His Only Wife

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It was a real page turner with a lot of information on a -to me- foreign culture, which made it very enjoyable.

Peace Adzo Medie’s debut novel, His Only Wife, was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a New York Times Notable Book of 2020, and a Time Magazine Must-Read Book of 2020. When the matriarch of a very powerful and rich Ghanaian family arranges for Afi to be married to her son Eli, Afi has no choice but to agree. I think the scene Peace Adzo Medie does provide is well-crafted, but just too late in a relatively short novel to make up for the many questions we have about this other relationship.The couple was forcefully and absurdly united, after which Afi was sent to live alone in the groom’s spare condo in Accra, awaiting the stranger husband’s infrequent and unexpected visits.

Those conditions could include more of the intimacies between Muna and Eli that Afi glimpses in their home, intimacies that mirror or maybe even exceed Afi and Eli’s best moments. A warm and moving tale… His Only Wife is utterly transporting – Medie's use of Ghanaian dialect, rich descriptions of traditional foods and an insight into cultural practices make readers feel like they are completely immersed in Afi's world… Afi's strength is inspiring, and I guarantee that all readers will feel inspired to consider who we truly are and what we value when we stop worrying about the judgement of others. The process of Afi realizing Eli could never give her what she wanted in a relationship could have easily been twelve chapters, especially as she shares this revelation with her family members. I have seen some reviewers talk about this book as feminist and it is, but not the way I think people will expect. The idea was not at all unrealistic to me as I’ve seen similar things play out in real life although not quite with people as cosmopolitanly urbane but I’m not disputing the plausibility.His Only Wife is a breezy beach read about a poor Ghanian woman who marries a wealthy, handsome man. The women in this book are all different, they have all adapted to a society where even the most privileged of them is subject to the whims of a son or husband or boyfriend. These expectations expose the simultaneous beauty and burden of family, which can be both comforting (such as Afi’s relationship with her cousin Mawusi) and a source of intense strife (such as the relationship with her uncle Pious.