The definition of deceit and betrayal has never been so broad in its scope. Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀’s Stay With Me tells the struggle of a young wife, Yejide, as she grasps with all her strength to hold onto the one thing she never had growing up – a loving family. For Yejide she wants nothing more than to have a child. Desperate, and full of longing to complete her family Yejide faces multiple obstacles. The pressure and demands stemming from the obligations of a woman to have a child, and for Yejide this becomes exacerbated with sudden upheavals, a growing fear of being alone, and more than anything a desperate longing to be a mother. Overwhelmed, Yejide’s strong mind and fiercely independent nature become threatened with lies that could cause everything to unravel.
Beginning like the passages of a letter, the protagonist tells of her worries and regrets – which to begin with are told in broader terms and circumstances – creating a sense of an incident that happened long in the past but still haunts the two voices of today; Yejide and her husband Akin. From this the pages step back in time from the present day setting of 2008 to 1985. There are again later skips in time that provide a different viewpoint to what’s already unfolded.
There’s a uniqueness in presenting both sides of the marriage; their voices left untampered, and though the husband Akin’s perspective is shared less than Yejide’s, it still helps to show lovers at odds in their actions, but together in their thoughts – even if they’re only told to the reader. However, in writing the story this way – only giving the reader insight to the characters’ minds – it successfully works in strengthening the empathy you feel for them and for the difficult decision each one has made.
Stay With Me brings a gust of fresh air to stories about relationships; starting with the protagonist’s refusal to play out the tropes of a dutiful and silent wife, who’s mistreated by an age-old view of a woman’s place in a marriage. Instead, Yejide is powerful, strong-willed and a force of nature. This is continued with the husband – who’s not inherently evil, but is shown to be stuck in facing the demands of his wider family and of society’s expectations, while at the centre he’s at a loss of what to do. He’s thereby not the devil as is often painted in fictional marriages. Both have their secrets, mistakes and longings.
An engrossing read throughout, Stay With Me looks at the repercussions of a person’s actions, and the widening ripples it can cause. In comparison to this the ending of the book falls a little short to the rest of the story and though it’s still enjoyable, a few more pages of what could possibly happen in the future, and a covering of what has happened in the intervening years, would have been a fascinating read, and there’s certainly room for another novel. Instead, the end leaves you to wonder what happened to the characters, but perhaps this is for best, for readers are certain to have different outlooks on the characters’ choices.
Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀’s Stay With Me contains descriptive prose so emotionally taut it tells you everything with the briefest of lines.
‘I clenched my fists as Akin drove away, leaving me alone in the cloud of dust he had raised’
It’s also beautifully crafted with double-meanings both figurative and literal, which is continued in the politically charged landscapes that offer a backdrop of both hope and instability, and one that perfectly mirrors the marriage of Yejide and Akin.
The book’s unexpected plot developments leave you with a range of conflicting emotions, all the while your heart opens further to the characters you champion. Stay With Me is a stunning exploration of the complications of love and its many facets, making its direction unpredictable and far removed from being a familiar tale.
Other Notable Works by Ayòbámi Adébáyọ̀:
- Of This Our Country: Acclaimed Nigerian Writers on the Home, Identity and Culture They Know 2021
Book Edition Information:
Publisher: Canongate
ISBN: 9781782119463
Cover Design: Rafaela Romaya
Presented Edition: 2017 Hardback
Background image courtesy of Rowen Smith on Unsplash
