His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

My reading tends to be very American/British oriented, often from a white point-of-view, so I am trying to find new voices and visions.  A new book that I loved, coming out on September 1, is Peace Adzo Medie’s His Only Wife, set in present-day Ghana.  It’s the story of a young woman of limited means and hopes whose fortunes seemingly change when she accepts an arranged marriage to the wealthy son of a local woman she calls “Aunty.”

Afi Tekple is a seamstress who is working on setting up her own small business in the little town of Ho.  Her closest relative is her mother, although she is surrounded by an extended family who look out for her in varying degrees, and she and her mother are part of her oldest uncle’s household.  Based on the cultural traditions, Uncle Pious is considered her father after the death of her own father, and she has many siblings from his multiple wives.  Her friend, Muwasi, shares all her secrets and encourages Afi to start her new life when it is offered to her.

As Afi tells it in the opening sentence, “Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding.”  So begins Afi’s new life, described to her by her new in-law’s as being difficult by Eli’s “woman,” who they promise will soon be gone, and romanticized by her friend.  Her new apartment in Accra is certainly many steps above her humble beginnings in Ho, and she is elated to be able to apprentice in the workshop of a leading designer.  Her sister-in-law and brothers-in-law help her acclimate as she waits to meet her absent husband. 

Although this book has been described as “hilarious” and similar to Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians, I find that these comparisons miss the mark.  This is a serious look at economic status, marriage, and women’s rights in a story that you just can’t put down.  Afi’s Uncle Pious is infuriating with his familial demands for money, which he views as a right, but Afi’s new mother-in-law is also demanding in other ways.  Afi’s developing relationship with Eli is compelling and certainly romantic, but there are problems behind this new glamor. 

I cheered on Afi, who is young and naive and determined to find her own way in a place that challenges her difficult decisions to live life on her terms. Her story is by turns heartbreaking, hopeful and inspirational.  I especially enjoyed the look into the culture of Ghana, the lives of people in small towns and big cities, the descriptions of food, the lifestyles of the newly rich, and the changing expectations of new generations,  I’m looking forward to future books by this author, and I hope one of those might be Afi's continuing story! 

Thanks to Algonquin Books and Edelweiss for an advance copy.