Swallow
by Sefi Atta (Jacana, R145)
For one to understand a woman’s struggle for independence, you first have to get a glimpse into her life and what is expected from her within her society.
Swallow is a story based in Nigeria, about two roommates, Tolani and Rose. They work at the same bank, but in different departments.
They occasionally share the same views, but from different perspectives: Tolani is tolerant and withdrawn, while Rose is irreverent and outspoken.
Tolani is in a stable relationship, while Rose manoeuvres quickly from one relationship to the other, not wanting to settle for anything lower than what she believes she deserves.
Their personalities clash on many levels, but it is when push comes to shove that author Sefi Atta portrays the complexities of being a woman.
It begins by quickly delving into matters of romance: what a woman expects from a man and prompts the question: is money more important than love?
It also looks at matters of gender equality in the corporate world. Atta confronts issues that are seen as common to women, but cannot be fully understood by men unless experienced.
This is what makes the book special: it puts you in those shoes.
A lot of men may find the emotional connection to this book as uncomfortable as walking in high heels – it gives one a certain vulnerability.
What heightens it is the fact that Tolani and Rose are just two ordi-nary people who look at life in different ways.
What is surprising is that their experiences provoke the same emotional responses from them regardless, and also from you as a reader.
As I said: uncomfortable, but revealing.
One also gets to learn a lot about perspectives in Nigeria, mainly on tribalism, politics and married life. Some phrases are in Yoruba, and while easy to make out in context, some of them you don’t understand and wish that you could because the story is so captivating.
The book essentially looks at what influences people to make the decisions that they do within their environments and based on their characters.
These aspects dictate what happens to both women and will prove to be shocking and emotional at the same time.
One gets to see lives take shape and mindsets change. It is a wonderful book that women will relate to. For men, this read will be a revealing and, maybe, heavy pill to swallow.