Everything Good Will Come by Sefi Atta Book Review — Bagi Ali
Title: Everything Good Will Come
Author: Sefi Atta
Publisher: Interlink World Fiction
Year: 2005
Genre: Psychological fiction
Brief Summary
The story is set in post-colonial Lagos state — an era which featured the transitioning of Nigeria from a colonial country to an independent one administered by various administrative patterns. It examines a Nigeria trying to find her foot after attaining independence and how it has affected the lives of its citizens particularly the characters in the book.
It shows the effect of education and exposure in the transitioning of the very traditional Nigerian society. It speaks of women pushing to change the narrative by making significant moves and taking steps for their voices to be heard.
The story is centred around Enitan, a girl from an elite and confined background and her struggle to find herself and become relevant irrespective of gender and societal values.
Enitan was raised by parents with diverging opinions who had the intention of tailoring her life to conform to societal norms. However, her parents’ were always at loggerheads and differed in opinions; even as concerned her upbringing which created a kind of confusion within her and defined all she ever wanted to be.
Enitan’s life was controlled and restricted by her parents with little or no allowance for interaction; her mother being overzealously religious and her Father, the Lagos Lawyer with strong political opinions was hardly available.
Enitan’s voyage to Europe for further study as well as her interaction with Sheri, her best friend to a very large extent challenged her reality and pushed her to break off her parents' guard.
The book sums the life of Enitan, her childhood, adulthood, challenges and heartbreaks, choices and her breaking away from the people and things that hindered her unveiling and choices.
It exposes the emergence of the once silenced African woman as they take their place like the men in a society that is dominated by men.
The major highlight of the book is the metamorphosis of the African woman and the challenges and hindrances they are faced with in the patriarchal African society.
Style and Theme
The book is written in very simple and comprehensive language, devoid of unnecessary grammatical jargons. The writer equally did a commendable job in relating the story to the period the events occurred, effectively interplaying the weakness of the economy with the effects on the characters. Also highlighting significant events that took place during the period. The writer painted precisely clear pictures of the minds of the characters as well as the political unrest at the time and the effect of the economy in life of characters.
The major themes in the book includes Bad Governance as reflected in the failed and corrupt Nigerian Economy; Gender equality strongly tied to women’s rights as shown in Enitan’s struggle to be heard and her concern for the plight of women; Friendship as evidenced in the relationship between Enitan and Sheri as well as the sacrifices they made for each other; Parenting patterns as seen in the divergent ideologies of the Taiwos, Bakares and the Francos.
Enitan could be described as a restricted child who by her parents' standard was properly taught and groomed, however, her parents' divergence of ideology on parenting made her somewhat confused and in my opinion her eventual separation from her husband after leaving her parents guard was not as a result of her activism and his refusal to support her struggle but as a result of her desire to exercise her self-will in a society dominated by men, and in her own reasoning
‘he wouldn’t have to leave me to do what he wanted’
The book is an engaging, yet captivating read as it sparks critical introspection and emotions in the readers mind. It equally advocates gender equality, strongly tied to women's rights even though I am of the opinion that some of the writers description and ideologies are extreme.
The title, ‘Everything good will come’ in my opinion represents, hope; hope for women in a gender-biased society.
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