Nightbloom
A Novel
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4.6 • 14 Ratings
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- $1.99
Publisher Description
Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction
Inseparable when they were girls but now estranged, cousins Akorfa and Selasi have to repair the silences between them or lose each other forever in this moving novel set in Ghana and America from the author of Reese’s Book Club pick His Only Wife: “Stunning” (Destiny O. Birdsong, author of Nobody’s Magic)
When Selasi and Akorfa were young girls in Ghana, they were more than just cousins; they were inseparable. Selasi was exuberant and funny, Akorfa quiet and studious. They would do anything for each other, imploring their parents to let them be together, sharing their secrets and desires and private jokes.
Then Selasi begins to change, becoming hostile and quiet; her grades suffer and she builds a space around herself, shutting Akorfa out. Meanwhile, Akorfa is accepted to an American university with the goal of becoming a doctor. Although hopeful that she can create a fuller life as a woman in America, she discovers the insidious ways that racism places obstacles in her path once she leaves Ghana. It takes a crisis to bring the friends back together, with Selasi’s secret revealed and Akorfa forced to reckon with her role in their estrangement.
A riveting depiction of class and family in Ghana, a compelling exploration of memory, and an eye-opening story of life as an African-born woman in the United States, Nightbloom is above all a gripping and beautifully written novel attesting to the strength of female bonds in the face of societies that would prefer to silence women.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Two cousins go from besties to near strangers in this beautiful and challenging coming-of-age novel. Growing up in Ghana, Akorfa enjoys a middle-class lifestyle while Selasi’s working-class family struggles. Nonetheless, the two girls share a powerful connection—until a pivotal moment begins to eat away at their relationship. Author Peace Adzo Medie, who teaches about international politics and gender at the University of Bristol, draws us into her characters’ ups and downs as they navigate their different paths into womanhood. Medie fleshes out Akorfa and Selasi thoughtfully, letting us see how their disparate upbringings and circumstances inform their choices as they grow and change. Nightbloom is an unforgettable story about race, class, and the way we learn to define ourselves.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Medie (His Only Wife) focuses on the complex relationship between two Ghanaian women in this poignant outing. Akorfa and her cousin Selasi were best friends as children, but a rift develops after they begin boarding school, where Akorfa benefits from her family's support, including private tutors. Eventually, she leaves for the University of Pittsburgh, where she experiences various episodes of racism, beginning when her roommate's parents automatically assume she's there on a scholarship. After graduation, she lands a job at an NGO in Washington, D.C., marries a cardiologist, and has children. The second part tells Selasi's story, detailing her struggles after her mother died and her father abandoned her. When she is sent to live with Akorfa's family, Akorfa's mother treats Selasi like a servant and Akorfa turns a blind eye. After boarding school, Selasi becomes a successful restaurateur in Ghana and marries a politician. Medie unfurls major revelations in the third part, when Selasi and Akorfa reunite in Ghana and learn they were each similarly traumatized as children, prompting them to reexamine their long-held bitterness toward each other. Though there's a bit too much exposition, Medie keenly explores the nuances of the women's friendship and their misplaced blame. This is worth a look.
Customer Reviews
Slow start, amazing finish! !
I loved this . I didn’t expect the shift in perspective , but Selasi’s story is what made this book remarkable! Well done, Ms.Medie!