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    His Only Wife: A Novel
    Unavailable
    His Only Wife: A Novel
    Unavailable
    His Only Wife: A Novel
    Audiobook9 hours

    His Only Wife: A Novel

    Written by Peace Adzo Medie

    Narrated by Soneela Nankani

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding.

    Afi Tekple is a young seamstress whose life is narrowing rapidly. She lives in a small town in Ghana with her widowed mother, spending much of her time in her uncle Pious’s house with his many wives and children. Then one day she is offered a life-changing opportunity—a proposal of marriage from the wealthy family of Elikem Ganyo, a man she doesn’t truly know. She acquiesces, but soon realizes that Elikem is not quite the catch he seemed. He sends a stand-in to his own wedding, and only weeks after Afi is married and installed in a plush apartment in the capital city of Accra does she meet her new husband. It turns out that he is in love with another woman, whom his family disapproves of; Afi is supposed to win him back on their behalf. But it is Accra that eventually wins Afi’s heart and gives her a life of independence that she never could have imagined for herself.

    A brilliant scholar and a fierce advocate for women’s rights, author Peace Adzo Medie infuses her debut novel with intelligence and humor. For listeners of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Candice Carty-Williams, His Only Wife is the story of an indomitable and relatable heroine that illuminates what it means to be a woman in a rapidly changing world.

    Editor's Note

    Book club pick…

    Reese Witherspoon’s book club pick for October is “His Only Wife.” Hailed by Kirkus Reviews as “‘Crazy Rich Asians’ for West Africa,” it’s a feminist Cinderella story of sorts about the arranged marriage between beautiful, poor seamstress Afi and wealthy businessman Elikem. “Culture, heroism and the search for independence are just a few of the wonderful themes in this vibrant book,” Witherspoon wrote in her announcement post.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWorkman Audio
    Release dateSep 1, 2020
    ISBN9781649040107
    Unavailable
    His Only Wife: A Novel
    Author

    Peace Adzo Medie

    Peace Adzo Medie’s debut novel, His Only Wife, was a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice, a New York Times Notable Book of 2020, and a Time Magazine Must-Read Book of 2020. It was also a Reese’s Book Club pick. Her book, Global Norms and Local Action: The Campaigns to End Violence Against Women in Africa, was published by Oxford University Press in 2020. She has won numerous awards for her scholarship and has held several fellowships, including the Oxford-Princeton Global Leaders Fellowship. She holds a PhD in public and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in geography from the University of Ghana.

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    Reviews for His Only Wife

    4.5/5

    388 ratings20 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Touchingly universal, while being so, so specific, grounded & feminine the colliding of traditional and modern, for the role of women in modern Africa plays out in a bittersweet story that affirms and validates a real way forward without ignoring tradition. Making the hard choices based on love, self love, & strength. I also love that the study & business opportunities are first Afrocentric and secondly global.
    • 5/5
      The book was phenomenal, I don't think it was fiction at all, these type of marriages are common in certain cultures.
    • 2/5
      I’m loving the book, but it’s difficult to get past the narrator sounding like her voice is constantly about to break
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book. Th story was good. Characters were fully developed. Great book club read. It has my book club read.
    • 5/5
      Beautifully woven story of love, betrayal, cultural obligations, and so much more.
    • 4/5
      This is a lovely book. It begs the question how much are you willing to put up with in your marriage or in your relationships. It makes you question your own circumstances. The writing seems very honest and authentic and the narrator was very appealing.
    • 5/5
      This book has everything. Such a special read, evoking emotions.
    • 5/5
      Great read, loved the narrator too. Would definitely recommend ?
    • 5/5
      Wow, such a great read! I am sad it came to an end! And the ending!!!!! Afi really depicts what being empowered and not settling looks like.
    • 5/5
      Beautiful book! Heart breaking to see how we as women are still expected to sacrifice to make the man happy. Loved the insights into the everyday life of Ghana. Fascinating read.
    • 5/5
      Beautifully written. I love the theme of self development and empowerment.
    • 5/5
      Great read. Couldn’t put the book down. Shows such strength.
    • 5/5
      I loved the drama, tension and excitement of this book which were all so vividly described with words that painted wonderful images in my mind. I also couldn’t get over how naive Afi was but I truly empathized with her. In the end I grew to admire her, and gained a new perspective of her strength.
    • 5/5
      Couldn't stop listening. The book really was a great portrayal of what sometimes happens in the village and how some people just aren't built for that life
    • 5/5
      Brilliant - would love to see this made into a movie. The characters are so rich and the plot keeps you on your toes to the end -
    • 4/5
      Hated the narrator and wished it was voiced in an African or at least Caribbean accent but this story was too good to skip! I wanted more from the ending and my heart ached for Afi. I literally have a pit in my stomach after reading this story.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Kept me on the edge of my seat! Really good!
    • 5/5
      This book was AMAZING! I want a part two. I enjoyed learning about the culture. Definitely read this one, it will draw you in, and you will not be able to put it down.
    • 5/5
      Loved getting to know AFI and her world. Highly recommend. Love when the character is such a strong person and all you want is for her to succeed. Maybe they will make it into a show!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      It was a great story and I did not expect that ending! My mouth dropped open at one point. I do have to say, I wished they had used a different reader or at least one that was African or black. The audio would have been much more enjoyable to me had it been read in the proper dialect.

      4 people found this helpful