The Joys of Motherhood: A Novel

This book not only tells you the story of a Nigerian women that want desperately to become a mom, but also brings you so much about Nigerian culture and costumes. I couldn’t stop reading it. Absolutely fell in love with the strength and determination of Nnu Ego.

Wow wow wow. I must admit, the first 5 pages of this book did not appeal to me. The crescendo was too slow. However I kept reading because it was highly recommended. I read this book in a day and a half, even left a dinner early to go read. I simply couldn’t put it down. Now I’m trying to get friends to read it so we can discuss. There are so many complex topics embedded in the story. So many things to discuss. The life of the main character was complex. So complex it seemed, she too did not understand its purpose even right before she was gone. So sad! Now I’d like to read other books by this author.

Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood is a fundamental text in the wider cannon of Nigerian post-colonial literature. The novel centers around half a dozen main characters – mostly women – and follows their trials and tribulations navigating the complex social structures of Igboland. Taking place at the dawn of British colonial rule and into the colonial period through the Second World War, Emecheta is able to capture to essence of a Nigeria in tumult – a period defined by the chaos of colonial rule and the inherent social implications associated with it. I deem that Emecheta is able to successfully transport readers across both time and space, as each chapter is linked to the previous via a complex wed of family ties, overlapping stories, and tactful writing. The style of writing was particularly intriguing, as it was reflective of the “Western-style” novel. Vectoring into debates about how African novels “should be written”, Buchi Emecheta is successfully use Western writing conventions to her advantage – making her work both accessible to a larger audience and distinctly Nigerian/Igbo.Clearing drawing on works like Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Buchi Emecheta is able to give an insightful view into the world of “African motherhood” and transfer relatable narratives/lessons via characters like Ona and Nnu Ego. While Ona was the “foundational” character for the novel, she was perhaps the most enticing. Representing the general freedom and agency African women had prior to colonial rule, Ona stands as testament to long traditions of female power in pre-colonial Nigerian societies. Nnu Ego on the other hand, represents a “new African woman” who grew up in the colonial period, and whose world was fundamentally changed by the invention of tradition (on part of the British colonial administration) and the social changes brought during The Second World War. Moreover, The Joys of Motherhood clearly was the basis for Yaa Gyasi’s novel Homegoing, as each chapter (some characters had two) revolved around a single character – years passed between each and readers are able to follow the lineage of Ona into the post-WWII era.Despite its inherent strengths, I did have a few minor issues with The Joys of Motherhood. The first of these would be the prominence of sexual assault throughout the novel – while this is an extremely important topic that needs to be unpacked, Buchi just seemed to “throw it in” for sake of “drama”. I personally did not like how she passively added it in to the “plot” and did not unpack the implications of sexually related trauma. Secondly, I took issue with the transition to ‘the third generation’ – Ego’s children. While Buchi Emecheta was able to successfully show the passage of time between Ona and Nnu Ego, it was much more confusing at later stages in the novel. While this can be an intentional tactic to show the distant relationship of the family now divided by the Atlantic Ocean, it sometimes made the text confusing at times.Overall, The Joys of Motherhood is an eloquently presented novel that is definitely worth both your time and money. To me, its success is due to the characters – dynamic and relatable – as they highlight the very real struggles of raising children in less-than-ideal circumstances. Secondly, the novel adds to a major gap in African literature – the Interwar period and into The Second World War. Africans and their vital contributions are often forgotten in the “Great War” narratives of the West – Buchi Emecheta uses her text to show the impact on everyday Nigerians. While the novel is not perfect, it is certainly “a must” for anyone interested in an exploration of classic Nigerian works of literature.

EXTREME WARNING: Unless your computer has updated Norton Anti-virus protection or comparable protection against covert & malicious software (which infects your computer & then downloads all your files at night by spies) DO NOT ACCESS ANY OF MY REVIEWS!!! [This is no hype or joke.]When a society values Motherhood, but not the women themselves: it is warped, hypocritical, and sexist wherever it is in the world, (Africa, Europe, Asia, or the Americas)...and this is so whatever the culture or its religion (Indigenous, Muslim, Christian, or otherwise). This is the essence of Buchi Emecheta's outstanding African novel, THE JOYS OF MOTHERHOOD. Although it is set in colonial Nigeria (pre and post World War II) the struggles of its female protagonist, Nnu Ego, are really the struggles of all women---which are: to find meaningful self-fullfilling roles in their societies...a struggle that continues to this day.Patriarchal and sexist societies rarely view women as having any role greater than that of baby-makers. And even worse, almost all of them are culturally biased to value male infants more than females. They hypocritically proclaim to value motherhood, but devalue women, and even the mothers themselves. They proclaim a great love for infants, then reject adequate societal care for the children (this is particularly true in the U.S.). We might think that only primitive and indigenous societies are guilty of such blatantly sexist practices, but (as a by-product of male patriarchy) it remains standard practice around the world---for all religious fundamentalists, all pro-life fanatics, and for all arranged marriages. The women and daughters get no respect...and no say...and no choice. They get cultural B.S. and religious hype---in order for them to accept that being a mother is the greatest honor of a female's life--and that without being a mother (mostly of sons), they will remain unfullfilled. But, given adequate alternatives, most women would probably see right through this (along with the practice of their men having multiple wives) as being exactly what it is...self-justifying, male, sexual con. And yet, most of them would also acknowledge a part of this con as being absolutely necessary for Life itself to continue.I believe there CAN BE joy and a dignity in being a mother (if that's what a woman chooses for herself), and IF she has love, money, help from her partner, and adequate care-giving skills. Similarly, I believe there will also be despair and family dysfunction when ANY of these things are missing. The current rise in social pathologies in the U.S. mirrors the concurrent rise in single-parent, female-headed, households. Too much of our thinking and social lives have become singular in emphasis, individually selfish, as well as socially and sexually disjointed, and out of balance. Women themselves must be seen as (and also become) more than JUST mothers, and men themselves must be seen as (and certainly become) MUCH MUCH more than just sperm-donors. Our current social reality shows that it will take all of this. [And love, respect, and more money wouldn't hurt a thing either.] Otherwise, simply as products of a sexist culture, we are ALL just liars and hypocrites, at best; and destroyers of hope and a better future, at worst.I just recently discovered the novels of Buchi Emecheta--sharing her stories and her perspective on the world (along with other excellent, Black, female, writers.) I keep reading, and I keep learning. My journey continues, and I hope yours does as well. Read, learn, and enjoy. I certainly did.

Ha. This book! Love everything about it. It shows the undefined love mothers have for their children. I can relate with the story line, not all that happened but mostly mother’s love is unexplainable. The author is remarkable in her thoughts and storyline. Great read

I love this book! I read it years ago before I had children and this book helped me to determine what type of mother I would be: balanced. I reordered the book because I let a friend borrow it and never got it back, but I needed it to teach an IB course. My seniors compared this novel to Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Paired together these novels both lend themselves to a close look into the lives of two characters--one male; one female--who epitomize the extreme version of the traditional Ibo masculine character, Okonkwo, and the equally extreme version of the traditional Ibo mother, Nnu Ego. Each novel is set during a different time frame during the Colonization of Nigeria and each character refuses to adapt their traditional ways to a changing society. The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta this mother's story is a sadly disappointing ironic tale.Happy upcoming Mother's Day all!

Geez this novel surprised me and took me down a completely unexpected journey. The story of Nnu Ego will stay you the reader for a long, long time. Emecheta delves deeply into the complexities of motherhood and marriage, particularly polygamous marriage. Although the story is set in Nigeria there are home truths about motherhood and womanhood that will transcend cultural differences.

Liked what I learned about Ibo and Yuroba Nigerian cultures.Book was slow and tedious but still a good read.

Uma obra-prima que merece ser lida por todos, até mesmo (ou sobretudo?) por aqueles não se interessam pelo tema da maternidade. Romance sobre a dor universal de adequar seus desejos quiméricos à dura realidade da existência.

So amazing thank you so much. Really appreciate it ❤️🫶🏻

Die Erzählung beschreibt Mutterschaft in Nigeria und damit verbundenes Leiden, Entsagung und Entwürdigung durch Männer, die sich Zweit- und Drittfrauen holen. Die Sicherung der Existenz der Familie und Kinder, der vielfach von Frauen getragen werden muss. Und das tragische Ende einer alles gebenden Mutter, die am Ende auch von ihren Kindern verlassen wird.

A must read for anyone who wants to understand the underlying overtones of subverted motherhood and feminism in the human society...

This is the third novel I have read by Buchi Emecheta and on the surface it is radically different from her first two novels, In the Ditch and Second-Class Citizen. They focused on Adah, a young woman who has emigrated from Nigeria to Britain in the 1960s. In this novel we go back a generation or more in Nigeria itself. We see the impact of British colonialism, the drift of people from remote villages into Lagos and how World War II accelerates some kind of “modernisation” of traditional values and customs and a drive towards independence.The early pages of the novel are shocking. We are in Lagos in 1934. The central character, Nnu Ego, finds her young baby dead. She flees in horror, determined to drown herself. The shock continues. We jump back in time and space to Nnu Ego’s village before she was born where her father, Agbadi, is a tribal chieftain. His senior wife – he has several wives – dies, apparently after hearing him frolicking with his mistress. At the dead woman’s funeral, one of her sons reminds the assembled mourners of the honourable custom that his mother’s slave woman must join her in the afterlife. A young woman is dragged forward. She wants to live. She pleads for her life. She struggles but she is killed by the dutiful sons and is then buried with her mistress. This isn’t happening hundreds of years ago. This is happening in the early twentieth century. The only consequence of this murder is that the dead slave’s chi, or god, haunts Agbadi’s mistress, Ona, and her daughter by him, Nnu Ego. Hence, years later, the dead baby and Nnu Ego’s attempted suicide.It is difficult to know how to approach this novel. Should we deplore the slavery and the oppression of women, or accept them as the “traditional values” of a different time and culture? There is a reference to the British trying to end slavery but on the whole British rule is depicted as paternalistic at best and as rank white supremacism at worst. At one point Nnu Ego and her husband Nnaife are living in a white household in Lagos and we are reminded that European women a century ago hardly enjoyed much gender equality. In fact, in some ways Nnu Ego has more freedom than her white mistress as her lazy husband expects her to work outside the home and she runs a business selling contraband cigarettes and matches.Nnu Ego goes on to have seven surviving children with Nnaife, and as three of them are sons, she merits great respect in her community. Sons are far more valuable than daughters – and the eldest son is the cherry on the cake. Nnu Ego’s eldest son goes to university in the USA while her daughters can barely read or write. Daughters can redeem themselves by having lots of children, especially sons. The subordination of women – especially the practice of polygamy – encourages competition, resentment and backbiting between women, and so women are the agents of their own oppression. At the end of the novel, we hear whispers of independence but we have no reason to believe that the lot of women will improve any time soon.Apart from colonialism and gender equality, another theme we encounter is the ancestral hostility between two ethnic groups, the Ibo (Nnu Ego’s group) and the Yoruba, who are more firmly established in Lagos. Nnaife is horrified – and driven to violence – when he learns that one of his daughters want to marry a Yoruba neighbour. Another theme – which also has contemporary relevance – is the reliance on traditional healers (charlatans), partly because conventional medicine is beyond the reach of most people.Nnu Ego is the backbone of the novel, and like Adah in the British novels, we admire her resilience and fortitude. We really want her to succeed and find some kind of fulfilment beyond being a mother. I’ll say no more about that. I would recommend this novel to anyone who has enjoyed Buchi Emecheta’s earlier novels, or who wants to learn more about Nigeria and its histories and cultures.