Ogadinma Or, Everything Will be All Right is a tale of departure, loss and adaptation; of mothers who experience trauma at the hands of controlling men, leaving them with burdens they find too much to bear.

After an episode of abuse results in exile from her family in Kano, thwarting her plans to go to university, seventeen-year-old Ogadinma is sent to her aunt's house in Lagos. When a whirlwind romance with an older man descends into indignity, she is forced to channel her strength and resourcefulness to escape a fate that appears all but inevitable.

A feminist classic in the making, Ukamaka Olisakwe's second novel introduces a heroine for whom it is impossible not to root and announces the author as a gifted chronicler of the patriarchal experience.

About the Author

Ukamaka Olisakwe is a Nigerian novelist, short story writer and screenwriter. In 2014 she was chosen as one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most promising writers under the age of 40. She was born in Kano, Nigeria, and in 2016, was a resident at the University of Iowa's International Writing Program.

Her writing has appeared in Catapult, the New York Times and The Rumpus. She wrote the screenplay for The Calabash, a Nigerian television series that premiered in 2015 on Africa Magic Showcase.

Reviews

'Ogadinma contributes to the Nigerian feminist literary canon whilst being a classic in its own right ... Ogadinma proves that a character can be subdued AND heroic, well-defined AND a vessel.'

-- Jordaine Reads * Instagram Book Tour *

'This character development is so profound that readers can easily lose themselves in their anguish (or judgement) for Ogadinma to stand up for herself that they will forget that she's a child.'

-- That Other Nigerian Girl * Instagram Book Tour *

'A harrowing tale that begins with an atrocity and ends with a stark realisation about womanhood, agency and what it means to be independent.'

-- What Grace Reads * Instagram Book Tour *

'A harrowing, unflinching, and vivid novel. There is beauty in Olisakwe's writing but there is also considerable brutality. All of which had me wondering: will everything be alright?'

-- Brady on Books * Instagram Book Tour *

'A beautifully written coming-of-age story following the title character's journey against gendered oppression and class adversity in 80's Nigeria.'

-- Ripley from Bookland * Instagram Book Tour *

'This fast-paced novel comes across effortlessly and engaging. The difficult content rarely weighs it down, although there are moments that take your breath away.'

-- Aisha the Bibliophile * Instagram Book Tour *

'Ogadinma Or, Everything Will be All Right, digs out a range of emotions-rage, expectation, admiration, admonition-which keep the reader turning page after page'

http://columbiajournal.org/review-ogadinma-or-everything-will-be-alright-ukamaka-olisakwe/

-- Harriet Anena * Columbia Journal *

'The reader is only privy to a mere few years of Ogadinma's young life, but her character ark is far-reaching.'

-- Issue 2: Bildungsroman * The Indie Insider Newsletter *

'An invaluable life lesson that one can learn from Ogadinma is that unless women learn to stand up for themselves, patriarchy will continue thrive at our expense.'

-- She Reads and Writes * Instagram *

Top Reads 2020 | Fiction

Extract from Ogadinma in Granta's most popular fiction from 2020.

https://granta.com/top-reads-2020-fiction/

* Granta *

#YNaija2020Review: Ogadinma, Black Sunday, new Wole Soyinka...The Notable books of the year

'Olisakwe's debut is a tale of loss and resilience and finding the beauty among thorns.'

https://ynaija.com/ynaija2020review-ogadinma-black-sunday-new-wole-soyinkathe-notable-books-of-the-year/

-- Wilfred Okiche * YNaija *

'I found beauty in the strength and confidence that blossomed in Ogadinma but this was by no means an easy journey. A powerful and evocative novel that has been branded a new feminist classic, and I would not disagree at all.'

-- @thefeministnook * Instagram *

'The twists and turns are fast-paced, creating a sequence of events that allows the reader to continue rooting for Ogadinma as she approaches insurmountable barriers.' 'This smart, unforgettable novel sings out with an earnest hope for an end to intergenerational abuse.'

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-911648-16-1

* Publisher's Weekly *



Book Information
ISBN 9781911648161
Author Ukamaka Olisakwe
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint The Indigo Press
Publisher The Indigo Press
Weight(grams) 256g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 19mm