I have been on a good roll of audiobooks lately.
My Sister, the Serial Killer
Oyinkan Braithwaite
When Korede’s dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what’s expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This’ll be the third boyfriend Ayoola’s dispatched in, quote, self-defence and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede’s long been in love with him, and isn’t prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other…
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When this book was released, I recall hearing everyone rave about it, and I’ve had my eye on it ever since. I finally got around to picking it up, and it definitely deserves all the praise it gets.
This book was different to what I expected, but in the best way, it wasn’t an edge-of-your-seat thriller; instead, it is a book that explores the relationship between two sisters, Korede and Ayoola. There is a quiet but delicious tension throughout the story as this relationship starts to show some cracks due to Ayoola’s murderous tendencies.
The chapters were short and punchy, and occasionally gave us a glimpse into the family’s past, so even though it wasn’t a typical thriller, it still had me gripped. I could really empathise with Korede, she wants to protect her sister but also knows that what she is doing isn’t right. The way she finds herself unravelling a little as the pressure of her secrets starts to become too much was brilliantly handled, and made me so frustrated with the characters who couldn’t see Korede for who she was.
The narration of this story was fantastic. Weruche Opia did an amazing job of bringing the characters to life and making them sound unique. I would highly recommend giving it a listen, as it was lovely to hear the story in the character’s accent.
everywhere-and-nowhere.com 