Eli said he loved both her and Muna. This is when Afi realized that Eli would never marry her for real; he wanted two equal wives. His only concession was that she would be the first wife. Afi did not want to be a wife; she wanted to be the only wife. She realized there was nothing wrong with Muna, just that his family didn’t approve of her. When Eli refused to choose only her, Afi asked for a divorce. We read the story from Afi’s perspective starting with her wedding day where her husband Eli is a no show. That sets the stage for the kind of dynamic between Afi and Eli. Not only is this an arranged marriage but he can’t find the time to show up to his own wedding day! You really feel for Afi who is put in an impossible situation by wanting to please her mother but also realizing she’s giving up a lot of freedom and a chance for her own love story.

When Afi confronts Eli about the other woman at the end of the novel, she says to him that he wouldn’t like it if she also saw another man while with Eli. Let’s talk about this double standard that men like Eli try to hold on women. I don’t think I’d care much for Ghanian cuisine however. Okro soup might be OK as long as it’s not the version which includes goat meat ( I don’t eat meat) but I’m not enthused by akple, a dish which consists of fermented balls of corn flour, cassava flour, water, and salt, or fufu, a mash of boiled cassava mixed with plantains or cocoyams. Peace Adzo Medie’s mesmerizing debut novel lives up to both the power of its first sentence and the promise of its author’s first name . . . At a time when adventure is scarce, Medie gives you a lot to look forward to, think about and be grateful for.” I need more eyes on this book!! I am not seeing it enough on my feed and I am kinda mad. 'Marriage shouldn’t be a never-ending competition where you spend your life fighting to be seen and chosen.' @peacemedie debut novel His Only Wifeis a book you will read and continue to think about for months to come. The story opens up in a small town in Ghana, we meet Afi Tekple, a young seamstress who is about to get married to a man she has never met. What’s more is the man does not show up to their wedding because he is on a business trip.I mention place because Peace Adzo Medie accomplishes a wonderful pull-and-push between the two main geographic settings in the story: the big city (Accra) and the country town (Ho) where many of the central characters are from. There are also many shadow places in this story: the childhood home of Afi (our narrator), which represents her immediate family’s former status when her father was living; the various offices and business locations of Afi’s husband, Eli; and the shadow homes that Eli shares with his mysterious partner, Muna. This “other relationship” is one of the central tensions of this story, and it is mostly described through a host of misinformation from Eli’s family, the Ganyos. Part of me wishes that the Liberian woman had also been given a pov, making the novel feel less biased. I also wish that we could have seen more of Afi without the Ganyos (for example scenes while she's studying fashion would have been nice, or even her socialising with more people outside of her apartment).

When Eli begins to appear more frequently, the two fall into a storybook romance, though his mysterious mistress remains in the picture. Eli is still a guest in her condo when Afi discovers she is pregnant. As Afi’s bravery grows, she defies what’s expected of her and demands to be taken seriously. You have to learn to fight for your husband and never let your guard down Basically Afi meets and falls in love with Eli and sends their entire marriage trying to please and keep him. It is exhausting to say the least. From scholar and advocate Peace Adzo Medie comes HIS ONLY WIFE, a vibrant and inspiring debut novel about a young bride married first and foremost to her independence, and second to an absent man. I thought this was an easy read, and ended up reading it one sitting. The story is frustrating in so many ways—mainly Eli and Aunty’s treatment of Afi. They for sure underestimated Afi and thought that she would be easily swayed by living a life of luxury. But Afi could not let herself be caged in and I respected the fact she stood up to them. Afi loves to sew and gets the opportunity to pursue it. This part of the plot was really nice since it showed that Afi didn’t think she didn’t need to work. I liked that Medie wrote about her insecurities around other people who seemed to have accomplished a lot. How far will her dream go?A Cinderella story set in Ghana . . . A Crazy Rich Asians for West Africa, with a healthy splash of feminism.”

Phewww okay this ending had me fuming! I mean granted, the Ganyo family drove me crazy throughout this whole book, BUT THE ENDING?? I would’ve allowed Afi to be acquitted from murder, but I guess it was happy for her nonetheless. She is Senior Lecturer in gender and international politics at the University of Bristol. Her research examines gender, politics, and conflict in Africa. Her book, Global Norms and Local Action: The Campaigns to End Violence against Women in Africa, was published in March 2020 by Oxford University Press . Her debut novel, His Only Wife, was published in September 2020 by Algonquin Books. I was never bored while reading this, but as soon as I finished I wondered how I was not constantly bored. Both Evelyn and Mawusi had told her to wait and not push Eli, but they celebrated her success with her. Eli took her to social events with him and introduced her to his friends. Birthing New Life

What. A. Book. This is my sleeper 5 star read of 2020. Peace Adzo Medie as masterfully woven together the unforgettable story of Afi a young girl from Ghana. Afi’s Family has arranged a marriage for her to a wealthy man, Eli. Afi is confused when Eli doesn’t even show up for the wedding ceremony but instead sends his brother as a stand in. Afi and her mother are then relocated to the big city where Afi finds out she’s not living in the marital home nor does she see Eli for weeks. it soon becomes apparent to Afi that Eli‘s family has ulterior motive‘s and that this marriage is meant to throw a wrench in Eli‘s current relationship. but this does not deter Afi she has come to the big city to realize her dream of becoming a fashion designer and is willing to take advantage of her current situation. Afi is a girl on a mission and on her way to succeed she makes many friends and learns many things about herself and the world around her. In her sparkling debut novel, Ghanaian writer and academic Peace Adzo Medie uses humor, candor and feminism to examine womanhood, marriage and agency in modern Ghana.” The favourite son of a wealthy family, employers to many of the community, Eli is also clever and considerate, good in bed, and – get this – he’s even willing to make his own breakfast in the mornings, a cause for consternation for Aki, whose traditional values will come to be tested over the course of an engaging, quietly provocative debut.

Plot-wise to me, there were a few holes and I had questions but not enough that I couldn’t understand what was happening or go with the flow. I just I suppose didn’t get the direction of the book and don’t really understand what it wanted to accomplish. When we were introduced to Yaya’s friends, I expected more to come from that nugget to create dramatic effect. The building of tension between Afi’s family and the Ganyos was fabulous, I only wish more had been done with that potential plot angle. The author was great at creating potential opportunities for tension but she often just releases them without exploring further or stoking the flames so there were lots of moments were my expectations for more drama were built and then allowed to fall flat. The resolution and the conflicts felt a little too easily achieved when a book such as this was BEGGING for more dramatic effect. But like most things, their seemingly perfect marriage is not what it seems. When Afi finally finds her voice and stands up for herself, I cheered! I was completely engrossed in her story. This story does so much to develop characters and describe the culture. They do not once hold this grown man accountable for his actions; instead the blame was deflected on the woman. Even when she got pregnant with THEIR SON, things did not change. There were some happy moments in here, don’t get me wrong. But ugh ugh ugh MOMS STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR YOUR SONS!!!! If only the rest of the book had been as fascinating as the setting. I feel guilty about saying that because Medie writes very well, in a flowing style that is easy to read, full of colour but mercifully light on adjectives and linguistic flourishes. I have a feeling if she keeps up this standard, she’ll enjoy a solid fan base in coming years. Now, for my less profane thoughts: His Only Wife is an enthralling story about two Ghanian families, one love triangle, and the people and places caught in between them.

Beyond the Book

If this sounds too good to be true, you’re not far off the mark. Afi does get a swish apartment in the capital city of Accra, complete with servants and more money than she’s ever had before. However, despite the rut, I’ve been willing myself to read when and where I can even if it takes me an entire week. Afi selected to go to Sarah’s fashion school even though it wasn’t grand as she expected, and her driver drove her to and from school every day, waiting for her during the day. She used to send him off during the day until Richard told the driver should wait in case she wanted him to take her somewhere during the day.