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Imagine This
It is 1977 when nine-year old Lola Ogunwole is wrenched from all that is familiar in London and thrust into an alien culture. Abandoned by her father and separated from her brother, Lola must adjust to living without the basic necessities, where a drink of water entails a six mile trek into the bushes. Unable to speak the language and spurned by her relatives, Lola struggles to find her identity in a place where she doesn't quite fit.
Although sometimes bleak and harrowing, Imagine This is told with a feistiness and humour that provokes empathy towards Lola as she moves from childhood to adulthood, searching for love and acceptance and coming to terms with the hardest thing of all, loss.
Although sometimes bleak and harrowing, Imagine This is told with a feistiness and humour that provokes empathy towards Lola as she moves from childhood to adulthood, searching for love and acceptance and coming to terms with the hardest thing of all, loss.
331 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2007
15 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 29, 2025
Who is Omolola 'Lola' Olufunke Olufunmilayo Ogunwole? In 1977, after being left by their mother years earlier, Lola and her brother are taken from London, back to his homeland Nigeria; where it is felt that it takes a village to bring up a child, so they are promptly dumped with relatives in Nigerian villages. Told by way of journal entries, this wonderful and real-feeling narrator shares her life, and what it was like growing up in 1970s and 1980s Nigeria for an almost orphan girl amongst people that don't care much for her. Sometimes harrowing, but often just 'real' a delightful creation by Adeniran. ~ #NaijaLit! What! Thank you Sade:
A Four Star, 8.5 out of 12 read. Naija!
2019 read
A Four Star, 8.5 out of 12 read. Naija!
2019 read
February 4, 2009
Imagine this: being taken away from all that you cherish, all that you love and being thrust into a landscape that is frightening, bizarre and so incredibly different from all that you know.
This is exactly what happens to nine year old Lola Ogunwole. Born in London to Nigerian parents, her world is torn apart when her mother abandons Lola and her brother Adebola. They find themselves in a foster home until their father comes to claim them. Lola thinks that her troubles are over; but they have just begun.
Rather than lose both his children, he takes them from London to Nigeria to live with family members. Lola and Adebola are separated from each other for the first time in their lives. Adebola goes to live with an uncle in the small town of Lagos and Lola finds herself living with an aunt in Idogun.
Idogun is unlike anywhere that Lola has lived before. Poverty is rampant in the village and there is no electricity, no indoor toilets, and no conveniences. Only a hard life and a world so removed from civilization that Lola feels like an outcast. Her one constant, her brother Adebola, removed from her, Lola feels more alone than ever.
Her family does not make it easy for her either. For no reason that Lola can think of, her aunt hates her. She is made to walk miles and miles every morning for water. She has to learn to adapt herself to a life of hardship; a life of difficulty and a father that seems to be cutting himself off from her.
But like all things, time passes and hardships increase. Lola starts to change and mature. No longer is she the spoiled little girl from London. Lola starts becoming a woman. But when she is tested, when something so earth shattering happens that Lola does not speak for days, something inside her changes.
She knows that she must fight to get where she wants, otherwise her heart and her spirit will perish….
My brief summary of the plot does not do the scope of this novel justice. Told in diary format, we are really reading Lola’s journal; her inner thoughts, her inner demons are poured out onto the page for all of us to read. Because of her words, I find myself changed forever.
I can’t express how good, how utterly amazing, this novel is. The fact that this is Adeniran’s first novel is astounding. There is so much depth here, so much feeling and emotion that it is hard to believe I’m not reading the work of a seasoned writer. Imagine This is pure, unadulterated storytelling and the power of it is incredible.
Because it’s told in a diary format, we see into Lola’s head and her thoughts a lot more clearly than if the novel was told in first person or third person. Indeed, we get to read her private wishes, dreams and aspirations for the future.
After a while I forgot I was reading a novel and could picture Lola scratching away in her diary. I felt I could reach out and touch her.
Few authors are able to render a character so completely. Lola becomes not just a character on a page or words on paper. She lives and breathes alongside you as you read her story. I can honestly say I was blown away.
Few books have affected me as strongly as Imagine This and I know that my spirit carries a piece of Lola with me where ever I go now. I am haunted by her; by the sound of her voice in my head, her words on the page it’s hard to believe that Lola does not really exist. It’s hard to believe that I can’t reach out and touch her. This is the power of Adeniran’s amazing first novel.
Imagine This is not just a story, not just a novel. It’s about having the courage to face obstacles head on. It’s about finding the strength to survive and succeed that you didn’t know you had inside of you. But most of all, Imagine This is about the triumph of the heart.
If you read one good book this summer, make sure that it is Imagine This. Your heart will thank you for it.
This is exactly what happens to nine year old Lola Ogunwole. Born in London to Nigerian parents, her world is torn apart when her mother abandons Lola and her brother Adebola. They find themselves in a foster home until their father comes to claim them. Lola thinks that her troubles are over; but they have just begun.
Rather than lose both his children, he takes them from London to Nigeria to live with family members. Lola and Adebola are separated from each other for the first time in their lives. Adebola goes to live with an uncle in the small town of Lagos and Lola finds herself living with an aunt in Idogun.
Idogun is unlike anywhere that Lola has lived before. Poverty is rampant in the village and there is no electricity, no indoor toilets, and no conveniences. Only a hard life and a world so removed from civilization that Lola feels like an outcast. Her one constant, her brother Adebola, removed from her, Lola feels more alone than ever.
Her family does not make it easy for her either. For no reason that Lola can think of, her aunt hates her. She is made to walk miles and miles every morning for water. She has to learn to adapt herself to a life of hardship; a life of difficulty and a father that seems to be cutting himself off from her.
But like all things, time passes and hardships increase. Lola starts to change and mature. No longer is she the spoiled little girl from London. Lola starts becoming a woman. But when she is tested, when something so earth shattering happens that Lola does not speak for days, something inside her changes.
She knows that she must fight to get where she wants, otherwise her heart and her spirit will perish….
My brief summary of the plot does not do the scope of this novel justice. Told in diary format, we are really reading Lola’s journal; her inner thoughts, her inner demons are poured out onto the page for all of us to read. Because of her words, I find myself changed forever.
I can’t express how good, how utterly amazing, this novel is. The fact that this is Adeniran’s first novel is astounding. There is so much depth here, so much feeling and emotion that it is hard to believe I’m not reading the work of a seasoned writer. Imagine This is pure, unadulterated storytelling and the power of it is incredible.
Because it’s told in a diary format, we see into Lola’s head and her thoughts a lot more clearly than if the novel was told in first person or third person. Indeed, we get to read her private wishes, dreams and aspirations for the future.
After a while I forgot I was reading a novel and could picture Lola scratching away in her diary. I felt I could reach out and touch her.
Few authors are able to render a character so completely. Lola becomes not just a character on a page or words on paper. She lives and breathes alongside you as you read her story. I can honestly say I was blown away.
Few books have affected me as strongly as Imagine This and I know that my spirit carries a piece of Lola with me where ever I go now. I am haunted by her; by the sound of her voice in my head, her words on the page it’s hard to believe that Lola does not really exist. It’s hard to believe that I can’t reach out and touch her. This is the power of Adeniran’s amazing first novel.
Imagine This is not just a story, not just a novel. It’s about having the courage to face obstacles head on. It’s about finding the strength to survive and succeed that you didn’t know you had inside of you. But most of all, Imagine This is about the triumph of the heart.
If you read one good book this summer, make sure that it is Imagine This. Your heart will thank you for it.
December 6, 2013
Lovely book.
I went through the highs and lows with Omolola, pausing to laugh at her funny takes on life. I also found myself feeling sad with her, I didn't cry, but I felt like and probably looked it too.
Her voice didn't change throughout the 8 years of her journal keeping, which makes me wonder if the author got it right with younger Lola. I wondered if it wasn't a little beyond a 9 year old's ability, but 9 isn't so small afterall.
Oh, and I don't know how it was in the 80s, but I don't think students ever learnt Biology in 1st year of secondary school. *side-eye* at author.
I went through the highs and lows with Omolola, pausing to laugh at her funny takes on life. I also found myself feeling sad with her, I didn't cry, but I felt like and probably looked it too.
Her voice didn't change throughout the 8 years of her journal keeping, which makes me wonder if the author got it right with younger Lola. I wondered if it wasn't a little beyond a 9 year old's ability, but 9 isn't so small afterall.
Oh, and I don't know how it was in the 80s, but I don't think students ever learnt Biology in 1st year of secondary school. *side-eye* at author.
October 3, 2014
I found this book hard to put down, and it left me with a lot to think about - it's written as a diary, by a girl who moves from London to Nigeria with her brother. The writing style changes nicely from her as a young child, to as a teenager; she writes well throughout.
Her father's choices in how to bring her up remain a mystery throughout the book, and her life goes from something that I can identify with, to a world away from things I know. I would love to read a sequel to this, to see how her life ends up.
Her father's choices in how to bring her up remain a mystery throughout the book, and her life goes from something that I can identify with, to a world away from things I know. I would love to read a sequel to this, to see how her life ends up.
Read
January 26, 2016Loved this book for its awesome simplicity. An interesting debut novel and an amazing coming of age story. I would definitely 'imagine and hear Lola's voice long after the I've flipped close the pages of this book.
March 20, 2011
The best book I've ever read!!
April 2, 2012
I hope to meet Sade one day. And when I do, I will give her a big hug, and will hold tighlty unto her. She is a great writer.
Well done, Sade
Well done, Sade
May 24, 2018
Just got done with this book and my lesson from this is that what you seek is what you get but there's a lot of things in between and all that matters is how you react towards it. All the main character wanted was to return back to England from the very 1st page and got that desire at the last page but there was lots of pain, crying, laughter and experience. The descriptions were very vivid and has a lot to relate to because it was indigenous to our Nigerian society. I couldn't stop flipping through the pages.
August 9, 2022
This 3 star rating is strictly for how Sade Adeniran could write like a little girl, I imagine that took some skill. I think.
The story is boring, an endless series of unfortunate events with no climax to add substance to it and the diary style made it a struggle to read. The main character, Lola, despite all that happens to her has no depth and I couldn't sympathise with her or any of the other countless characters I had trouble keeping up with.
Or just maybe I am not the target audience for this book. After all, a high schooler lent it to me.
The story is boring, an endless series of unfortunate events with no climax to add substance to it and the diary style made it a struggle to read. The main character, Lola, despite all that happens to her has no depth and I couldn't sympathise with her or any of the other countless characters I had trouble keeping up with.
Or just maybe I am not the target audience for this book. After all, a high schooler lent it to me.
July 25, 2024
I loved this book. It was poignant, funny, sad, moving and a fascinating insight into a child's life in Nigeria. It's really beautifully written and the way Lola's ability to express herself develops as she gets older is so skillfully handled. Great read.
December 20, 2024
Although sometimes it’s too much to handle (unjustifiably so), this is a bittersweet drama that encompasses strong themes of identity and belonging. The protagonist is endearing enough to keep you interested.
February 28, 2018
Interesting
Too long in parts, a lot of characters not well developed and some editing errors but in general an okay read
Too long in parts, a lot of characters not well developed and some editing errors but in general an okay read
Read
June 5, 2019Wonderful
July 24, 2019
Really emotional
February 21, 2020
brilliant book!
June 26, 2020
Beautiful coming of age story of lola who has to find herself amongst the cards she's been dealt since moving to nigeria from uk.
October 22, 2020
An good and emotional story...a good to read book
June 16, 2022
What an amazing read. In a lot of ways I can relate to Lola. The ending was amazing though kinda sad because I'd hoped to see Lola flourish. All in all it was a good read.
July 4, 2022
I read this book in my first year in the university, it was very captivating that I had to read it overnight. It has a lovely plot and I recommend it.
December 7, 2012
Another fantastic debut by a Nigerian author I'd never ever heard of.
This novel is told through journal entries by the progtaginst Lola, a young Nigerian girl living in London until her world is turned upside down and she is dragged back to live in Nigeria. Once there, she and her close brother are separated and her father disowns her for his second family.
Lola details all her troubles and struggles whilst being sexually abused by family members, physically abused and starved before going to the lows of living on the streets...after disowned and thrown out by all the family members that she knows. Her father having no involvement in her life at all.
This is not a feel good book. Poor Lola goes through hell when she get's back to Nigeria. Her father ditches her with her family who don't seem to want anything to do with her and make her life a misery. She thinks things get better before they all come tumbling down all over again, this is a cycle that happens many times and I believe that people in Nigeria like Lola do exist, going through this hell in their daily existence...
Its such a sad novel but an outstanding one, I absolutely couldn't put it down. Lola is so well drawn alongside her bastard of a dad and abusive family members, you really feel as though all of these events are taking place right in front of you and that you could if you wanted, scream for it all to stop, to leave Lola alone...sadly not the case but it feels so very real. Probably because as I say, so many kids go through this kind of crap over there and over poverty ridden countries where food is the only thing that matters.
If you are interested in a young girls journey, a hard journey at that, into the depths of hell to come out truimphant, then this book is for you. Remember it's told in journal form however, so if that'll put you off, don't bother but I think that is what makes this novel so devastating and real.
I will pick up the next book by this author without a doubt.
This novel is told through journal entries by the progtaginst Lola, a young Nigerian girl living in London until her world is turned upside down and she is dragged back to live in Nigeria. Once there, she and her close brother are separated and her father disowns her for his second family.
Lola details all her troubles and struggles whilst being sexually abused by family members, physically abused and starved before going to the lows of living on the streets...after disowned and thrown out by all the family members that she knows. Her father having no involvement in her life at all.
This is not a feel good book. Poor Lola goes through hell when she get's back to Nigeria. Her father ditches her with her family who don't seem to want anything to do with her and make her life a misery. She thinks things get better before they all come tumbling down all over again, this is a cycle that happens many times and I believe that people in Nigeria like Lola do exist, going through this hell in their daily existence...
Its such a sad novel but an outstanding one, I absolutely couldn't put it down. Lola is so well drawn alongside her bastard of a dad and abusive family members, you really feel as though all of these events are taking place right in front of you and that you could if you wanted, scream for it all to stop, to leave Lola alone...sadly not the case but it feels so very real. Probably because as I say, so many kids go through this kind of crap over there and over poverty ridden countries where food is the only thing that matters.
If you are interested in a young girls journey, a hard journey at that, into the depths of hell to come out truimphant, then this book is for you. Remember it's told in journal form however, so if that'll put you off, don't bother but I think that is what makes this novel so devastating and real.
I will pick up the next book by this author without a doubt.
September 6, 2009
I thought that this book was stunning...though be prepared for Toad's Wild Ride as you follow the main character through a series of horrible life hurtles. At times it gets a little dull as you begin to anticipate the hardships and become desensitized to them. Still it's an eye opening fictional accout and worth the time.
October 5, 2011
I was initially apprehensive because it is written as journal entries throughout, but I soon fell in love with the style and the story. Having left England as a teenager to a life in Nigeria that I had little experience off, I could relate to some of Sade's story. I felt every emotion. A very insightful book, it's a shame it's not widely publicised.
September 5, 2012
Interesting read wherein the story tells of the experiences and emotions of a young girl born in England and returns to Nigeria. She finds herself in a foreign environment where the rules of the game are very different. Inspite of it all.... It does speak to the fact that we may never know the depth of our inner strength until truly tested. Very well done.
August 2, 2010
Prize winning novel about a young Nigerian girl who is left with her father's relatives in a village, but survives all the mistreatment by family and supposed friends. Written in the form of diary entries. Some parts are quite harrowing.
August 16, 2012
An impressive debut. A writer to watch out for, I think. My full review is here -
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.ph...
http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.ph...
August 24, 2016
Diary that starts with a nine year old girl who has been abandoned by mother and father. It was well written but very sad and could not be used in the classroom due to sexual content.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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