Peace Adzo Medie

His Only Wife

A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR A Time Magazine Must-Read Book of 2020 A Must-Read Novel: The New York Times Book Review * BuzzFeed * Marie Claire * Parade * Travel + Leisure * Ms. Magazine * Bustle * The Millions * Book Riot * Christian Science Monitor * HelloGiggles " A] mesmerizing debut novel." --The New York Times Book Review "A story that kept me tied to the page, told in masterful, seamless prose." --BuzzFeed "I love this book so much I turned the pages so fast . . . It's all about the search for independence and being true to yourself and who you really are." --Reese Witherspoon Afi Tekple is a young seamstress in Ghana. She is smart; she is pretty; and she has been convinced by her mother to marry a man she does not know. Afi knows who he is, of course--Elikem is a wealthy businessman whose mother has chosen Afi in the hopes that she will distract him from his relationship with a woman his family claims is inappropriate. But Afi is not prepared for the shift her life takes when she is moved from her small hometown of Ho to live in Accra, Ghana's gleaming capital, a place of wealth and sophistication where she has days of nothing to do but cook meals for a man who may or may not show up to eat them. She has agreed to this marriage in order to give her mother the financial security she desperately needs, and so she must see it through. Or maybe not? His Only Wife is a witty, smart, and moving debut novel about a brave young woman traversing the minefield of modern life with its taboos and injustices, living in a world of men who want their wives to be beautiful, to be good cooks and mothers, to be women who respect their husbands and grant them forbearance. And in Afi, Peace Medie has created a delightfully spunky and relatable heroine who just may break all the rules.

It takes strength to walk away from someone you love.

Bria

The plot is great, and I love the imagery. I just couldn't relate to any of the characters. I felt for Afi, but there was something missing about her.

Christine Bruce

Afi has dreams of being a seamstress. Dreams that are quickly coming to fruition after her marriage to Elikem. A marriage that happened in absentia since he sent his brother to be his stand in, a marrie that seems to be in name only as it took weeks to meet her husband. A marriage that is loveless and somehow even more of a lie than she originally thought as it turns out he’s in love with someone else. The entire marriage was arranged by his family to get rid of the woman they don’t approve of, and they lied to Afi to make it happen. What transpires is Afi’s journey to both find love, but ultimately find herself. 

I’ve literally found ways to insert this book into at least five conversations since reading it. And no, they’re not asking for recs when I do. It’s fascinating, it’s twisty, it’s full of feminism in truth, not in theory. It’s women supporting women, women being angry at women for the choices men make, and a singular woman going against every instinct and custom to stand on her own two feet. 

The way this book also painted Accra as this glittering up and coming New York was also fascinating. I’d never given Ghana much thought, but this book had me looking into the fashion district and foods because every line was a romance poem to the country. 

It was full of moments that hit like a gut punch and other moments that had me giving a petty HA! When Afi came out on top. An overall amazing read. 

💭 
8/10
Cultural typical sexism
New travel destination unlocked
Feminism 
Strong female characters
Men ain’t shit

Cheri McElroy

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Afi Tekple married Elikem Ganyo. Only in absentia; he wasn't at the wedding.

This is a story of Afi, handpicked to marry Eli, so he would leave a woman his family hated. I enjoyed the writing, the Ghanaian culture, and Afi herself, fighting for a life she loved. However, the insta-love, and lack of characterization, took away from my enjoyment,

Clara Moore

I wanted to love this one but it fell a little flat for me. There wasn't enough story development overall. However, it was a great glimpse into Ghanian culture and the prospect of having multiple wives in a modern day society.

AN OBSERVER, TIME MAGAZINE & NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR, 2020 A REESE WITHERSPOON'S BOOK CLUB PICK 'Vivid, witty and utterly absorbing.' Daily Mail 'Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding.' Afi Tekple is a young seamstress in Ghana. She is smart; she is pretty; and she has been convinced by her family to marry a man she does not know. Elikem Ganyo is a wealthy businessman whose mother has chosen Afi in the hope that she will distract him from his relationship with a woman his family claim is inappropriate. Marrying a stranger seems a small price to pay in exchange for financial security for her family and the lifestyle she's always wanted in Accra, Ghana's gleaming capital, a place of wealth and sophistication. But when Afi arrives in the city, she realises her fairy-tale ending might not be all she had hoped for. Her days are spent with nothing to do but cook meals for a man who may or may not turn up to eat them. Can she really live this life without losing sight of herself? Bursting with warmth and humour, His Only Wife is a witty, smart and moving novel about a brave young woman and her search for independence in a man's world, and the rules she just might have to break along the way.

A Reese's Book Club Pick - 'A Crazy Rich Asians for West Africa, with a healthy splash of feminism'

Mutay

I was originally meant to read this book as a part of a book club but life very much got in the way. His Only Wife was an excellent read and got me through the last days of my isolation. Afi is being married off to a man she doesn’t really know Elikem. Eli is wealthy and comes from a controlling family but the most important thing about Eli is that he is in love with another woman. Afi’s role is to become Eli’s only wife. I genuinely enjoyed this book from the wedding scenes, trifling family members and the reality of marriage. Of course the main focus of the book is the relationship but I really had a vested interest in Afi’s relationship with herself. Her life started off well, but after her fathers passing her trajectory changes and things are a struggle. Marrying Elikem gave her access to privilege and opportunity in Accra and one thing about Afi is that she didn’t let an opportunity go to waste. In many ways she reminds me of my own mother; her love of dress making and carving a name for herself despite challenges. 
The ending of the story ended in the way that I expected, I don’t want to give away the story but Afi remains consistent and love is never enough to chop disrespect. 
I highly highly recommend this book - a very strong debut novel from Peace Adzo Medie. I look forward to reading more of her work and also exploring her academic work. 


I liked it a lot! Afi was an interesting character to follow as she developed from a very traditional, and frankly kind of terrified, new bride to finding her feet and discovering her worth and place in society. I was definitely rooting for her each time she stood her ground.


I was not the biggest fan of the narrative style, sometimes it felt like too much telling me what happened and not enough immersion in a scene. But overall the characters were interesting, especially when mixing the modern day culture with the traditional culture.

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher and I would love to pass it onto an ownvoice reader. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: His Only Wife

Author: Peace Adzo Medie

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Ghanaian ownvoice characters!

Recommended For...: contemporary lovers, women’s fiction, chick lit

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Recommended Age: 16+ (sexual content)

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Pages: 288

Synopsis: Afi Tekple is a young seamstress whose life is narrowing rapidly. She lives in a small town in Ghana with her widowed mother, spending much of her time in her uncle Pious’s house with his many wives and children. Then one day she is offered a life-changing opportunity—a proposal of marriage from the wealthy family of Elikem Ganyo, a man she doesn’t truly know. She acquiesces, but soon realizes that Elikem is not quite the catch he seemed. He sends a stand-in to his own wedding, and only weeks after Afi is married and installed in a plush apartment in the capital city of Accra does she meet her new husband. It turns out that he is in love with another woman, whom his family disapproves of; Afi is supposed to win him back on their behalf. But it is Accra that eventually wins Afi’s heart and gives her a life of independence that she never could have imagined for herself.

Review: Overall, I thought this was a well done book! I loved the characters and the story was entertaining. I also loved learning about the Ghanaian culture and I think the pacing was also well done as well.

The only issue I really had was that the ending was unexpected and I think a sequel would be great!

Verdict: It’s a great story! Highly recommend!

Anika | @chaptersofmay

His Only Wife is a witty and intelligent tale of marriage, culture, and family roles. Peace Adzo Medie’s words illuminate the complex history of West African culture while comparing traditional customs to evolving modern standards. 

The book is narrated by Afi, a young seamstress in Ghana, who is chosen by an affluent family to marry their son Eli. However, Eli is already involved with another woman. As his family do not approve, Afi's task is to become the perfect wife and divert Eli's attention away from the improper interest. While the book's narrative surrounds this interesting love triangle, it also provides absorbing insight into Ghanaian culture.

The book begins at the wedding. But only the bride is there. That already sets the stage for the marriage Afi is about to enter. The book portrays the unforgiving realities of arranged marriage and polygamy but with a compassion that makes it entertaining for the reader. One of the biggest highlights is the vivid, fully imagined portrait of Ghanaian life and beliefs. The book is a great escape in this way, especially as Medie develops Afi’s strong character against such an exciting backdrop. 

I found it difficult to really connect with the characters. They aren't overly likeable and act a little too foolishly on occasion, but still make a good addition to the narrative. Another highlight of the book is the author's youthful and engaging writing. Medie's style is full of emotion but so easy to read, and I thoroughly enjoyed the imagery she created in this story. Her sharp observations bring out the flaws in patriarchal structure, genders biases and class. Still, it’s laced with a tone of female empowerment that takes it a step above the typical Cinderella story. 

This book is perfect for fans of Yaa Gyasi, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Candice Carty-Williams. It has a great mix of hilarity and angst, a captivatingly dramatic plot, and insightful dialogue.

Krystal Campbell 

First off, special thank you to OneWorld publishing for my review copy 

Lets start with what I liked about this book: 
* I really enjoyed the representation in this book. 
* It had a high level on intrigue 
* I love how it showed the strength and resilience of women
* It had a great way of showing insight into race, sex and class injustices
* The writing was easy and quick to read

What I didn't like 
* The characters... I just didn't find myself clicking with many of them or being concerned with the outcome
* The plot was intriguing but a little "missing pieces" at time that left me with more questions than it answered 
* Some of the family drama just took away from the story 

Overall I enjoyed the read but it isn't one that will stick with me for years to come.

A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR A Must-Read Novel: The New York Times Book Review * BuzzFeed * Time * Marie Claire * Parade * Travel + Leisure * Ms. * Bustle * The Millions * Book Riot * PopSugar * HelloGiggles * Kirkus Reviews* Good Morning America “[A] mesmerizing debut novel.” —The New York Times Book Review “A story that kept me tied to the page, told in masterful, seamless prose.” —BuzzFeed “I love this book so much I turned the pages so fast . . . It’s all about the search for independence and being true to yourself and who you really are.” —Reese Witherspoon Afi Tekple is a young seamstress in Ghana. Smart and pretty, she has also been convinced by her mother to marry a man she doesn’t know: a wealthy businessman named Elikem. His family has chosen Afi in the hopes that she will distract him from a current relationship they disapprove of. When Afi is moved from her small hometown to live in Accra, Ghana’s gleaming capital full of wealth and sophistication, she is not prepared for the way her life will change. But she has agreed to this marriage in order to give her mother the financial security she desperately needs, and so Afi must see it through. Or must she? A witty, moving, and smart debut novel, His Only Wife takes place in a world of men who want their wives to be beautiful, to be good cooks and mothers, to grant their husbands forbearance. And in Afi, we meet a delightful, brave, and relatable heroine who just may break all the rules.

Veronica Zarate

"Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding."

What an opening! This first line wonderfully demonstrates a big theme of this book: into the absolute unknown. What is going on? We don't know! And, frankly, neither does the bride for the majority of this amazing novel.

In His Only Wife, we meet Afi who grew up poor in a small Ghanaian village partly supported by the generosity of the village matriarch, Aunty Ganyo. Unfortunately, this generosity cannot go unpaid & Afi is placed into an arranged marriage with Aunty Ganyo's wealthy son, Elikem (Eli), in an attempt to lure him away from a woman he is already seeing - and with whom he's already fathered a child. From day one of their marriage, Afi has very little idea of what is going on in her life. She is moved from her small village to the capital city & into an upper-class apartment by herself with only scattered bits of information to piece together. She doesn't see her new husband for months & is basically ordered to play her role without question - but how can she know what her role is if she barely has a relationship with her husband to begin with? As the wife of a wealthy businessman, she has access to more opportunities than she could've ever dreamt of back in her home village. As the wife of Eli, she regularly experiences confusion, duplicity, disappointment, and neglect not just from her husband but from family & friends. It's not much of a life. As such, naive but strong Afi, battles through navigating the truths - or lack thereof - in her relationships, figuring out what she wants in life, and deciding whether this other woman is an enemy or a fellow victim.

His Only Wife is a brilliant narrative that discusses family dynamics, gender roles, society, prejudice, and inner perspective. It is an emotional & mental ride from start to finish. As the perspective stays with Afi throughout her journey, it's easy to empathize with her shifting feelings of frustration, disappointment, and rebellion toward those around her. Through it all, you may still not know what to make of the situation in the end, and you'll definitely be thinking of Afi long after you're done reading.

His Only Wife

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