Leggy: The title of this book makes me laugh every time I say it. “Nearly all the Men in Lagos are Mad”. It’s such an eye catching title.
Taynement: Ha ha ha, why? Because it’s true? 🙃
Leggy: I mean…This book wasn’t in my library, so I was just going to skip it but you convinced me to get it so we can read it as a part of our Chit Chat series and I must say I don’t regret it.
Taynement: It was on every Nigerian bookstagram and a friend of mine got it for me. I’m glad you didn’t regret it. I enjoyed this book, which is saying a lot given my stance on short stories.
Leggy: I enjoyed it too. I thought it was super entertaining but I also went in with very low expectations. I just thought it was one of those books where everyone jumps on a bandwagon and it wasn’t going to give what it was supposed to give.
Taynement: Besides the compelling stories and compelling writing, what made this book a good read was knowing that all of the stories were realistic.
Leggy: I have a very different opinion.
Taynement: Let’s hear it!
Leggy: I did not find a lot of the stories realistic.
Taynement: ooooh, really?
Leggy: Sometimes I wondered what society she was writing about. Don’t get me wrong, Nigerian men are mad and the encompassing stories are realistic but some of the little details give American society.
Taynement: Oh ok, I see what you mean.
Leggy: Like in “The Anointed Wife”, the mistress gets a book deal and goes on an interview tour. That would NEVER happen in Nigeria. Ever. Especially when the man being accused of adultery is a pastor? She would be branded a harlot through and through. People would talk about it on twitter for a day, nobody will remember the pastor the next day but best believe they’ll always remember the woman to call her – ashawo.
Taynement: I think that’s where you have to suspend all belief to keep the story moving.
Leggy: Yeah, so little details like that made me roll my eyes because it was giving America not Nigeria but overall, I found the main threads of the stories true to form.
Taynement: Did you have any favorite stories?
Leggy: I really enjoyed “Ode-Pus Complex” because I found it realistic. That exact scenario has happened to someone I know.
Taynement: What a clever title. If you’re not Nigerian, “Ode” means fool.
Leggy: Yup. Such a clever title. And honestly, I didn’t hate the mother. She was direct and honest instead of doing that passive aggressive thing Nigerian mothers do.
Taynement: She was just being realistic and quite frankly, saving the girl.
Leggy: And the girl saw it for herself like woman, you can keep your son.
Taynement: One of my favorite stories was “Beard Gang” – the group of women married to closet gay men.
Leggy: I really liked that one too.
Taynement: I also liked “I knew You“, one of the few stories from the male perspective and acknowledging that he ain’t shit.
Leggy: He really wasn’t shit. I’m glad the girl was like – I’m out!
Taynement: I didn’t read reviews for the book but a friend let me know that Nigerians were up in arms about the sex scenes which were graphic. What did you think about it?
Leggy: I don’t remember any of the sex scenes to be honest, so it can’t possibly have been that graphic.
Taynement: Oh wow. Ose bad gyal! 😂😂😂😂 Well, I didn’t think it was inappropriate or too much but I know Nigerians are gonna Nigerian. In fact, I applaud a Nigerian author for not shying away from sex.
Leggy: Also, considering how much Nigerians have sex, it’s intriguing how much they don’t want that fact acknowledged. Which was your least favorite?
Taynement: Cuck up was up there. It was the story that most embodied what I hate about short stories. It felt incomplete and I didn’t get the point.
Leggy: Aww really? I didn’t mind that one. He convinced her to have sex with her rich customer and then started punishing her for it after the fact. Then had the guts to call a family meeting for her, in a house her “prostitution” got them. So she waited for the meeting, told them the full story and then asked him to leave her house for her. I quite enjoyed it.
Taynement: To be honest, I didn’t hate any story. It was a really good collection.
Leggy: I didn’t like Catfish.
Taynement: Ha ha, I didn’t mind it.
Leggy: Also was iffy about The Gigolo from Isale eko.
Taynement: I agree.
Leggy:mAlso, First Times had the cringiest sentences – “Hi, I’m Belinda but Idris calls me baby.” What? I thought the story had potential but she just couldn’t make the plot move forward in a grounded and realistic way.
Taynement: The two stories where the ladies weren’t so smart rank low for me – Sidelined and First Times.
Leggy: You know the one that made me laugh? International Relations. Honestly, this was a really good collection and very easy to read. Did you read her acknowledgment where she thanked Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie? She said she went to a reading at 16 and Chimamanda told her to take all the time she needs to write her first book and she hopes she reads this and It makes her proud. That was really sweet.
Taynement: Yes! There was also a shout out to a We Chit Chat alum author – Chiemeka Garricks.
Leggy: I’m glad older and more accomplished Nigerian authors are providing much needed mentorship for the young upcoming ones. Anyway, I definitely recommend this book. It’s very entertaining and it would make for plenty of fun discussions if you read it in a Nigerian book club.
Taynement: A nonjudgmental Nigerian book club.
Leggy: LOL. Apparently.
Taynement: Actually, I think it’ll be fun for any book club. I’d find it interesting explaining things to a non Nigerian. Anyways, what we’re trying to say is – go read the book!
Taynement & Leggy
TwoNightStands 