The Son of the House
2019 novel by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe
978-1-4597-4708-1
The Son of the House is a family saga novel written by the Nigerian author Cheluchi Onyemelukwe. Her debut novel, it was first published by Parrésia Publishers (in Nigeria) and Penguin Random House South Africa in 2019.[1][2][3][4]
Plot
The Son of the House is focused mainly on Nwabulu, who was sent out by her step mother to work as a servant. She falls in love with a boy from a wealthy family who impregnates her and then denies the pregnancy. Nwabulu is sent back to the village where she was married to a man whose grandmother is eager to get a grandson.
Meanwhile, there is also an independent teacher named Julie who has fallen in love with a wealthy man married man named Eugene who wants nothing more than a son.
When both women are kidnapped they tell each other their stories and find that they have more in common than they once thought.
Theme
The novel revolves around polygamy, patriarchy in Africa, and the subordinate position which most women are kept in Africa.
Reception
A reviewer at Publishers Weekly described the novel as an "...intimate study of the issues facing contemporary Nigeria..." and that "...her masterly storytelling makes this consistently entertaining."[4] Quill and Quire described it as a "...roller coaster of emotions that Nwabulu experiences with perfectly executed cliffhangers to her chapters."[1] CBC Books acknowledged that the "...debut is set against four decades of vibrant Nigeria, celebrating the resilience of women as they navigate and transform what still remains a man's world."[5] The novel has been compared to Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood.[6]
Awards and recognition
| Year | Prize | Cat | Res | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Sharjah International Book Fair | — | Won | [3] |
| 2020 | SprinNG Women Authors Prize | — | Won | [7] |
| 2021 | Giller Prize | — | Shortlisted | [8] |
| Nigeria Prize for Literature | — | Won | [9] |
Other
- 35 Canadian books to check out in summer 2021 by CBC Radio.[10]
- The Top Nigerian Books Of 2019 by Channels Television.[11]
References
- ^ a b Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onubia (7 June 2021). "Review: The Son of the House". Quill and Quire. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- ^ Ikhide Ikheloa (18 October 2019). "Book Review | Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia's The Son of the House | Ikhide Ikheloa". Brittle Paper. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Nigeria's Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia Wins At Sharjah International Book Fair". Channels Television. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Fiction Book Review: The Son of the House by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia. Dundurn, $18.99 trade paper (304p) | ISBN 978-1-4597-4708-1". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- ^ Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia (25 January 2021). "Book Review: The Son of the House". Dundurn Press. CBC Radio. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- ^ Uduak-Estelle Akpan (2 May 2021). "The Son Of The House: Cheluchi Does Impeccable Work Here, While Entertaining, Educating, And Appealing To One's Sense Of Morality – Book Review". OkadaBooks. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- ^ Chukwuebuka Ibeh. "Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onubia wins inaugural SprinNG women authors prize". Brittle Paper.
- ^ Adina Bresge (5 October 2021). "Two-time runner-up Miriam Toews among authors on Giller Prize shortlist". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ Damiete Braide (30 October 2021). "BREAKING: Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia wins Nigeria Prize for Literature 2021". The Sun Nigeria Newspaper.
- ^ CBC Books (30 June 2021). "35 Canadian books to check out in summer 2021". CBC Radio. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
- ^ "Afonja, Be(com)ing Nigerian – The Top Nigerian Books Of 2019". Channels Television. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
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