MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER- Oyinkan Braithwaite
MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER: unique and clever novel set in Lagos, Nigeria.
This book is full of dark humour as it winds through the social commentary of two sisters, Ayoola and Korede. Differing in personality, the two contrasting sisters make the book a great read as Korede inevitably lives in the shadows of her beautiful, irresponsible and care-free sister who tires of men quickly and has a habit of killing them off.
The layered characters were fresh and well-crafted, most notably Korede. I love how Braithwaite makes you instantly feel Korede’s plight- especially the sibling bond- but also how I found myself getting frustrated at her character and actions. The storyline is cleverly woven so that it exposes the girls flaws and celebrates their strengths- an achievement for Braithwaite. Alongside the sister’s story, there are chapters set in their childhood which help to reveal minor details and allude to some explanations- something that I would have personally liked to have been developed more!
The writing is witty and pacey with short, snappy chapters making it easy to devour quickly (it’s only 226 pages). I really liked this as it made for a good read and it really kept my attention. I think it showcases Braithwaite’s impressive ability to write as it is concise and there are no sub-plots and details to hide behind. Equally, this was useful as I felt the story itself was more contemporary than I originally envisaged; after seeing the cover of the book and reading it’s provocative title and blurb I was anticipating something a little darker. However, on reflection, this may be what makes this novel stand out.
With that being said I adored this book. With themes of loyalty, social media, family, morality and perception cleverly injected within its pages, it comes as no great surprise that it was shortlisted for The Women’s Prize for Fiction.
I was kindly gifted this copy from Atlantic Books in exchange for an honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book is full of dark humour as it winds through the social commentary of two sisters, Ayoola and Korede. Differing in personality, the two contrasting sisters make the book a great read as Korede inevitably lives in the shadows of her beautiful, irresponsible and care-free sister who tires of men quickly and has a habit of killing them off.
The layered characters were fresh and well-crafted, most notably Korede. I love how Braithwaite makes you instantly feel Korede’s plight- especially the sibling bond- but also how I found myself getting frustrated at her character and actions. The storyline is cleverly woven so that it exposes the girls flaws and celebrates their strengths- an achievement for Braithwaite. Alongside the sister’s story, there are chapters set in their childhood which help to reveal minor details and allude to some explanations- something that I would have personally liked to have been developed more!
The writing is witty and pacey with short, snappy chapters making it easy to devour quickly (it’s only 226 pages). I really liked this as it made for a good read and it really kept my attention. I think it showcases Braithwaite’s impressive ability to write as it is concise and there are no sub-plots and details to hide behind. Equally, this was useful as I felt the story itself was more contemporary than I originally envisaged; after seeing the cover of the book and reading it’s provocative title and blurb I was anticipating something a little darker. However, on reflection, this may be what makes this novel stand out.
With that being said I adored this book. With themes of loyalty, social media, family, morality and perception cleverly injected within its pages, it comes as no great surprise that it was shortlisted for The Women’s Prize for Fiction.
I was kindly gifted this copy from Atlantic Books in exchange for an honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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