by Jackie LaPlante –
The Son of the House by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia takes place in rural and urban Nigeria, primarily in the 1970s. The book opens with the kidnapping of Nwabulu, a one-time housemaid, and Julie, an educated, modern, city dweller. As they pass the time telling one another their life stories, they learn that they have a startling connection.
Nwabulu’s childhood in her village was difficult. Her mother’s early death and father’s subsequent passing left her with an uninterested stepmother who sent her to the city alone. The young teenage girl did her best, but her unfortunate experience came as a result of being poor, female, uneducated and needing to make her own way in a patriarchal world.
Julie was raised in a privileged home in the city. She was educated and held a position as teacher. However, even with these things on her side she made some questionable ethical choices that were driven by societal expectation and the need to sustain her own position in a society where one’s worth hinges on producing an heir.
While the domineering men that Nwabulu encountered in her teen years and the womanizing dupe that Julie chose to be with were certainly not the finest specimens, the group felt this book painted a poor picture of men, in general. However, this served to strengthen the importance of the female friendships that sustained both women over the years. We explored the title, noting that using “The Son of the House” for a book that explored the lives of women reflected the patriarchal society of Nigeria at that time, when it was paramount to produce a son to honour the family.
While most of the group enjoyed the book’s setting, some found the description of Nigeria lacking while others found that it felt authentic. The descriptions of textiles and food were enjoyed, and one reader was inspired to make Jollof Rice (spicy!). The depictions of the characters were empathetic, particularly in the case of young Nwabulu who needed love and guidance. While the plot line occasionally felt contrived, with too many coincidences to be believable, the general feeling was that the book was a nicely written first novel.
Our next meeting takes place on Tuesday, June 12. The book is Warlight by Michael Ondaatje. There is no library set, but the book is available in several formats through the library system. Please watch for a reminder email with time and meeting place options. Please join us! Stay up to date with all things Book Club by signing up for our newsletter: www.seasidemagazine.ca/book-club.
