top of page

My Sister, the Serial Killer

kjoannerixon
a young black woman in a head wrap, with a hand holding a knife reflected in her sunglasses
My Sister, the Serial Killer, by Oyinkan Braithwaite

This is a brisk, crisp read, moody and suspenseful. It is not, actually, a book about serial killers per se; if you go into this expecting a thriller about femme murder, you will be disappointed. It's a story about family, the bonds between sisters, and how loyalties are formed and broken--I think, actually, it is a book about the limits of love.


Korede, the protagonist and narrator, is a convincing study in anxiety and resentment, which makes the ending of the book, which I won't spoil, a shocking twist that also felt 100% genuine. There are actually two twists, or a twist and a surprise reveal depending on how you're counting, and they complement each other deliciously.


As far as crime stories go, I think I would classify MSTSK a 'sunburn noir', much like UNTAMED SHORE. The setting--the sweaty streets of Lagos, complete with corrupt and incompetent cops, loud traffic, houseguests and servants, expensive cars and clothes and sun everywhere--is both delightful and colorful, and also deeply menacing. I didn't set out to read noir this month, but I'm not complaining. So far it's been a lot of fun!

Comentários


  • twitter

©2018 by Joanne Rixon. Header photos by Paweł Czerwiński and Joao Tzanno on Unsplash.com. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page