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Tomorrow I Become a Woman

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Tomorrow I Become a Woman

By: Aiwanose Odafen
Narrated by: Nneka Okoye
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About this listen

 What can I do?’ she asked. You can fight, I thought, you can fight for your daughters. But then again, who was I to speak of such things

When Gozie and Obianuju meet in August 1978, it is nothing short of fate. He is the perfect man: charismatic, handsome, Christian, and – most importantly – Igbo. He reminds her of her beloved Uncle Ikenna, her mother’s brother who disappeared fighting in the Civil War that devastated Nigeria less than a decade before. It is why, when Gozie asks her to marry him within months of meeting, she says yes, despite her lingering and uncertain feelings for Akin – a man her mother would never accept, as his tribe fought on the other side of the war. Akin makes her feel heard, understood, intelligent; Gozie makes her heart flutter.

For Uju, the daughter her mother never wanted, marriage would mean the attainment of that long elusive state of womanhood, and something else she has desired all her life – her mother’s approval. All will be well; he is the perfect match, the country will soon be democratic again and the economy is growing, or so she thinks …

Loosely based on the real stories of real women known to the author, Tomorrow I Become a Woman follows a complex relationship between mother and daughter as they grapple to come to terms with tremendous loss. This powerful debut by Aiwanose Odafen is a sensitive exploration of a woman’s struggle to meet societal and cultural expectations within the confines of a difficult marriage, a tribute to female friendship and a love story that spans two decades and continents against a backdrop of political turmoil and a fast-changing world.
©2022 Aiwanose Odafen (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, UK Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction World Literature Heartfelt War

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All stars
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I loved this! I had to hold my tears at some parts but I loved it !

Captivated from start to finish !!

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A great listen. Lots of props to the reader, the accent and story telling was excellent. I loved the ending

The reader was excellent, just like the story

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Capturing heart and soul, Odafen tells us the moving and at times heart wrenching story of a woman who is trying to balance all that is expected of her. It’s beautifully written and epically narrated, and one couldn’t ask for a more flawless and timeless story, imbued with hope, love, grit and tradition.

Beautiful and touching storytelling

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Captivates how women are viewed in Africa really well. The narrator also done a fantastic job! Interesting read!

Brilliant story!

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Such an interesting book & story, which was narrated beautifully! Couldn’t stop listening. If you grew up in Nigeria through the 80s & 90s, then there’s a lot nostalgia in the descriptions of places, food, music, sociology & politics of the time. The experiences and injustices faced by the female characters are not alien to many Nigerian women- and are still rampant today; but I’m proud of the women who have broken the chains of oppression and fighting to protect our rights. This book can be included in that fight. Sending it to anyone who needs to hear it.

So nostalgic & important

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The book was very gripping the author described the events that took place soo in depth and raw.

The DV is intense but makes you want to know what happens next

One to Read

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It was a very hard listen - the level of toxicity whether from the abusive husband or the mother or the misogynistic teachings of the church. I struggled to listen without taking regular breaks. It was at times infuriating and hard to empathize with the main character who put up with so much and only woke up when her child’s life was in danger. It made no sense to listen to empty pronouncements about how stubborn she was yet only to witness her put up with decades of abuse from both her husband and her mother. While it may be a reflection of many people’s reality, it certainly was not a triumphant story as a whole! Left a very bitter taste in my mouth to imagine that women continue to suffer in this way enabled by toxic mothers and so-called religious leaders. How very sad!

Should come with a domestic violence trigger warning

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Excellent story amd narration. I finished listening to this book in three days. Bravo to the awful for covering such a difficult subject matter.

The best audiobook I have read since 2024 began.

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I yelled, raged and laughed all through this book. It captured the pain that a lot of women endure in the name of cultural expectation. We have come a long way but we still have work to do. I absolutely loved this book, off to read the next one.

The pain that women have to endure!

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Truly immersive. The narrator had a wonderful dramatic effect. It didn't over or underwhelm. The author took the story in unexpected directions; highly emotionally compelling.

Engrossing

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