier circumstances.
There's racism and microaggressions here that are completely glossed over. There's subtle and then there's barely there - swept under the rug.
ON MY SOAP BOX
One of the main themes that's really only mentioned in the book description is Funke being from two worlds and not belonging to either. She's mixed race and she refers only to her brother Femi calling himself yellow and embracing his mixed status in comparison to her embarrassment of it. This mixed race experience is not explored nearly enough! I say this as a mixed race person who has all sorts of things to say about never looking white enough or black enough to fit in anywhere. And being raised in Nigerian culture for 9 years? And then going to England? Barely a mention about how the habits of someone from a completely different culture would clash once you move to a vastly different place (the only one I can think of is how Funke was grossed out by baths). And the hair!!! ONE MENTION about how stressful the hair thing was for a child, who does not yet know how to do her own hair, and is suddenly thrust upon a bunch of white people!!! This is maybe small, but... no, it's not! The parts of the mixed race experience that make us feel so alienated all deserve more discussion. I think it was only explored here in terms of place, but not looks, or inner thoughts.
Every time I pictured Funke in my head, I pictured her as black and I had to constantly reset my mindset. This is a real problem!! I was supposed to see myself in this person and I did not. This, for me, was my biggest grievance with the book. Perhaps the author thought it would be overkill to constantly tell us about Funke's skin tone, but I think she has completely ignored the number of times our skin tone is forefront in our minds (she's also mixed race, right?!). How I can't use white or black skin care or hair care products. How I've been ogled by white people for being exotic, while I've been resented by black people for being able to pass. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED TO TOUCH MY HAIR!!! How I've felt inadequate being introduced to my black boyfriends' mothers, and how I've been shunned by white boyfriends' mothers.
TL;DR
Saying all that makes it sound like I didn't like it. What we got, I liked. So, while I think the author had a responsibility to make the mixed race experience more vivid, I guess my expectations are too high. Perhaps for some, the huge culture clash of Nigeria vs England will be enough. I'm coming from a much more subtle Baltimore-to-rural-Pennsylvania-back-to-Baltimore clash. I'll continue waiting for my book... I'm glad all these characters got the endings they deserved, I'm glad this exists.
PLOT
Our story starts with Funke, who is 9, living in Nigeria with her Nigerian father and British mother and her little brother Femi. There's a horrible accident and Funke is sent to live with her mother's family in England. It's a grey, cold world and almost no one is kind to her, except her 10-yr-old cousin Liv, who is thrilled to have a little cousin to protect and play with.
Like in Mansfield Park, Funke (who is called Kate by all her British family) is given the bare minimum of everything, while her cousins are given better education and resources. But Funke thrives anyway, eventually getting a scholarship to a British university. Unfortunately, while Funke is thriving, Liv is slowly unraveling, and starts to resent Funke. More tragedy ensues, and Funke is sent back to Nigeria. By now, she had finally seen England as home and hates going back to Nigeria, and is quite bitter (totally rightfully so) about being sent back to "the bush."
Meanwhile, Liv hits at rock bottom in England and Funke slowly rebuilds her life in Nigeria. Through a bunch of wild and rushed circumstances, Liv finally pulls her life together and the two are finally reunited.
Happy Happy. Racism is Bad. The End.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
Funke lives in what I assume would be considered a modest situation in Nigeria as a child. And of course, living in Nigeria will always come with infrastructure issues (power, road conditions, etc...) that are not experienced in other parts of the world, but her family is actually quite well off. She is well educated and very bright. Because she is assumed to be stupid by her 'much more sophisticated' relatives in England (who live in a leaky, drafty, dilapidated mansion), I wish more about her education had been explored. She was denied the "better" school that Liv was sent to. She was denied her college education in Bristol. She still went on to be a doctor, but literally nothing of her education was covered (unless it had to do with her hot study partner).
When Funke goes back to Nigeria, her father is living in a different place and if you've never been to Nigeria, you'd have little context for all the subtle differences between where she lived as a child, where she lived while going to school, where her relatives live, and where Funke's father lives later. The author was definitely showing and not telling and I for sure appreciate that, but she could have used this opportunity to highlight ignorance AND the reversal of that ignorance on both sides.
What she did instead was introduce a bunch of characters that are not explored and are mostly forgettable but this one is wealthy, this one is old school, this one is "bush", this one is racist, this one is traditional. Again, it's showing and not telling, but it made those characters forgettable and it made you go "wait a minute, that was important, spend another minute on that!" I got so confused with the Nigerian family tree specifically because characters were just thrown in as someone's cousin or roommate or servant so you could get a glimpse (but no more!) of the varying attitudes in Nigeria. There's show-don't-tell, and then there's cheapening.
There was a blink-and-you'd-miss-it comparison between Liv and Funke's mother that was alluded to but I really really wish we could have explored more the fact that Liv was basically Funke's mother incarnate and it was beautiful when Liv finally made it to Nigeria and was so kind and joyful there. That deserved more. We deserved more of Funke's mother. We deserved more of Funke and Liv together under happier circumstances.
There's racism and microaggressions here that are completely glossed over. There's subtle and then there's barely there - swept under the rug.
ON MY SOAP BOX
One of the main themes that's really only mentioned in the book description is Funke being from two worlds and not belonging to either. She's mixed race and she refers only to her brother Femi calling himself yellow and embracing his mixed status in comparison to her embarrassment of it. This mixed race experience is not explored nearly enough! I say this as a mixed race person who has all sorts of things to say about never looking white enough or black enough to fit in anywhere. And being raised in Nigerian culture for 9 years? And then going to England? Barely a mention about how the habits of someone from a completely different culture would clash once you move to a vastly different place (the only one I can think of is how Funke was grossed out by baths). And the hair!!! ONE MENTION about how stressful the hair thing was for a child, who does not yet know how to do her own hair, and is suddenly thrust upon a bunch of white people!!! This is maybe small, but... no, it's not! The parts of the mixed race experience that make us feel so alienated all deserve more discussion. I think it was only explored here in terms of place, but not looks, or inner thoughts.
Every time I pictured Funke in my head, I pictured her as black and I had to constantly reset my mindset. This is a real problem!! I was supposed to see myself in this person and I did not. This, for me, was my biggest grievance with the book. Perhaps the author thought it would be overkill to constantly tell us about Funke's skin tone, but I think she has completely ignored the number of times our skin tone is forefront in our minds (she's also mixed race, right?!). How I can't use white or black skin care or hair care products. How I've been ogled by white people for being exotic, while I've been resented by black people for being able to pass. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED TO TOUCH MY HAIR!!! How I've felt inadequate being introduced to my black boyfriends' mothers, and how I've been shunned by white boyfriends' mothers.
TL;DR
Saying all that makes it sound like I didn't like it. What we got, I liked. So, while I think the author had a responsibility to make the mixed race experience more vivid, I guess my expectations are too high. Perhaps for some, the huge culture clash of Nigeria vs England will be enough. I'm coming from a much more subtle Baltimore-to-rural-Pennsylvania-back-to-Baltimore clash. I'll continue waiting for my book... I'm glad all these characters got the endings they deserved, I'm glad this exists.
November 25, 2024
3.5 stars - this is hailed as a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, which I have not read. However, I thought the premise about a young Nigerian girl with an English mother who is forced to move to England after her mother's death was interesting. For the first 1/3 of the book, the premise seemed trite and a little too "YA" for me. The characters were predictable and one-dimensional. However, the story goes on to follow young Funke and her cousin Liv, into their 20's which is when they become far more interesting.
As they process the trauma of their youth, they both wrestle with being motherless, with racism, family dynamics, colonialism, and tragedy.
By the end, I was drawn to the warmth and entertainment of this novel, while also learning more about Nigerian culture and perspective.
Wonderful on Audible, with both English and Nigerian accents done well.
As they process the trauma of their youth, they both wrestle with being motherless, with racism, family dynamics, colonialism, and tragedy.
By the end, I was drawn to the warmth and entertainment of this novel, while also learning more about Nigerian culture and perspective.
Wonderful on Audible, with both English and Nigerian accents done well.
April 29, 2024
No one writes better about belonging to two cultures and belonging no where. Nikki May's second novel is written in a very different voice from Walhalla, her debut book. However she has once again brought her characters to life and made them three dimensional. By the time one finishes her book, one feels really sad to be losing the companionship of the personalities Nikki has created. There are wonderful 'extras' too like Billy the parrot who is likely to become a favourite with everyone who reads this book.
March 13, 2025
A Nigeran cousin is abruptly sent to live with her British cousin and her mother's family in England where she soon discovers that her mother's descriptions of family and her home and England are not completely accurate.
Reviews list this as a retelling of Mansfield Park, instead I found it to be more the flavor of Mansfield. Both works are a page turner filled with questions of belonging and connections. They also have great despicable women...yikes there is reason the nickname is maggots!
Great descriptions of food...from both cultures!
Reviews list this as a retelling of Mansfield Park, instead I found it to be more the flavor of Mansfield. Both works are a page turner filled with questions of belonging and connections. They also have great despicable women...yikes there is reason the nickname is maggots!
Great descriptions of food...from both cultures!
March 29, 2025
Nikki May's writing feels so effortless that I was immediately caught by Funke's voice. As others have commented, this book is only loosely based on Austen's Mansfield Park (and, indeed, there is a reference to a family named Bertram that has made the villainess of the novel angry, but it's never explained. Am I the only one left hanging by that?). May makes good use of the estranged family members motif, and the friendship between the two cousins (Funke and Liv) is very sweet. I felt like the ending was rushed and the villainous mother was a bit overdone, but overall this is a highly readable novel. The descriptions of cultural and class differences, as well as the critique of snobbery and racism, add depth to the narrative.
December 24, 2024
I like that cousins Funke and Liv are both strong characters. They are the same and different at the same time. They both have traits that you’re going to love.
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