Many thanks to my friends at @simon.audio for the #gifted copy.  

 

A Nigerwife:  a foreign wife of a Nigerian man living in Nigeria

 

In the “good luck” years of Nigeria, the allure brought many natives, along with their foreign wives, back to their homeland.  That is how Nicole became a Nigerwife. 

 

At first glance, she appeared to have it all.  Handsome husband.  Healthy, happy sons.  Abundant wealth and privileged social status.  But when Nicole mysteriously vanishes, those perceptions begin to crumble and the discontent she felt over her marriage and living abroad are exposed.  

 

This story is told in dual perspective:  that of Nicole prior to the disappearance and that of her estranged aunt in search of answers to Nicole’s disappearance.  I appreciated how the alternating POV allowed us to get a complete picture of Nicole’s life, both in Lagos and London.  

 

“Nicole often wondered what happened to the body. A few months after she arrived in Lagos, a body appeared in the lagoon close to the compound, bobbing along on a blanket of trash, a bloated starfish face down in the river.” 

 

As the book opens, we see the dichotomy found within her life:  Living in an extravagant compound alongside one of Lagos’ canals.  Yet the canal portrays the sinister nature outside of her home.  And from that first line, we see the complexities of the Nigerwife life.  

 

Part mystery, part cultural expose.  The Nigerwife was an interesting read that kept me engaged and needing to know exactly what happened to Nicole.  

 

The author’s note is a must read.  With experience as a Nigerwife, Walters brings an authenticity to this story and creates an important dialogue about cultural isolation and marital strife.  Her note provides a context for the story that enriched my overall experience.    

 

🎧I listened to the audiobook and found narration by the narrators, Dami Olukoya and Debra Michaels, to be exceptional.  They created a nuance to the two perspectives as the story unfolded that kept me hanging on to each word.