What do you think?
Rate this book
A Good Name
Twelve years in America and Eziafa Okereke has nothing to show for it. Desperate to re-write his story, Eziafa returns to Nigeria to find a woman he can mold to his taste. Eighteen-year-old Zina has big dreams. An arranged marriage to a much older man isn't one of them. Trapped by family expectations, Zina marries Eziafa, moves to Houston, and trains as a nurse. Buffeted by a series of disillusions, the couple stagger through a turbulent marriage until Zina decides to change the rules of engagement.
*Please note that this title has a content warning for domestic violence.
*Please note that this title has a content warning for domestic violence.
275 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2021
21 people are currently reading
1933 people want to read
About the author
Yejide Kilanko
11 books171 followersA writer of fiction and poetry, Kilanko’s debut novel, Daughters Who Walk This Path, a Canadian national bestseller, was longlisted for the 2016 Nigeria Literature Prize.
Her work includes a novella, Chasing Butterflies (2015), two children’s picture books, There Is An Elephant In My Wardrobe (2019), and Juba and The Fireball (2020). Her short fiction is in the anthology, New Orleans Review 2017: The African Literary Hustle. Her latest novel, A Good Name, is available now
Kilanko lives in Ontario, Canada, where she practices as a social worker.
Her work includes a novella, Chasing Butterflies (2015), two children’s picture books, There Is An Elephant In My Wardrobe (2019), and Juba and The Fireball (2020). Her short fiction is in the anthology, New Orleans Review 2017: The African Literary Hustle. Her latest novel, A Good Name, is available now
Kilanko lives in Ontario, Canada, where she practices as a social worker.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
August 8, 2021
A Good Name is a harrowing work highlighting the burden of cultural expectations, how these expectations shape the lived experiences and the relationships of immigrants.
After migrating to America, twelve years later Eziafa Okereke has nothing to show for it. With mounting pressure from his family, Eziafa returns home to Nigeria in a desperate bid to change his story. His goal is to find a wife he can mould to his taste and is suspicious of immigrant women who sway too far from traditional marital expectations. Eighteen-year-old Zina has big dreams and a future outlined. With an appropriately aged boyfriend and sights set on furthering her education, marriage to a man twenty years older is not part of the plan. Trapped by family expectations and duty, Zina agrees to an arranged marriage to the much older Eziafa. She then moves to Houston and trains as a nurse, a profession forced on her. Zina endures a turbulent marriage to a controlling Eziafa until she decides to change the narrative and expectations of her.
The writing and storytelling are engaging and fast paced, becoming a page turner I didn’t expect. This is the kind of story that you will want to discuss with others and would therefore be an excellent choice for a book club or buddy read. The complexity and moral greyness of the characters will make for great discussions and lessons. You will find yourself grappling with interpreting the choices made by the characters.
The portrayal of an immigrant life's frustrations, unfortunate choices made, emotional burden as well the failure to let go of cultural expectations around relationships and marriage were expertly done. This will be very foreign to those with little understanding of how the immigrant experience shapes daily life. However, it will provide a different lens through which to look at and understand these experiences.
“When drummers change their beats, we the dancers, must change our steps. The marriage drums of these times are speaking a different language. If we want our marriages to survive, we must learn the new dance steps”.
I found the ending to be haunting and personally devastating. An emotional rollercoaster, this book is relevant to today’s important conversations around domestic violence, its prevalence and normalization in certain communities. I encourage you to go into this one with eyes wide open and consider the trigger warnings around domestic violence.
This is my first experience with Yejide’s work, and I am look forward to exploring more from her.
Thanks to Guernica Editions for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. A Good Name is available in September 2021.
After migrating to America, twelve years later Eziafa Okereke has nothing to show for it. With mounting pressure from his family, Eziafa returns home to Nigeria in a desperate bid to change his story. His goal is to find a wife he can mould to his taste and is suspicious of immigrant women who sway too far from traditional marital expectations. Eighteen-year-old Zina has big dreams and a future outlined. With an appropriately aged boyfriend and sights set on furthering her education, marriage to a man twenty years older is not part of the plan. Trapped by family expectations and duty, Zina agrees to an arranged marriage to the much older Eziafa. She then moves to Houston and trains as a nurse, a profession forced on her. Zina endures a turbulent marriage to a controlling Eziafa until she decides to change the narrative and expectations of her.
The writing and storytelling are engaging and fast paced, becoming a page turner I didn’t expect. This is the kind of story that you will want to discuss with others and would therefore be an excellent choice for a book club or buddy read. The complexity and moral greyness of the characters will make for great discussions and lessons. You will find yourself grappling with interpreting the choices made by the characters.
The portrayal of an immigrant life's frustrations, unfortunate choices made, emotional burden as well the failure to let go of cultural expectations around relationships and marriage were expertly done. This will be very foreign to those with little understanding of how the immigrant experience shapes daily life. However, it will provide a different lens through which to look at and understand these experiences.
“When drummers change their beats, we the dancers, must change our steps. The marriage drums of these times are speaking a different language. If we want our marriages to survive, we must learn the new dance steps”.
I found the ending to be haunting and personally devastating. An emotional rollercoaster, this book is relevant to today’s important conversations around domestic violence, its prevalence and normalization in certain communities. I encourage you to go into this one with eyes wide open and consider the trigger warnings around domestic violence.
This is my first experience with Yejide’s work, and I am look forward to exploring more from her.
Thanks to Guernica Editions for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. A Good Name is available in September 2021.
July 9, 2021
Nigerian born Eziafa lives in Texas and drives a cab for living. Ambitious and desperately wanting to actualizing that American dream, he works hard and insulates himself in traditions and cultures that clash and collide. He marries a much younger Zina, hailing from his own village with approvals from his family. He decides on Zina, two decades his junior and only eighteen, to mold to his taste. Kilanko deftly brings this together in the gentle way Eziafa controls and executes Zina's life for her in their early days of marriage. Zina is bright, Zina is smart, Zina isn't even a fully functioning adult when she lands in America, already married to her older husband with dreams of education behind her eyelids. Though Zina's interests lies in business management, at her husband's insistence and passive control, she agrees to study nursing. Kilanko changes the tone of the book here and shifts the narration to Zina the moment she lands in America. We see the story unfold for the most part from her point of view while Eziafa watches their life together passively. The story goes as one would expect but then ends in a way one wouldn't.
The story is quite engaging and Kilanko's narration is crisp. Both the protagonists are tied to a culture that's foreign to those who watch them wither, and are unable to understand the bond they share with the families they left behind. The characters and their actions might be frustrating and that is a very good thing. And that's why perhaps the ending both shocks and doesn't shock at all.
Thank you Guernica Editions and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is quite engaging and Kilanko's narration is crisp. Both the protagonists are tied to a culture that's foreign to those who watch them wither, and are unable to understand the bond they share with the families they left behind. The characters and their actions might be frustrating and that is a very good thing. And that's why perhaps the ending both shocks and doesn't shock at all.
Thank you Guernica Editions and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
November 17, 2022Sigh!
What did I just read?
Wait first of all arranged marriages are sick and no body should be made to go through it. Well sometimes they work but mostly they backfire and both parties suffer the consequences. That being said , I think Zina was too harsh with Eziafe, I admit she didn’t like him but that was no fault of his . He also put a lot of his financial burden on her because he invested in her but also is that not what African parents do to us? They take you to school and consider it an investment which they intend to reap in their old age. One thing I liked about Eziafe was how he didn’t go on to produce children immediately he got married. He insisted on an IUD till they were financially ready . I appreciated that move and it was nice to see that initiative come from an African man.
Whatever the situation is Zina did Eziafe bad. She should have ended things with him before frolicking with another man. That was not fair to Eziafe. It was not him who forced her into the marriage in fact he was at some point in the beginning ready to call off the wedding if Zina had feelings for her boyfriend whom he had just found out but Zina said he Eziafe was her present and she was willing to go the extra mile for him. Why she did what she did I can’t explain. I guess environment changes people.
And Eziafe how the hell will you kill a woman because she doesn’t want you. It’s probably rejection he cannot handle. He feels he has wasted his life in service to the one woman who lied and cheated on him. No matter how you look at it I guess there was no easy way out of it. I feel really sad for Eziafe but he too contributed to his woes .
What did I just read?
Wait first of all arranged marriages are sick and no body should be made to go through it. Well sometimes they work but mostly they backfire and both parties suffer the consequences. That being said , I think Zina was too harsh with Eziafe, I admit she didn’t like him but that was no fault of his . He also put a lot of his financial burden on her because he invested in her but also is that not what African parents do to us? They take you to school and consider it an investment which they intend to reap in their old age. One thing I liked about Eziafe was how he didn’t go on to produce children immediately he got married. He insisted on an IUD till they were financially ready . I appreciated that move and it was nice to see that initiative come from an African man.
Whatever the situation is Zina did Eziafe bad. She should have ended things with him before frolicking with another man. That was not fair to Eziafe. It was not him who forced her into the marriage in fact he was at some point in the beginning ready to call off the wedding if Zina had feelings for her boyfriend whom he had just found out but Zina said he Eziafe was her present and she was willing to go the extra mile for him. Why she did what she did I can’t explain. I guess environment changes people.
And Eziafe how the hell will you kill a woman because she doesn’t want you. It’s probably rejection he cannot handle. He feels he has wasted his life in service to the one woman who lied and cheated on him. No matter how you look at it I guess there was no easy way out of it. I feel really sad for Eziafe but he too contributed to his woes .
April 5, 2023
This book is divided into three parts, and each focuses on a different perspective for either of the main characters. While the story focuses on the challenges they face in their marriage, the writer also addresses issues of domestic violence, culteral expectations, parenthood, and grief.
The story was easy to read and follow along. As the challenges of their marriage take the center of the story, I enjoyed the way the story navigates through many emotions.
The end was shocking!! I didn't expect Eziafa to do that. There's nothing to prepare a reader for that kind of end, and it's so damaging.
Overall, the book is a good read and an easy one to recommend. I enjoyed it.
The story was easy to read and follow along. As the challenges of their marriage take the center of the story, I enjoyed the way the story navigates through many emotions.
The end was shocking!! I didn't expect Eziafa to do that. There's nothing to prepare a reader for that kind of end, and it's so damaging.
Overall, the book is a good read and an easy one to recommend. I enjoyed it.
December 11, 2023
A very captivating read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I maintain my stance that Nigerian authors need to write happy books. The tragic ending was unnecessary.
September 18, 2021
This novel examines two Nigerians living in Houston in an arranged marriage. In the first part, we meet a 38-year old taxi-driving Eziafa Okerekea, disillusioned by the lure of the idyllic and elusive “American Dream.” Although frustrated and disappointed by years of denied opportunity and stalled success, he chooses to remain in the US to avoid the perceived shame of returning home penniless. Fairly early in the novel, we realize he carries financial and emotional burdens levied on him from his aging mother to marry a woman from their local village. Even as he struggles to make ends meet for himself, he reluctantly deepens his financial debt by agreeing to marry an 18-year-old Zani. Key components of the mandated tradition are the bestowing of gratuitous gifts to quite a number of “friends” and relatives (including the future in-laws), paying the exorbitant “bride price”, and the expense of the wedding ceremony(ies), including extravagant wedding attire for his mother, sister, etc.
After the wedding, the point of view shifts from Eziafa to Zani. Initially, a young, naive, and obedient girl/daughter/bride we watch her transformation into a young, independent wife/woman who develops a voice and agency with surprising (yet obvious) results [avoiding spoilers here].
The themes of family honor and obedience to the will of one’s parents (and in this case the cultural deference to one’s husband) weigh heavily in the plotlines. The novel delves into the internal struggles of (Nigerian) immigrants to comply with seemingly outdated, nonsensical (Igbo) traditions while living abroad adapting to and adopting new/different freedoms and social mores. It also examines the myth that life abroad instantly translates to wealth and fortune; and the (financial) pressure to support those who remain in Nigeria. In this novel, we see how these conventions cause unnecessary financial strains/huge debts, support forced/arranged marriages (usually involving child brides), encourage conjugal rape resulting in multiple unwanted pregnancies and marriages that result in years of abuse, subjugation, and servitude. It also showcases how this patriarchal society in which women’s choices are severely limited and tied to the will and demands of their father/parents --particularly women who are impoverished, undereducated, and in rural settings. Expectations are high and the consequences for deviating or evolving are costly -- especially for the women.
I found a glimmer of hope in a couple of male characters who seemed to embrace change, reason, and compromise. I can only hope that their way of thinking is contagious.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to read and review!
After the wedding, the point of view shifts from Eziafa to Zani. Initially, a young, naive, and obedient girl/daughter/bride we watch her transformation into a young, independent wife/woman who develops a voice and agency with surprising (yet obvious) results [avoiding spoilers here].
The themes of family honor and obedience to the will of one’s parents (and in this case the cultural deference to one’s husband) weigh heavily in the plotlines. The novel delves into the internal struggles of (Nigerian) immigrants to comply with seemingly outdated, nonsensical (Igbo) traditions while living abroad adapting to and adopting new/different freedoms and social mores. It also examines the myth that life abroad instantly translates to wealth and fortune; and the (financial) pressure to support those who remain in Nigeria. In this novel, we see how these conventions cause unnecessary financial strains/huge debts, support forced/arranged marriages (usually involving child brides), encourage conjugal rape resulting in multiple unwanted pregnancies and marriages that result in years of abuse, subjugation, and servitude. It also showcases how this patriarchal society in which women’s choices are severely limited and tied to the will and demands of their father/parents --particularly women who are impoverished, undereducated, and in rural settings. Expectations are high and the consequences for deviating or evolving are costly -- especially for the women.
I found a glimmer of hope in a couple of male characters who seemed to embrace change, reason, and compromise. I can only hope that their way of thinking is contagious.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to read and review!
July 21, 2021
A good name is a devastating fictional novel about the difficulties of immigrants coming in to the America and adjusting to the cultural changes that overtake them.
Eziafaka and Zena are a couple through and arranged marriage who come from Nigeria and move into Houston Texas and have great difficulty in adjusting. A good name is written by Yajide Kilanko, a Nigerian-Canadian poet, author, and social worker.
Eziafaka, an immigrant living in the US for 12 years, has lived in Minnesota and most recently in Houston, Texas. He has a girlfriend whom he loves but his mother does not approve so he is called back to Nigeria to find a wife. He locates a much younger wife, Zena, in his village and brings her to Houston Texas. He tries to keep her in his apartment until he has made his fortune but she wants to go back to school in business. Eziafaka, decides that she should go into nursing and this, as wells as many other issues, becomes to be a problem for the couple. Zena develops many friendships outside the home which makes matters even worse because Eziafaka begins not to trust her.
Eziafaka also has pressures from home in Nigeria which he must deal with. As he gets more and more under stress the story inevitably leads down the road to disastrous consequences.
Both Zena and her husband are unique characters. Kilanko teaches us a lot about the cultural issues they must deal with. Zena is young and naive while Eziafaka is too wrapped up in how other people’s perceptions are everything. They deal poorly with the transition between Nigeria and the US which leads them down a disastrous track. The story is interesting in that there are no innately evil people in the story. It's just people that due to circumstances and a lack of understanding of how to adjust, things go bad.
One develops an appreciation for the novel at the very end. During the bulk of the novel I feels more like it was a love story gone bad, with poor love triangles and that sort of thing - somewhat like a Harlequin romance. It is only at the end of the story that you understand the implications of the cultural indoctrination that seals this couple’s fate. That is the uniqueness of this novel and it's redeeming feature.
The story will appeal to people who like stories about relationships. At the same time there is a significant lesson about domestic violence. I give the novel three on five because it took so long to unfold. I want to thank NetGalley and Guernsey for providing me a digital copy of this novel I am provide the review voluntarily
Eziafaka and Zena are a couple through and arranged marriage who come from Nigeria and move into Houston Texas and have great difficulty in adjusting. A good name is written by Yajide Kilanko, a Nigerian-Canadian poet, author, and social worker.
Eziafaka, an immigrant living in the US for 12 years, has lived in Minnesota and most recently in Houston, Texas. He has a girlfriend whom he loves but his mother does not approve so he is called back to Nigeria to find a wife. He locates a much younger wife, Zena, in his village and brings her to Houston Texas. He tries to keep her in his apartment until he has made his fortune but she wants to go back to school in business. Eziafaka, decides that she should go into nursing and this, as wells as many other issues, becomes to be a problem for the couple. Zena develops many friendships outside the home which makes matters even worse because Eziafaka begins not to trust her.
Eziafaka also has pressures from home in Nigeria which he must deal with. As he gets more and more under stress the story inevitably leads down the road to disastrous consequences.
Both Zena and her husband are unique characters. Kilanko teaches us a lot about the cultural issues they must deal with. Zena is young and naive while Eziafaka is too wrapped up in how other people’s perceptions are everything. They deal poorly with the transition between Nigeria and the US which leads them down a disastrous track. The story is interesting in that there are no innately evil people in the story. It's just people that due to circumstances and a lack of understanding of how to adjust, things go bad.
One develops an appreciation for the novel at the very end. During the bulk of the novel I feels more like it was a love story gone bad, with poor love triangles and that sort of thing - somewhat like a Harlequin romance. It is only at the end of the story that you understand the implications of the cultural indoctrination that seals this couple’s fate. That is the uniqueness of this novel and it's redeeming feature.
The story will appeal to people who like stories about relationships. At the same time there is a significant lesson about domestic violence. I give the novel three on five because it took so long to unfold. I want to thank NetGalley and Guernsey for providing me a digital copy of this novel I am provide the review voluntarily
August 15, 2021
The heartbreak this was. It took me a few days to finish this story & I can’t believe I made it out in one piece. I sat with it for a while. I needed time.
I was afraid for Zina from the moment she landed in America & I was relieved that Jovita got away. They weren’t the only two prominent women in this story but they stuck with me the most. Both are from the same traditional culture but one was raised outside of all those expectations & the other was raised by them. Without spoiling it, I can tell you these two women showed how horribly wrong or incredibly right life can turn out depending on how influential “tradition” is in their upbringing.
This story took on a tone so real & sinister that it’s heartbreaking all over again that this is the real-life of many women. Raised as possessions to be traded & treated as such, their own aspirations & desires be damned. When you are desired because you can be possessed it’s a deeply disturbing & often fatal existence & that’s one of the thoughts that I can’t shake even days after reading this story.
#Netgalley #ARC
I was afraid for Zina from the moment she landed in America & I was relieved that Jovita got away. They weren’t the only two prominent women in this story but they stuck with me the most. Both are from the same traditional culture but one was raised outside of all those expectations & the other was raised by them. Without spoiling it, I can tell you these two women showed how horribly wrong or incredibly right life can turn out depending on how influential “tradition” is in their upbringing.
This story took on a tone so real & sinister that it’s heartbreaking all over again that this is the real-life of many women. Raised as possessions to be traded & treated as such, their own aspirations & desires be damned. When you are desired because you can be possessed it’s a deeply disturbing & often fatal existence & that’s one of the thoughts that I can’t shake even days after reading this story.
#Netgalley #ARC
December 16, 2022
You can take a man out of the village but you can’t take the village out of the man. Eziafa Okereke is an Ibo man from Nigeria living in Houston.
After twelve years, he returns to Nigeria to find a good village wife despite falling in love with an African American with Ibo parents because he wanted someone ‘fresh’ and with a good name.
In this fast paced immigration story, Yejide Kilanko explores morality, cultural expectations, black tax, relationships and marriage.
Although sad in parts, other parts were heart warming and even brought smiles to my face. I loved the character development in this book, it is such that even minor characters were lovable and unforgettable.
After twelve years, he returns to Nigeria to find a good village wife despite falling in love with an African American with Ibo parents because he wanted someone ‘fresh’ and with a good name.
In this fast paced immigration story, Yejide Kilanko explores morality, cultural expectations, black tax, relationships and marriage.
Although sad in parts, other parts were heart warming and even brought smiles to my face. I loved the character development in this book, it is such that even minor characters were lovable and unforgettable.
May 7, 2023
I keep asking myself what the point of it was.
November 25, 2021
Enjoyed this book. I feel like the story could have been developed a bit more but it still flowed nicely from start to end. Read this for my book club. Looking forward to the discussion with the author.
January 28, 2023
3.5 stars
May 21, 2024
I have never hated a character so much in my life : (((
This was not the ending I wanted😢
no more African literature for me, they all make me sad
This was not the ending I wanted😢
no more African literature for me, they all make me sad
Read
November 28, 2023I'm not sure this book has a point.. Not taking away from how it all ended and the importance of that topic but no.
August 5, 2021
This is one good book that left me “speechless”.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.
I would want to spoil it for you so just go get it and read for yourself.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.
I would want to spoil it for you so just go get it and read for yourself.
July 5, 2021
***Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review***
A Good Name started out giving me one impression, but then completely changed course and focus. One of the main characters, Eziafa, hasn't found the success he expected after moving to the US from Nigeria, but he does find a woman who brings him great joy. Unfortunately, she does not meet the requirements set by his mother, and so he returns to Nigeria to marry a young woman barely out of childhood in order to "mold" her to his preferences.
From there, the book also includes the perspective of his wife, Zina, who must bend to her new husband's will but finds little ways here and there to discover the US for herself. As time moves forward, we see how the two grow apart even further and their inner turmoil.
The writing was engaging and I greatly enjoyed reading this book. My only small complaint is that the end felt very abrupt. After spending so much time with the characters, I expected to have a bit more explanation of the events, but I also think it was effective to not have it all spelled out so that the reader was left with appropriately jarring feelings.
A Good Name started out giving me one impression, but then completely changed course and focus. One of the main characters, Eziafa, hasn't found the success he expected after moving to the US from Nigeria, but he does find a woman who brings him great joy. Unfortunately, she does not meet the requirements set by his mother, and so he returns to Nigeria to marry a young woman barely out of childhood in order to "mold" her to his preferences.
From there, the book also includes the perspective of his wife, Zina, who must bend to her new husband's will but finds little ways here and there to discover the US for herself. As time moves forward, we see how the two grow apart even further and their inner turmoil.
The writing was engaging and I greatly enjoyed reading this book. My only small complaint is that the end felt very abrupt. After spending so much time with the characters, I expected to have a bit more explanation of the events, but I also think it was effective to not have it all spelled out so that the reader was left with appropriately jarring feelings.
January 2, 2022
4.5/5
My favourite read of summer 2021, and recommended to all my friends and family.
Kilanko makes the proverbial weight of familial expectations concrete, deconstructing what success means for some in the Nigerian diaspora, and exploring social norms that subjugate and silence women. There are many Eziafas and Zinas, many with similar stories and trajectories, yet Kilanko’s strong character development renders the co-protagonists distinct and intriguing.
Throughout the novel, I found myself impressed at the accuracy of the Igbo proverbs and slang, descriptions of cultural practices, and attention to detail. Eziafakaego's name translates to "A good name is greater than money," and this thread stretches from the first to last page. Why do appearances matter so much when realities pale in comparison? What is so compelling about the need to pass on a family name at all costs? Why are women expected to capitulate and bend to the will of male partners and cultural expectations?
11 years in the making and inspired by harrowing headlines and domestic violence crime patterns, A Good Name juxtaposes the joys and plights of Nigerian culture—as humanly flawed as any and with a particular focus on ndi Igbo—in a way that feels genuine and considered.
My favourite read of summer 2021, and recommended to all my friends and family.
Kilanko makes the proverbial weight of familial expectations concrete, deconstructing what success means for some in the Nigerian diaspora, and exploring social norms that subjugate and silence women. There are many Eziafas and Zinas, many with similar stories and trajectories, yet Kilanko’s strong character development renders the co-protagonists distinct and intriguing.
Throughout the novel, I found myself impressed at the accuracy of the Igbo proverbs and slang, descriptions of cultural practices, and attention to detail. Eziafakaego's name translates to "A good name is greater than money," and this thread stretches from the first to last page. Why do appearances matter so much when realities pale in comparison? What is so compelling about the need to pass on a family name at all costs? Why are women expected to capitulate and bend to the will of male partners and cultural expectations?
11 years in the making and inspired by harrowing headlines and domestic violence crime patterns, A Good Name juxtaposes the joys and plights of Nigerian culture—as humanly flawed as any and with a particular focus on ndi Igbo—in a way that feels genuine and considered.
June 8, 2021
Once I started to read this book, I could not put it down until I finished. Kilanko is an expert storyteller and presents the dilemma of how one continues with tradition and follows cultural norms when the world has shifted and one has left the village. It is a fascinating tale. The reader is left wondering who to feel sorry for when every character is truly trying their best. This would be an excellent choice for a book group as there is plenty of character and content to discuss. I look forward to reading more of Kilanko's work.
December 10, 2023
What an ending! The message this book was trying to communicate may have eluded me so I’ll leave it at 3 stars and call it a day.
August 20, 2021
Review: A Good Name by Yejide Kilanko.
A Good Name is a story that features the main character, thirty-seven-year-old Eziafakaego Okereke, who has been living in America for the past twelve years. Disappointed to find that his first class degree in Engineering is of no use to him in America, he moves from Minnesota to Houston after securing a job as a cab driver. Upon several demands from his mother, Eziafa reluctantly decides it's time to settle and start a family of his own even when his pockets are not ready. After his mom rejected Eziafa's initial choice of a potential bride—the twenty-six-year-old Jovita Asika, a Nigerian-American who is more of a free-spirited, confident modern woman—on the premise that her ancestors are "thieves" where she comes from in Nigeria, Eziafa decides to go back home to accept a bride picked by his mother whom he can mold to his own taste.
Well fortunately for eighteen-year-old Zinachidi Nwoye's poverty-stricken family and unfortunately for her, she's the bride Eziafa finally settles on after meeting and interviewing over twelve women handpicked by his mother and sister, Evelyn. Zina wants to go to the University; she does not want to get married to an ugly man with a bald head who will take her to America leaving behind her village lover, Ndu. But her family will hear nothing of her plea. Zina will marry Eziafa, go to America and save them all from the trenches of poverty threatening to swallow them whole. School can wait. This is how Zina and Eziafa's tortuous married life begin.
I must say that I really enjoyed this novel. This is my first read from the author and it was nothing short of splendid. I just love how easy the book is to read. Right from the start, it grabs your attention and keeps you locked till the end. The dialogues are beautifully crafted, so much so well that you can't help being drawn into every conversation in the book. For me, the dialogues made this story what it was and to be able to pull that off successfully is not an easy thing to do, so thumbs up to Yejide Kilanko. The story doesn't drag; every page has something for you. My only disappointment is with the ending which I did not really like because I found it a bit too abrupt and jarring. It was definitely not the ending I expected but what can I say?
It's unfortunate how family or societal expectations and cultural beliefs can really be binding and choking sometimes when we don't learn to take charge of our own lives. Eziafa's biggest problem in this novel was trying to fulfill his family's every demand, especially his mother's. He was not living life for himself but for others. This translated into his marriage with Zina as well. He literally forced the marriage down her throat, forcing his will and burdensome expectations on her to the point where she couldn't take it anymore. In the beginning the same can be said of Zina too until America put some wind under her sails and she wanted to fly but it was too late because Eziafa needed her down, where he could trample on.
The African community can and should do better. What happened to these two innocent people could have been avoided. Honestly, people should be allowed to make their own choices in life. The meddling is too much and it gets on my nerves! Even in books, I always find myself screaming at characters when they forfeit their desires for the happiness of others. It's something I don't see myself doing and I can neither stand those who do it nor those who give in! I'm happy Yejide brought this out in the novel so hopefully when people see the bizarre consequences of forced expectations, maybe, just maybe they might do differently.
I think the main themes of the novel are family expectations, cultural norms, immigration, emotional abuse and domestic violence. But other themes such as politics and a bit of racism are touched on in there. I seriously recommend that you buy and read this book when it comes out if you're a lover of contemporary literary fiction. You will love it for sure. I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Thank you @netgalley and Guernica Editions for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed every bit of the reading experience.
#AGoodName #YejideKilanko #NetGalley
A Good Name is a story that features the main character, thirty-seven-year-old Eziafakaego Okereke, who has been living in America for the past twelve years. Disappointed to find that his first class degree in Engineering is of no use to him in America, he moves from Minnesota to Houston after securing a job as a cab driver. Upon several demands from his mother, Eziafa reluctantly decides it's time to settle and start a family of his own even when his pockets are not ready. After his mom rejected Eziafa's initial choice of a potential bride—the twenty-six-year-old Jovita Asika, a Nigerian-American who is more of a free-spirited, confident modern woman—on the premise that her ancestors are "thieves" where she comes from in Nigeria, Eziafa decides to go back home to accept a bride picked by his mother whom he can mold to his own taste.
Well fortunately for eighteen-year-old Zinachidi Nwoye's poverty-stricken family and unfortunately for her, she's the bride Eziafa finally settles on after meeting and interviewing over twelve women handpicked by his mother and sister, Evelyn. Zina wants to go to the University; she does not want to get married to an ugly man with a bald head who will take her to America leaving behind her village lover, Ndu. But her family will hear nothing of her plea. Zina will marry Eziafa, go to America and save them all from the trenches of poverty threatening to swallow them whole. School can wait. This is how Zina and Eziafa's tortuous married life begin.
I must say that I really enjoyed this novel. This is my first read from the author and it was nothing short of splendid. I just love how easy the book is to read. Right from the start, it grabs your attention and keeps you locked till the end. The dialogues are beautifully crafted, so much so well that you can't help being drawn into every conversation in the book. For me, the dialogues made this story what it was and to be able to pull that off successfully is not an easy thing to do, so thumbs up to Yejide Kilanko. The story doesn't drag; every page has something for you. My only disappointment is with the ending which I did not really like because I found it a bit too abrupt and jarring. It was definitely not the ending I expected but what can I say?
It's unfortunate how family or societal expectations and cultural beliefs can really be binding and choking sometimes when we don't learn to take charge of our own lives. Eziafa's biggest problem in this novel was trying to fulfill his family's every demand, especially his mother's. He was not living life for himself but for others. This translated into his marriage with Zina as well. He literally forced the marriage down her throat, forcing his will and burdensome expectations on her to the point where she couldn't take it anymore. In the beginning the same can be said of Zina too until America put some wind under her sails and she wanted to fly but it was too late because Eziafa needed her down, where he could trample on.
The African community can and should do better. What happened to these two innocent people could have been avoided. Honestly, people should be allowed to make their own choices in life. The meddling is too much and it gets on my nerves! Even in books, I always find myself screaming at characters when they forfeit their desires for the happiness of others. It's something I don't see myself doing and I can neither stand those who do it nor those who give in! I'm happy Yejide brought this out in the novel so hopefully when people see the bizarre consequences of forced expectations, maybe, just maybe they might do differently.
I think the main themes of the novel are family expectations, cultural norms, immigration, emotional abuse and domestic violence. But other themes such as politics and a bit of racism are touched on in there. I seriously recommend that you buy and read this book when it comes out if you're a lover of contemporary literary fiction. You will love it for sure. I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. Thank you @netgalley and Guernica Editions for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed every bit of the reading experience.
#AGoodName #YejideKilanko #NetGalley
March 1, 2023
4.5 stars
I enjoyed reading this book.
Well told, easy to read and such a fluid narration.
Lovely writing style. I Stan.
Okay so, this is a story about Eziafia, a Nigerian who lived in America. He falls in love with another Nigerian in America but he doesn’t marry her.
Instead, he goes back to Nigeria to marry an 18 year old from the village.
She is almost half his age and has nothing in common with him.
Of course, typical of men who reason like this, he is hoping to mould her into the kind of woman he wants her to be.
However, as always, it never works out like that. Ever! 😂
So Zinna marries him and follows him to America.
At first, the marriage is okay, peaceful.
Eziafia pays for her education, but soon he sits back and wants a return on what he considers an investment. He doesn’t want to work but wants money from his wife’s salary as a nurse.
Without giving away spoilers, he becomes controlling and unbearable.
Zinna falls for another co-worker who treats her like a human, opposite the way her husband does. For the first time, she feels like an equal partner to a man.
It was a well told story.
The tragic ending was expected.
Although I hoped that the writer would shock me, do something not so stereotypical.
But alas, it ended the way most of these kinds of stories go. So, even though I was a tad disappointed, I understand that it’s a realistic ending.
I love romance fiction but whenever I pick up African lit, I brace myself for tragedy.
This followed that exact path.
🥲🥲🥲
Always a sad tale.
Never a happy story.
When will this change?
All in all, I recommend.
Ps: I want to point out that the author attended my secondary school. I feel like a proud sister.
It was that good! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
I enjoyed reading this book.
Well told, easy to read and such a fluid narration.
Lovely writing style. I Stan.
Okay so, this is a story about Eziafia, a Nigerian who lived in America. He falls in love with another Nigerian in America but he doesn’t marry her.
Instead, he goes back to Nigeria to marry an 18 year old from the village.
She is almost half his age and has nothing in common with him.
Of course, typical of men who reason like this, he is hoping to mould her into the kind of woman he wants her to be.
However, as always, it never works out like that. Ever! 😂
So Zinna marries him and follows him to America.
At first, the marriage is okay, peaceful.
Eziafia pays for her education, but soon he sits back and wants a return on what he considers an investment. He doesn’t want to work but wants money from his wife’s salary as a nurse.
Without giving away spoilers, he becomes controlling and unbearable.
Zinna falls for another co-worker who treats her like a human, opposite the way her husband does. For the first time, she feels like an equal partner to a man.
It was a well told story.
The tragic ending was expected.
Although I hoped that the writer would shock me, do something not so stereotypical.
But alas, it ended the way most of these kinds of stories go. So, even though I was a tad disappointed, I understand that it’s a realistic ending.
I love romance fiction but whenever I pick up African lit, I brace myself for tragedy.
This followed that exact path.
🥲🥲🥲
Always a sad tale.
Never a happy story.
When will this change?
All in all, I recommend.
Ps: I want to point out that the author attended my secondary school. I feel like a proud sister.
It was that good! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
January 21, 2023
This is a classic story of a man marrying a much younger girl (who typically has no choice) he believes can mold to his taste and then killing her when she realises she's in bondage and wants her freedom.
Eziafa is a man who has tried to make something of himself in America and has not succeeded. He then decides, at the behest of his mother, to go back to his village so he can marry a young, naive girl he can 'mold to his taste.' He picks Zina.
Zina is 18 years old, twenty years younger than Eziafa. She is smart, ambitious, in love with her village boyfriend, and has no desires to marry a much older stranger. But like many young girls in her shoes, she is not given a choice, and is married off to Eziafa.
After bringing her to America, Eziafa reveals his plans to use Zina as his retirement plan. He enrolls her in nursing school despite her interest in business.
It was infuriating to read all of Zina's struggles. Eziafa takes her passport away, married her so she could be his retirement, gave her allowances from money she worked for, basically took her life away from her. But in all of it, I took consolation in the fact that he never got physically violent with her.
That's why the end of the book was so shocking. I knew Eziafa would lash out about his hurt pride, but I did not think she would actually die. At the same time, was it really shocking? Were we that surprised?
No.
A great, well-paced read.
Eziafa is a man who has tried to make something of himself in America and has not succeeded. He then decides, at the behest of his mother, to go back to his village so he can marry a young, naive girl he can 'mold to his taste.' He picks Zina.
Zina is 18 years old, twenty years younger than Eziafa. She is smart, ambitious, in love with her village boyfriend, and has no desires to marry a much older stranger. But like many young girls in her shoes, she is not given a choice, and is married off to Eziafa.
After bringing her to America, Eziafa reveals his plans to use Zina as his retirement plan. He enrolls her in nursing school despite her interest in business.
It was infuriating to read all of Zina's struggles. Eziafa takes her passport away, married her so she could be his retirement, gave her allowances from money she worked for, basically took her life away from her. But in all of it, I took consolation in the fact that he never got physically violent with her.
That's why the end of the book was so shocking. I knew Eziafa would lash out about his hurt pride, but I did not think she would actually die. At the same time, was it really shocking? Were we that surprised?
No.
A great, well-paced read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2022
A GOOD NAME is about love and belonging, but it is also about the sometimes fierce and violent beast that is family expectation.
The burden of family expectation, or cultural expectations weighs down every character in A GOOD NAME. There is point in the novel where Zina says: "one should never underestimate the destructive power of the village gossip." Gossip, or the fear of it, follows Eziafa and Zina all the way to the very last page of the novel.
The perspective shifts between Eziafa and Zina throughout and the pacing of the novel matches the slow revelation of character: Eziafa is a man who unfolds, revealing himself a little bit at a time. Zina is a woman who goes along with the life she is supposed to live, until she can no longer.
Their complicated marriage isn't the only relationship in AGN. There are beautiful friendships that are both a connection to home and a welcome to a new life and new love, but they are not just a beacon or promise, but warning signs, flashing lights that Zina and Eziafa ignore.
This is not a read in one sitting kind of book. Take your time with it. The longer you spend with Eziafa and Zina, the more you will understand why they do what they do.
Yejide Kilanko
The burden of family expectation, or cultural expectations weighs down every character in A GOOD NAME. There is point in the novel where Zina says: "one should never underestimate the destructive power of the village gossip." Gossip, or the fear of it, follows Eziafa and Zina all the way to the very last page of the novel.
The perspective shifts between Eziafa and Zina throughout and the pacing of the novel matches the slow revelation of character: Eziafa is a man who unfolds, revealing himself a little bit at a time. Zina is a woman who goes along with the life she is supposed to live, until she can no longer.
Their complicated marriage isn't the only relationship in AGN. There are beautiful friendships that are both a connection to home and a welcome to a new life and new love, but they are not just a beacon or promise, but warning signs, flashing lights that Zina and Eziafa ignore.
This is not a read in one sitting kind of book. Take your time with it. The longer you spend with Eziafa and Zina, the more you will understand why they do what they do.
Yejide Kilanko
October 2, 2025
3.5-4 star review.
After just completing 'A Good name' one thing I can say is that I'm shocked.
The story follows a struggling American-Igbo man who instead of benefiting from the greenery in the greener pastures, found himself counting pennies and micro-managing his funds, not out of habit but out of nessecity due to his extremely poor financial status.
We follow him, Eziafakaego, in his travail in settling down and finding a "worthy" wife, not just for him but his mother in the village, and the village itself which outwardly upholds aged traditions rooted in misogyny and backward customs that tend to dictate a lot of decision making in the lives of its inhabitants, locally and internationally.
I did find the novel quite uninteresting at certain parts, but the potential and plot of the book most definitely was gravitational and every time I decided I would put it down I was drawn right back in, and thankfully so.
The forebrooding that we're brandished with 3/4 through the book was employed so artistically, in ways that would almost make you doubt what the plot was implying.
This is my second Yejide Kilanko book read, and I will most surely go back to her catalogue and read another one of her works.
Great read,
Femi.
After just completing 'A Good name' one thing I can say is that I'm shocked.
The story follows a struggling American-Igbo man who instead of benefiting from the greenery in the greener pastures, found himself counting pennies and micro-managing his funds, not out of habit but out of nessecity due to his extremely poor financial status.
We follow him, Eziafakaego, in his travail in settling down and finding a "worthy" wife, not just for him but his mother in the village, and the village itself which outwardly upholds aged traditions rooted in misogyny and backward customs that tend to dictate a lot of decision making in the lives of its inhabitants, locally and internationally.
I did find the novel quite uninteresting at certain parts, but the potential and plot of the book most definitely was gravitational and every time I decided I would put it down I was drawn right back in, and thankfully so.
The forebrooding that we're brandished with 3/4 through the book was employed so artistically, in ways that would almost make you doubt what the plot was implying.
This is my second Yejide Kilanko book read, and I will most surely go back to her catalogue and read another one of her works.
Great read,
Femi.
January 18, 2022
Yes. It feels like I've been waiting years to read this, even though it only came out in September—but then, I did read Daughters Who Walk This Path in 2014. (Incidentally, the characters from Chasing Butterflies have cameo roles here.)
A Good Name opens with Eziafa, a transplant from Nigeria to Texas by way of Minnesota. He's been in the States for more than a decade and doesn't have much to show for it: money is still tight, he's still unmarried, and pressures from home are mounting.
And then there's Zina, whom Eziafa meets on a trip home. At eighteen, Zina's whole life is ahead of her—but she too is subject to familial and cultural expectations, and to an implicit understanding that what an older man (Eziafa is more than twice her age) wants is more important than what a younger woman wants. And so it is that Zina, too, finds herself in Texas, in a situation that is not what she expected or wants.
I don't want to say too much about the plot here, or the characters' actions, because a lot of the power in the book is the gradual way in which it unfolds. Instead I'll just say that one of things I loved about Daughters Who Walk This Path was the complexity of the characters, and the same holds true here; no character is limited to good or evil, cruel or kind, smart or foolish. There are definitely characters to root for and characters to avoid in real life, but they're far richer than that. Would recommend.
A Good Name opens with Eziafa, a transplant from Nigeria to Texas by way of Minnesota. He's been in the States for more than a decade and doesn't have much to show for it: money is still tight, he's still unmarried, and pressures from home are mounting.
And then there's Zina, whom Eziafa meets on a trip home. At eighteen, Zina's whole life is ahead of her—but she too is subject to familial and cultural expectations, and to an implicit understanding that what an older man (Eziafa is more than twice her age) wants is more important than what a younger woman wants. And so it is that Zina, too, finds herself in Texas, in a situation that is not what she expected or wants.
I don't want to say too much about the plot here, or the characters' actions, because a lot of the power in the book is the gradual way in which it unfolds. Instead I'll just say that one of things I loved about Daughters Who Walk This Path was the complexity of the characters, and the same holds true here; no character is limited to good or evil, cruel or kind, smart or foolish. There are definitely characters to root for and characters to avoid in real life, but they're far richer than that. Would recommend.
August 28, 2024
"Grown men who go home and marry children should expect to get dirty while playing with them in the sandpit."
A Good Name is a very beautiful and well written book that tells the story of Eziafa, a Nigerian immigrant in America who dumps the love of his life, Jovita upon his mother's insistence and returns to Nigeria to pick a wife of his mother's choosing. He ends up with the young Zina with whom he has a 20-year age gap with. They return to America where he then insists she studies Nursing.
The foundation of Eziafa and Zina's marriage wasn't one of love and for her, she endured it as custom expected nothing less from her. Soon the cracks in their marriage opens up to more and the end is disastrous.
I completed this book and I could just say "What a mess!!" The main character's name, Eziafakaego was indeed very befitting even though he didn't live up to his name. The book is just filled with regrets on behalf of the main character because he messed up big time!! What a huge mess!! The end of this book had me screaming because it was just so unbelievable. Gosh!!
I have an interesting take on this book, so watch here:
https://youtu.be/ed9I0mmMESA?si=fP7FE...
A Good Name is a very beautiful and well written book that tells the story of Eziafa, a Nigerian immigrant in America who dumps the love of his life, Jovita upon his mother's insistence and returns to Nigeria to pick a wife of his mother's choosing. He ends up with the young Zina with whom he has a 20-year age gap with. They return to America where he then insists she studies Nursing.
The foundation of Eziafa and Zina's marriage wasn't one of love and for her, she endured it as custom expected nothing less from her. Soon the cracks in their marriage opens up to more and the end is disastrous.
I completed this book and I could just say "What a mess!!" The main character's name, Eziafakaego was indeed very befitting even though he didn't live up to his name. The book is just filled with regrets on behalf of the main character because he messed up big time!! What a huge mess!! The end of this book had me screaming because it was just so unbelievable. Gosh!!
I have an interesting take on this book, so watch here:
https://youtu.be/ed9I0mmMESA?si=fP7FE...
October 27, 2025
I read this book in 2 days which was quite something for me haha. I love the easy writing style used, it had good humor and I found myself chuckle one or two times. I found the male protagonist Eziafa so backward for a recent book, his ideologies were borderline misogynist. It bothered me that a man who has lived in America for 12 years still needs his mother's approval on who to marry and goes all the way back to Nigeria to get a wife from the village after sabotaging a good relationship with a mature woman. That didn't work-out to well for him.
Zina was just a child who had no say in her future and who she wanted to marry. She was forced to marry an older man whom she didn't find attractive and treated her like a child and forced her to purse a career she had no interest in as much as she eventually came to love it, I think that's where her resentment started. As much as she was unfaithful to her husband, I felt she paid her dues by supporting him when he stopped working and building the gold-tilled mansion back home. I honestly didn't blame her for the life choices she made.
I found the ending a bit rushed and unimaginative.
Zina was just a child who had no say in her future and who she wanted to marry. She was forced to marry an older man whom she didn't find attractive and treated her like a child and forced her to purse a career she had no interest in as much as she eventually came to love it, I think that's where her resentment started. As much as she was unfaithful to her husband, I felt she paid her dues by supporting him when he stopped working and building the gold-tilled mansion back home. I honestly didn't blame her for the life choices she made.
I found the ending a bit rushed and unimaginative.
June 26, 2023
What an emotional roller coaster read. I was sad, angry and irritated. Nothing prepared me for that ending, it left me devastated and with a tight chest.
A Good Name is a fast paced immigrant story of Eziafa and his young wife, Zina. This book explores cultural expectations, arranged marriage, relationships, DV and patriarchy. I also couldn’t help but notice the role that tradition and culture plays in enabling and amplifying patriarchy and how some women have been conditioned to be matriarchs of patriarchy.
Eziafa, his mother and Zina’s mother were some annoying characters, their behavior and warped mindset made me cringe and roll my eyes a good number of times.
Characters that I really liked- Felix, Jovita, Nkolika and Nomzy.
This book is so well written. A fantastic literary work and captivating page turner. This is my third Yejide Kilanko read and it didn’t disappoint. I recommend.
A Good Name is a fast paced immigrant story of Eziafa and his young wife, Zina. This book explores cultural expectations, arranged marriage, relationships, DV and patriarchy. I also couldn’t help but notice the role that tradition and culture plays in enabling and amplifying patriarchy and how some women have been conditioned to be matriarchs of patriarchy.
Eziafa, his mother and Zina’s mother were some annoying characters, their behavior and warped mindset made me cringe and roll my eyes a good number of times.
Characters that I really liked- Felix, Jovita, Nkolika and Nomzy.
This book is so well written. A fantastic literary work and captivating page turner. This is my third Yejide Kilanko read and it didn’t disappoint. I recommend.
November 13, 2023
The way Yejide effortlessly wields words! The way she skillfully intertwines the lives of her characters with ours! Starting this book was a bit of a challenge, but once I did, I just couldn’t put it down.
I loved Zina, I relished her vibrancy, her resilience and her rebelliousness. But as her story unfolded, I became severely disappointed by her. Eziafa occasionally amused me, but his spineless thoroughly disgusted me. I tried to see things from his perspective, but I couldn’t muster any sympathy.
I went through many emotions reading this book. At first, I was happy that it wasn’t shaping up to be the tragedy porn of Afro-fiction. If only I had known.
This book was funny; the conversations were so rich and alluring. It turned sad rather quickly, and even now, I still don’t know how to feel.
I absolutely recommend this book! Five blazing stars for Yejide, she did it again!
I loved Zina, I relished her vibrancy, her resilience and her rebelliousness. But as her story unfolded, I became severely disappointed by her. Eziafa occasionally amused me, but his spineless thoroughly disgusted me. I tried to see things from his perspective, but I couldn’t muster any sympathy.
I went through many emotions reading this book. At first, I was happy that it wasn’t shaping up to be the tragedy porn of Afro-fiction. If only I had known.
This book was funny; the conversations were so rich and alluring. It turned sad rather quickly, and even now, I still don’t know how to feel.
I absolutely recommend this book! Five blazing stars for Yejide, she did it again!
May 14, 2024
As sadly as this book ended, it reflects the reality experienced by many Nigerian women living abroad. The husband brings you, forces you into taking a nursing/care job, then leeches off your income simply because "he brought you abroad." We've all heard these stories. Try Googling "Nigerian man kills wife in..." and you will be shocked by the many countries available to read about. This happens because he believes "he made her." I had mixed feelings while reading this book. At one point, I'm damning the man, and at another, I'm eyeing the lady. The author did an amazing job showing us both sides of the story, both the positives and negatives. You feel empathetic towards both sides. I saw the ending coming, but I wasn't prepared for it. Great realistic book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews