Published: 2024
Country: Nigeria
Genre: Historical Fiction, Coming of Age
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Introduction
The Parlour Wife by Foluso Agbaje is a compelling portrayal of agency, power, culture, patriarchy, aspiration, and more. Set during the 1930s and 1940s, a time when women were historically dispossessed and reliant on male decision-making, it captures the layered struggles of the era.
While the author notes that some parts of the novel are based on real events discovered through research, I found elements of the story difficult to connect with. Much of the narrative felt implausible for that specific time in Nigeria, especially for Nigerian women with a tone and style heavily influenced by British sensibilities.
Book Summary
Set between 1939 and mid 1940s, this novel captures a turbulent period for Africans, particularly women, under British colonial rule. As World War II progressed, colonised subjects, including Nigerians, were encouraged to enlist in the British army.
The story follows Kehinde, who lives a quiet and content life with her parents and her twin brother, Taiwo. While their father is a hardworking fisherman, Taiwo dreams of enlisting in the war rather than continuing his education. He and Kehinde share a close bond, and he often encourages her to speak up for herself, especially when their parents begin arranging her marriage. Kehinde, however, aspires to read, study, and become a writer.
When their father goes missing in a ferry accident, the family’s financial and emotional stability collapses. Kehinde is quickly married off to a much older, wealthy, and morally questionable man. She becomes the third wife in his household. Although unhappy, she finds companionship in the second wife, and later, forms another important friendship at a market stall her husband sets up for her.
Despite being trapped in a loveless, polygamous marriage, Kehinde does not give up on her dreams. In the process, she meets the love of her life. Still, her husband is a powerful and influential man. The question remains: can she ever escape his control and pursue the life she truly wants?
Read the book to find out.
Reflections
This novel resonated with me in its portrayal of a young woman’s pursuit of freedom, purpose, and love. Kehinde’s determination to live a meaningful life despite cultural and social constraints is both inspiring and thought-provoking.
As the author writes:
“Although The Parlour Wife is a work of fiction, I hope it will get readers thinking and talking about how people have always wanted the same things, through the ages – to find one’s purpose, to have a voice, to be free, to be useful, to love and to be loved for one’s true self.”
(The Parlour Wife, p. 349, Kindle Edition)
Agbaje undertook extensive research into women’s lives during this time and includes a useful bibliography for readers interested in learning more. However, despite being set in the late 1930s to mid-1940s in Nigeria, the novel’s tone did not feel distinctly Nigerian. The characters, particularly Taiwo, express a sense of loyalty to the British Empire that felt out of place without a critical examination of colonialism. As a work of historical fiction, there was a real opportunity here to critically reflect on many aspects of the British colonial empire in Nigeria and Nigerians during that period.
While many Nigerians did enlist in the war for several reasons, the harsh realities they faced, especially in Burma, are an essential part of Nigerian history. Their sacrifices were often overlooked, and the novel does little to confront this erasure. I was hoping for a more nuanced portrayal that acknowledged both the motivations and the consequences of colonial influence.
Kehinde’s journey, though empowering, also felt somewhat removed from the historical limitations that women in Nigeria faced during that time.
Recommendation
Despite these concerns, The Parlour Wife is a worthwhile read. The writing is strong, the characters are well developed, and the story offers an engaging look into personal resistance and ambition. I recommend it to readers interested in historical fiction, especially those seeking to explore the work of African women writers.
About the Author
Foluso Agbaje has been writing stories since she first learned to write. She calls Lagos home, though she has a deep love for London, and her writing is shaped by both cities.
She is a graduate of the Faber Academy, with a master’s degree in Management and Human Resources from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Loughborough University. When she is not reading or writing, she enjoys bookshops, museums, singing in her church choir, walking, and swimming. She lives in Lagos with her husband and two children, balancing her writing with a full-time career in financial services.
Citation
Agbaje, Foluso. The Parlour Wife (p. 365). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.
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