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Tomorrow I Become a Woman

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Tomorrow I Become a Woman

By: Aiwanose Odafen
Narrated by: Nneka Okoye
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About this listen

 What can I do?’ she asked. You can fight, I thought, you can fight for your daughters. But then again, who was I to speak of such things

When Gozie and Obianuju meet in August 1978, it is nothing short of fate. He is the perfect man: charismatic, handsome, Christian, and – most importantly – Igbo. He reminds her of her beloved Uncle Ikenna, her mother’s brother who disappeared fighting in the Civil War that devastated Nigeria less than a decade before. It is why, when Gozie asks her to marry him within months of meeting, she says yes, despite her lingering and uncertain feelings for Akin – a man her mother would never accept, as his tribe fought on the other side of the war. Akin makes her feel heard, understood, intelligent; Gozie makes her heart flutter.

For Uju, the daughter her mother never wanted, marriage would mean the attainment of that long elusive state of womanhood, and something else she has desired all her life – her mother’s approval. All will be well; he is the perfect match, the country will soon be democratic again and the economy is growing, or so she thinks …

Loosely based on the real stories of real women known to the author, Tomorrow I Become a Woman follows a complex relationship between mother and daughter as they grapple to come to terms with tremendous loss. This powerful debut by Aiwanose Odafen is a sensitive exploration of a woman’s struggle to meet societal and cultural expectations within the confines of a difficult marriage, a tribute to female friendship and a love story that spans two decades and continents against a backdrop of political turmoil and a fast-changing world.
 Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction World Literature Heartfelt War
All stars
Most relevant
I don’t even know where to start. I’ve had this book in my wish list for so long not knowing what I was missing out on. The journey it will take you on is heart breaking and breath taking.

Nothing less than incredible

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I yelled, raged and laughed all through this book. It captured the pain that a lot of women endure in the name of cultural expectation. We have come a long way but we still have work to do. I absolutely loved this book, off to read the next one.

The pain that women have to endure!

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Overall a well written and engaging story. Societal pressures, culture, love, loss, friendship, relationships, etc - a range of themes addressed in the novel. I would agree with the other review of a ‘warning’ of abuse. It’s a sad story of what people experience. I did finish it wanting to know more about the characters and what became of them. My reaction at the end was - “Oh no! it’s finished”. I was engaged from start to finish. A lovely piece of writing with a great narration - well done.
I look forward to reading more from Aiwanose Odafen and further stories by the narrator.

Oh No!!!

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Absolutely loved this book it touched on a lot of issues concerning the outward and internalised misogyny in the west African community that still exists today. I went through a load of different emotions reading this. I highly recommend!!!!

Love it!!

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TRIGGER WARNING: interpThe writer’s empathy for the main character, the continuing struggle for women in a patriarchal, hierarchical and condescending society and her description of the hardship of the poor and vacuity of rich Lagosians’ lives. was spot on, Her interspersed references to the Nigerian Civil war were heartbreaking. The author’s ability to get under the skin of all the characters was incredible.

I have over 700 audible titles, and I’d rank this book in the top five. I listened to it over two days, and not even the news intruded. I hope the author has written other books. This was stellar.

The narrator was first class. She portrayed each character with the appropriate emotions, and her pronunciation was on point.

In short, if you want to know about how the suppression of women, the impact of interpersonal violence - both of which are universal -listen to this book. And if you’re curious about Nigerian life, that’s a bonus.

Outstanding

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