ShortBookandScribes #BookReview – This Motherless Land by Nikki May
This Motherless Land by Nikki May was published by Doubleday on 18th July 2024 in hardcover, eBook and audiobook. My thanks to the publishers for the fabulous proof package – the Dip Dab was swiftly snaffled by my son!
When Funke’s mother dies in an accident in Lagos, she’s sent to live with her maternal family in England. Against a backdrop of condescension and mild neglect, sensible Funke strives to fit in, determined to become one of them.
Free-spirited Liv has always wanted to break free of her joyless family, to be nothing like them. Fiercely protective of Funke, she at last has an ally. The two cousins give each other what they need most: love.
But the past casts long shadows and the choices made by their mothers haunt them, shaping the trajectory of their adult lives. Can they escape their legacy?
Witty, warm, hugely entertaining, This Motherless Land bridges three decades and two continents, delving into the thorny territories of race and culture and belonging. At its heart is a story about love and how it can make the difference between surviving and thriving.
This Motherless Land is the story of two girls, Funke and Liv. Funke is Nigerian and Liv is British and when Funke’s beautiful family is torn apart in a tragic accident she is sent to England to live with her mother’s estranged family. Liv is Funke’s cousin and they become great friends, but Liv’s upbringing with her unkind and greedy mother leads to some actions that have far-reaching effects for both of the girls.
The story begins in 1978 and follows Funke and Liv over the following twenty years. I loved every bit of this brilliant and heart-warming story. Both main characters totally captured my heart. Funke is very easy to like as she has a kind nature, and Liv is more of an up and down character, self-destructive at times but ultimately she redeems herself.
This book is a retelling of Mansfield Park by Jane Austen but if, like me, you are not really that familiar with that book then don’t worry as you don’t need to be. However, it’s easy to see where the inspiration comes from with a large country house, toxic relatives, a delightful heroine in need of rescue, faded grandeur and greed all playing their part in the tale. Where This Motherless Land really stands out is the Nigerian aspect, the culture, the traditions, and the juxtaposition between all of that and the typical British stiff upper lip and upper class superiority. I enjoyed both settings very much and thought the author portrayed them really well, perhaps because she is Anglo-Nigerian herself and so is able to depict the good and bad parts of both authentically.
I loved Nikki May’s debut, Wahala, and I loved This Motherless Land just as much (maybe more!) with its brilliantly-drawn characters, settings that transported me there and a plot that drew me in, made me smile and broke my heart. What a fabulous read!
Born in Bristol and raised in Lagos, Nikki May is Anglo-Nigerian. Her critically acclaimed debut novel WAHALA won the Comedy Women In Print New Voice Prize, was longlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and the Diverse Books Award, and is being turned into a major BBC TV drama series.
THIS MOTHERLESS LAND is her second novel.
Nikki lives in Dorset with her husband, two standard Schnauzers and way too many books. She should be working on her third book but is probably reading.
Twitter/X: @NikkiOMay
Instagram: @NikkiMayWriter
