Last week or so, i finished reading. Nearly all the men in lagos are mad, and i shared my review of the amazing book. It was so good i hurried and began reading her second work, "Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow" and I was not disappointed. It was worth the read, so of course, i ran down here with a review.
First, let's talk about the book title.
Damilare has cracked the code when it comes to titling her books. "Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow" grabs your attention immediately! You can't help but wonder what the book will unfold, and that's the beauty of a great title
I love my authors who do the obtuse with titles.
BOOK SUMMARY
In this tumultuous and emotional novel, our protagonist, Temi, announces to her conservative family her plans to surgically "fix" her bumbum, causing an uproar in the wake of ner father's death.
In the beginning, the story just revolves around Temi, the babe who seeks to fix her flat derriere. As the book progresses, Damilare tackles other pertinent issues from the various family members perspectives, kind of like giving us the reasons for the decisions they are/were making throughout the many years we are shown of their lives.
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MY THOUGHTS/SENTIMENTS
I must first admit that I thought the beginning was slow and a bit confusing, but a few chapters in I found myself fully immersed in the family drama and trauma. At times shocking or infuriating, it was, at the end, a heartfelt tear-jerker.
Everybody had their own story to tell, which made the plot interesting
Temi's story was just so relatable for any young, average, female person, especially the ones here in Nigeria.
I'm quite indifferent about people getting a BBL (Brazilian butt lift), but I pitied Temi enough to understand her. She passed through a lot because, according to society, her bumbum was as flat as a blackboard. So how could I blame her when she decided to 'renovate' it?
Next, I think Ladun, Temi's elder sister overreacted a bit. Their mother did what she had to do without any intention to hurt Ladun. How could the poor woman know that "It's a small world" would happen to her?
I'lI say Mr. Tito(Temi and Ladun's Dad) was my favorite character. He just had so much good character and loved his wife so much. I remember this scene where he had an issue with a colleague for disrespecting his wife. Although I think that he favored the children more sometimes.
For Hassana(Ladun and Temi's mum), she didn't have a lot of options. She just did what she thought was best for her and her child. So I expected that Ladun should have tried to understand her at least.
Then there was Aunty Jummai, Hassana's elder sister and Big Mummy, Tito's elder sister.
Aunty Jummai liked both men and women.
While Big mummy, I could not even understand the color of her own problem
The funniest scene for me was the one where Jummai hit her husband back and when a wrestling match ensued. It was hilarious.
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In particular, I was drawn to the voices of the older women in the story and their determination to guide and lead their young women, despite the fact that their motivation was mainly to ensure that they get married. How they seek out religion as a refuge in their hard times, consulting prophets, Hajjing, fasting, and going to the holy mountain.
The story aside, I found the format fascinating.The author changes the perspective from chapter to chapter, and brilliantly!
Temi's perspective is written in second-person, positioning the reader as the point of reference, the point from which the various characters' stories spiral out. Her closest family members are written in first-person, giving a slightly less intimate but still quite personal vantage, and the outlying characters are given third-person
perspectives, which, compared to the first- and second- perspectives, makes the characters feel more distant. It really manages to capture intimacy and connection in a way l've never experienced before. The perspectives fit into neat, concentric circles. Very clever of Kuku.
She continues to contrast and juxtapose situations and how they apply to each member of the story, highlighting the double standards and how normalised they are in modern Nigerian(might I add, and Kenyan) society. She looks at marriage, love, body image, sponsor/side chic culture, paedophilia, male validation, education_and_it's_lack_ thereof, and family upbringing.
How Damilare explores themes of body image family and personal identity is refreshing and thought-provoking.
Tnrougn it, I have looked at how we keep secrets, some that even end up punishing us decades later, for people we love. Motivations may vary, but at the end of the day, we can agree that we do it for reasons that are valid. To protect: ourselves, those who we keep secrets from or those who we keep them for, I don't know.
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The summary of the whole story is that only big bumbum matters tomorrow. At least that's what society and social media have made us think.
Overall, "Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow" is not just a fun read; it also challenges us to think about what matters in our lives and relationships. If you're looking for a book that mixes laughter with reflections, this one is worth picking up!
I recommend this story if you're looking for one to keep your eyes glued on it till the very end. If you would not want to get lost in the pages of a book and/or lose track of time, don't read this.
Thanks for gracing this post.
Greetings!
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