Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite

“If you cannot respect this family and this function, at least respect yourself.”

"Cursed Daughters" is a story of generational trauma, following the lives of several Nigerian women of the same bloodline. The story is deeply entrenched in what it is like to be a woman and to have those gender expectations placed upon you. As the title suggests, there is a spiritual element to the story, mystifying their experience into something worth awing at.

I found this book entrancing as it jumped between the perspectives of the women. It follows a very nonlinear story pattern, jumping across years, but stays very coherent all the way through. The information provided in the past provides context to the present, and vice versa. It is an art in writing.

Give this book a try and leave your thoughts. The library's Black Author Book Club is meeting on Wednesday, July 29th (2026) to discuss the book, so come on out! If you liked this book, try Oyinkan's other book "My Sister, the Serial Killer"!

- Leo

Esperance by Adam Oyebanji

    What happens when people start randomly coming up drowned... in their own homes... with lungs full of sea water? It is a mystery Ethan is tasked to solve, even now as a Chicago detective down on his luck.

   This book was one of those reads where if you don't think too hard or deep dive into any of the topics, its fun. It was entertaining as a run of the mill mystery, but it was somewhat superficial with the themes it seemed to be exploring even with the sci-fi components. These themes in question seemed to be racism, xenophobia, colonialism, revenge, and reparations... among others. 

    I will give it its flowers though, because there were many instances where it was somewhat funny and snarky with its dialogue, only so effective because of the context surrounding the characters. There was also sapphic relationship that was progressing over the course of the book, which was an unexpected touch.

    All in all, it wasn't the most groundbreaking read, but it's nice if you want a sci-fi mystery to keep you entertained for a while. Give the book a try and let me know how it goes!

- Leo

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

 

    "Half of a Yellow Sun" is a story driven by the lives of everyday people who are torn apart by a war, finding ways to not lose any more parts of themselves. The book takes place during the Nigerian-Biafran War from 1967-1970.

    It follows primarily three characters: Olanna, an Igbo woman with roots from a wealthy family who has moved in with her university professor lover; Ugwu, a boy from a village hired as a servant boy for both Olanna and her lover; and Richard, a white man from England who strives to be a writer and is the lover of Olanna's sister. 

    Each one of our characters has similar, yet drastically different circumstances because of their identities. We watch as they see the horrors of the war unfold. We watch as they begin to face these horrors on. We watch as they find everything under the yellow sun they can cling to to fight these horrors off. 

The books is elegantly written and is a classic among Nigerian literature, making beautiful and insightful commentary about race, ethnic disputes, politics, war, and class. I'll share my favorite line of the book that made me bust into tears when I read it, as I feel it perfectly encompasses the effect of war, especially in relation to the title:

"Darkness descended on him, and when it lifted, he knew he would never see _______ again, and that his life would always be a candlelit room; he would see things only in shadow, only in half glimpses..." 

Please give this book a read and let me know what you think!

- Leo

Necessary Fiction by Eloghosa Osunde

    Necessary Fiction is a story of stories taking place in Lagos, Nigeria all centering around a group of queer individuals. Queerness is something still somewhat taboo in Nigeria, so to see the community, love, and experiences of the group is a beautiful spectacle. Some of the stories even involve a more spiritual component, pulling from Nigerian myth and lore.

    The book scurries across multiple perspectives while also juggling nonlinear storytelling, often going back in time. Each chapter follows a different person within the group, with some being revisited after time has passed.

    I think this book was entertaining, but longer than it needed to be. Some of the sections could've been reduced or didn't need to be there, but were still compelling nonetheless. Some of the characters also seemed to try very hard to seem interesting, which given the circumstances, I kind of understand. But my biggest gripe was the fact that many of the parents of the queer folks.... were also queer? Almost all of them. I found that very strange.

    All in all though, the book was engaging and beautiful, with the primary luster coming from the love woven between the relationships, until it becomes a manifestation within the self. Check this book out if you're looking for any queer black stories, especially those of African origin!

- Leo