My Sister, the Serial Killer- Book Review

A morbid hilarious, insightful, family saga

Just as the title grabs your attention, the whole book never fails to do so. This book with complex characters and events was an easy read. Yet it had details to ponder over. Just remember that the book is not a crime thriller.

The story takes place in Lagos, Nigeria. Ayoola has murdered three of her boyfriends in self-defense, or so she claims. Her elder sister Korede helps her in clearing the crime scenes and protecting her as much as she can because of her love for Ayoola. The real fun is in these characters: both of them are complex and intriguing. Both of them are battling to live a secure life in a city where women are constantly exploited. There is also a love triangle, which brings a number of plots intertwined with the story. Despite their contrasting personalities, we see genuine sisterly-love between Ayoola and Korede; the love that cannot be seen on the surface but exists deep within and reveals itself during the most perfect situations, sometimes even surprising us…

The real message from the book is how domestic violence can affect people’s life. Abusive behavior can be passed on to generations. If a person is physically or mentally abused during their childhood, there is a chance that they might become abusers or violent people in the future. The book weaves a story with this theme. We also learn that a morally corrupt society is not stable and a family without love has feeble foundations, leading to personality issues of the young ones, as they grow up. Thus, the book so easily brings out such complex themes with a good storyline.

The characteristics of the city Lagos is shown briefly but vividly in the book. The traffic jams, the corrupt police, rain that breaks the umbrellas, and how women are treated unjustly. Some colloquial language is used in the book and reference to Nigerian customs, which adds to the originality of it.