leoimj's profile picture

leoimj 's review for:

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
3.25
dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

definitely an interesting read, a look into what life is like with someone so beautiful and naturally charismatic that they can get away with murder and turn everyone against you with a few choice words. 

The main character, Korede, is interesting, more intelligent (especially emotionally) than her sister and 100% more moral yet still complicit in her actions. Tade tells her she's even more culpable than her sister 
"There's something wrong with her, what's your excuse?" and it's interesting. She could stop Ayoola and have her arrested very easily, even by just not helping her depose of the bodies she would put a stop to her sister's behaviour. She knows her sister will continue to kill and even when it affects people she cares about she chooses to protect her sister over everything. Her loyalty is unwavering even if her sister doesn't deserve it. 

Perhaps she is more at fault for enabling the murderous habits of Ayoola. Everyone else in Ayoolas life lets her get away with everything: their mother, her string of partners, her "minions". Korede notices his flaw in them but never acknowledges that she enables the worst behaviour of all. 

Very human characters, they interact in such realistic ways and sometimes that makes for wonderfully frustrating scenes as Korede navigates the situation. 

definitely recommend, didn't stun me but it did captivate me and it's a book that you can really think about for a while. Why does Korede choose her sister despite everything she's done? How does Ayoola manipulate everyone so easily? Who is to blame for the deaths of those men and who isn't?

All that to day something in this book fell short: It didn't feel tense enough or emotional enough and the final decision didn't feel dramatic enough. It feels like it just sort of ends. I understand the ending and not every book needs a big dramatic final confrontation but still. I loved the premise and loved the characterisation of most of the characters i just wish more was done with all of it.