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Wahala by Nikki May

This book centers around three friends, Simi, Boo, and Ronke, who have had a good relationship going until the arrival of Isobelle (Simi’s childhood friend), who capitalizes on each woman’s insecurities and secrets…

Annabelle Obie
Published on March 13, 2022
2 min read
Wahala by Nikki May

The word ‘wahala‘ is a popular slang used by Nigerians to describe problems/trouble. So seeing this on a book got my attention( because I was expecting serious drama)

This book centers around three friends, Simi, Boo, and Ronke, who have had a good relationship going until the arrival of Isobelle (Simi’s childhood friend), who capitalizes on each woman’s insecurities and secrets.

In short, Isobelle is here to cause gobe (another word for wahala 😂😂)

My thoughts?

I strongly believe that if the girls had solid trust in each other, they wouldn’t have been easily manipulated by Isobelle. For some weird reasons, I strongly disliked Boo more than Isobelle. I mean, she refused to take responsibility for her actions till the end of the book.

Did I like the way things ended with Kayode? No, but it could have been avoided( rather than going to visit that crazy girl, he should have given Ronke time to cool off then plead his case).

Did I hate Isobelle as a character? Surprising no, and I really can’t explain why. Isobelle’s father signifies how corrupt the Nigerian system can be and that you can easily get away with murder as long as you are rich.

I honestly feel there wasn’t really any character development. The three ladies had their struggles, and I was honestly rooting to see them overcome their insecurities gradually, but I didn’t get that vibe.

I wouldn’t say this was a quick read because it was neither exciting nor boring (it was just there, so don’t get all hyped up). I feel the author tried too hard to present the Nigerian culture, and my brain kept going back and forth trying to remember that the characters were Nigerians. This book would have turned out good if the storytelling wasn’t all over the place. There was a lot to unfold, and it unfolded in haste.

Lowkey, I still maintain the opinion that if the girls were fully Nigerian, Isobelle for nor run them street like that 😂😂. Like at some point, I forgot they were all Nigerians.

Too much American high school drama

Rating: 3 out of 5.
Written by Annabelle Obie

Annabelle has been a lover of reading from a tender age. She has an avid interest in African literature because through those books, she has visited various African countries. She has a hunger to learn about other cultures from reading and wants to share her reading experience with the world.

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