Stay with Me: A novel Hardcover – August 22, 2017

This book took me through it from beginning to end. The complexities within the marriage & outside relationships were so subtle but loud. I wept for Yejide, felt sorrow for Akin & just wanted a happy ending. I went into this thinking this was a romance novel but discovered it was about so much more. Truth & transparency could have saved so much heartache. While I hoped for an ending that satisfied both characters & me, I am pleased with what I did get.

I bought this book for an assignment for my class on African Literature. I decided to choose Stay With Me particularly because the description talked about marriage and starting a family. I am a sucker for romance novels, so I was automatically drawn to it. Let me just premise by saying I was not prepared for the journey this book was about to take me on.The story follows a married couple, Yejide (the wife) and Akin (the husband), who have been married for four years, but have failed to have a child. They have tried everything from fertility doctors to herbal remedies to try and have a child, but nothing works. Now the way the description on the back is set up, it seems as though Yejide is the only one trying to have a child. But as we read on, we realize she is not alone in her efforts. From the beginning we see that Yejide is a strong spirited woman, who does not take disrespect lightly. It is not hard to develop this character analysis, but it is important to note it, as the events of the story threaten to change it. For four years Yejide has been berated by Akin’s family about being barren and threatening his family lineage. This invasion into her marriage is constant, and she finally has enough after her mother-in-law introduces Akin’s new second wife, who has married Akin for the sole purpose of having a child for him. This infuriates Yejide, as she and Akin had decided their marriage would not be polygamous. After the introduction of the new wife, Yejide takes the matter of getting pregnant into her own hands. This decision opens up a can of worms that unravels as the story progresses, and truly displays the amount of sacrifice that a couple will go through to have a child.Now Akin on the other hand, is the character that had captivated my full interest by the end of my read. His character development had me on the edge of my seat as I kept reading on, which is what I think made the book that much more interesting. Usually when we think of fertility and starting a family, we solely focus on the mother and how she is handling the situation. Adebayo gives us a unique and truly captivating perspective from the father’s end of the struggle to start a family. To those considering reading this book, I advise you to be prepared for the twists and turns that surround Akin’s character. They are truly unexpected but at the same time really show his investment in having a child with Yejide, despite the circumstances.One aspect of the book that I did not really appreciate until the end of the book was the switching of point of view from Yejide to Akin throughout the book. The switches were subtle and often unrecognizable until a page or two into the chapter, which made the read a bit confusing at times. However, towards the end of the book, I began to understand why Adebayo chose to write from both perspectives. Without giving too much away, I can say that there is a shift in hope towards the end of the story, which explains the switch in perspectives.I know I already mentioned this before, but I loveddd the unexpectedness of the plot. The twists and turns are why I 100% would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in it. It’s a beautifully written and truly captivating story that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire read.

The roller coaster of emotions I've experienced reading this book is something I'd gladly relive without requests.I love this book and the way the author presents the argument of the existence of grey areas; that there are always nuances, and different perspectives to every scenario.I loved the exploration of masculinity and femininity and what it means within the Nigeria (Traditional) space.

This was such a good read about the plights of womanhood, marriage culture and tradition. I loved it to so much, it was beautifully written and you could really feel the pain of the main characters

Saying this was a great read is an understatement. Reading each chapter took me through journey of each character, I felt every emotion that they may have felt.The story also unfolded in ways I didn't see coming! This is an absolute favorite.

This has alot to give to a reader looking for relating to life-filled drama.

Amazing book

This is a beautifully written and conceived first novel, which I enjoyed in whispersync format, listening to an excellent audible version as well as reading much of the text on Kindle. The focus, as many other reviewers note, is what happens to a couple suffering from infertility, and rather than revealing spoilers, I'll just say that the options on the table in 1980s Nigeria include polygamy as well as witchcraft and magic, even among the university educated. Whereas these days in the U.S. most women (and men) are comfortable saying they don't want children, in Nigeria, at least in the 80's & 90's, this was not an option. The psychological ramifications for both husband and wife are profound. This is also a story about the role of the extended family — and an intrusive mother-in-law — in a young couple's life, what it means for a young woman to grow up without a mother and close friends outside of the family. It is also about the tenuous connections between two brothers and the transition towards Western values in Yoruba villages and cities.While Adebayo offers some political backdrop to the personal story, she doesn't elaborate as Chichimanda Adichie does in the superb 'Half A Yellow Sun' — a far more ambitious work. I also would have appreciated more references to time, place, and character — as the chapters shift POV, but it's not always immediately obvious that the point of view has shifted. Also, the wife, Yejide, is given much more of a voice than her husband, Akin — which ends up meaning that some major secrets about the couple's problems are hidden until the book's final chapters. Structurally, that felt a bit unwieldy to me.Still, for a first novel, this is well-done and I was glad I'd read it. I'm looking forward to more novels after this promising debut.

This wonderful book was chosen by Busy Mama Book Club and my oh my I'm so glad they chose it; this is a book I wouldn't have picked up for myself.Yejide and Akin fell in love at University and married before they had graduated. They have both agreed that they will have a polygamist marriage and neither are interested in Akin taking several wives, even though it is expected of him.After 4 years of marriage; Yejide has still not fallen pregnant even after consulting fertility doctors and healers; trying strange teas and unlikely cures. This however is not enough for their families and they are beginning to worry as people are beginning to talk and when they arrive one day they bring Funmi who they explain is Akin's second wife.Yejide is now more determined than ever to get pregnant and eventually does so but at a cost far greater than she could have ever imagined.This book is set in Nigeria and flits between 1987 and 2008; the only thing that is slightly annoying about this is that there is no chapter headings so you don't actually know who's point of view it is until you are a couple of lines in.Throughout this book you can feel Yejide's heartbreak and betrayal - if someone loves you how can they cause you so much pain and not even realise?This book explores Nigerian traditions that most westerners won't be aware of; such as parents not attending their deceased children's funerals or knowing their final resting place as it can cause repercussions for future children born.Yejide's decision in the last quarter of the book is a decision that affected Yejide for years to come. It was an extremely hard decision to make but I can understand why Yejide did what she did - she had so much hardship and grief already in her life and I don't think she could survive anymore.I think a lot of the problems stemmed from Akin and the lies he told everyone (including Yejide); most of the problems in their marriage could have been avoided had he only told the truth

A few weeks ago, I read this book. I will admit that I was a bit on the fence and did not entirely like it, but after some reflection, I have begun to appreciate just how beautiful the story really is. With a central concept of motherhood and infertility, this book is packed with disappointment and tragedy, but it also has an adamant feeling of hope. Although the couple has many bumps along the way, in the end, it all works out perfectly for them. Further, the author uses perspectives very powerfully and the reader really immerses themselves in the story and feels the emotions of the main protagonists. Also, the cultural and historical input the author uses as context and setting for the story is absolutely spot on. There are so many things to love about this book. This is a greatly stunning book and I thought the author's use of wordplay in the title also made the ending even more beautiful. This is an amazing debut novel and definitely one of a writer who's going to leave a mark on both the African and global literary worlds.

'Stay With Me' is a heart-breaking story about infertility, infant loss and the pain these issues cause in a family. At the start of the book., Yejide and her husband have failed to produce a child after years of marriage. To Yejide's horror, her husband is pressured into taking another wife. The story that follows shows the terrible impact of obsession with having children. The very strength of the society - love of family - becomes the thing that gradually destroys Yejide and her husband.Yejide is a strong central character and I also liked her husband, and I had a lot of sympathy for them. There's a few surprises and twists along the way and readers should be warned there are some extremely sad events. It is a compelling story that will make you think about family values and the lengths that people will go to in order to have children - and make you question how far is too far.

I simply arored this story and its stayed with me, I find myself wondering about the characters. So original and well written , I have never before read a book that I wanted to re-read immediately after finishing. I bought one for my granddaughter, and leant mine to a friend. A must read ,highly regarded

This book is amazing, gripping and emotional at the same time. I could relate with this book as I am from a Nigerian background myself.I was hoping the book would have a more happy ending as I wanted Yejide and Akin to reconcile, but you only experience Yejide and Rotimi rekindle their mother/daughter relationship.I was also hoping that they would all become a happy family again, other than that was a very well written book in my opinion.👍🏾