Random Things Tours: Wahala by Nikki May

 

In Nigerian Pidgin, Wahala is a word used to express worry, distress or problems. There are a lot of trouble the characters of the book with the same title by the British-Nigerian Nikki May are going through. There is the trouble which is the work of love. The trouble that you´re in when you did something that no one expected you to do. Like betraying your best friends. Or disappointing them.

Wahala is considered already one of the must-read books of the year and already received noteworthy mentions and accolades from both readers, editors and authors. Maybe soon it will be turned into a movie - hopefully. But what I really loved about this book build around young female friendship is the genuine authenticity of the characters. They are more than creations of a literary minds, they are relatable. You can see them, in Northern London or Lagos or NYC or anywhere where people like them live and fall in love and dream about the future.

More than the literary format and style - which are refined and worth more than a random mention - there is the fresh breath of finally reading about people that you may know or you may meet one day. Those girls - Ronke, Simi, Boo - do talk and think and expect what people of their generation do. Plus, they are also at ease with themselves and their mixed cultural background and at least sometimes, they do have a very open unapologetic way of being. Talking of my generation...

Wahala will stay with me for a long time. I love that I had the chance to read it, especially because I like the women in this book. I like that this is a book about women who allow themselves to be more than it is expected from them to be. I love their autonomy and freedom, but also their mistakes. 

A special mention for the delicious Nigerian food mentioned in the book. (In a couple of days, a great chef and food writer based in London will share soon here, on my blog, more details about the tasty Nigerian food).

Nikki May

Wahala is worth all the buzz - and a bit more - from the last weeks. It does not only because of the great writing and complexities of the story and the characters, but because it has a strong voice, a multiple women´s voice entitled to tell their own story. This may really trouble the blad waters of literary realm insisting to assign to multicultural women the same old role. It looks like the changes are coming faster than one - me - expected. Wahala!

I can only hope to read more and more such books this year and the years to come. 

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour, but the opinions are, as usual, my own