Feeling emotionally raw after finally finishing this book.

Ogadinma for me, is one of those books that I find so compulsive that I do not want to put it down and yet at the same time cannot bear to carry on reading as it really unsettled me. Trigger warnings for those considering reading: rape, domestic violence.

I personally found the domestic violence scenes the most difficult to read and digest. I always struggle with these scenes in books and Ogadinma was no exception. This is not to say Ukamaka Olisakwe does not handle these scenes and subject matter with care, but I think in particular this was a little bit of a struggle for me.

Despite this, I think the book packs punch and real sharp social critique from the beginning. Ogadinma is struggling to get into university and finds herself victim to a crooked older lawyer. This results in her father shipping her off to live with her Aunty and Uncle where she must make a new life. Throughout the book there is a strong focus on how the patriarchal structures and the men in Ogadinma's life try to takeover. There is also a strong focus on government corruption, violence, spritiual punishment and disorder in the state of Nigeria.

Despite the heaviness of the book and the fact that much of Ogadinma's family were awful, Olisakwe really showed the strength of women. Ogadinma's friend Ejiro was an excellent character, who cared and supported her. Ogadinma herself was a testament to the strength of women and even the women in this book I didn't like (Aunty Ngozi looking at you) showed they had the intelligence, the intiative and were the real driving forces in the family.

Ogadinma is certainly a book that will stick with me, it got under my skin in a way I didn't expect and gripped my heart as I felt so strongly for Ogadinma. In the end I found beauty in the strength and confidence that blossomed in Ogadinma but this was by no means an easy journey. A powerful and evocative novel that has been branded a new feminist classic, and I would not disagree at all.

Thank you to @theindigopress for the gifted copy.