My Sister, the Serial Killer

Absurd and smart at the same time. Just the right book to pick up if you want some mindless entertainment. It is well written, but the actual story is the true gem. It doesn’t get any better than a femme fatale and her co-dependent sister covering up murders. I wanted it to end differently, but it’s still an enjoyable read.

I was excited to read this as part of a famous book club. I had to keep myself interested as I read because I just didnt want to finish it and when I did I was sorry I hasnt given it up earlier. Not well written and the ending was just horrible! Dont let famous people trick you into reading crap like they did me!

MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER, the subject of a recent TIME magazine review, was written by a Nigerian novelist, Oyinkan, Braithwaite, and as such is an intriguing read.

The book is not so much different than any other serial killer novel in respect to voice. There’s only the occasional dialect reference. Instead of the Canadian eh?’ we get an o. Instead of maam we get ma, at least that’s my best guess, but it’s mostly told in standard English by an educated narrator.

The book starts with the murder of Koreda’s younger sister’s Ayoola’s boyfriend with a knife. She’s only 5′ 2 and he’s over six feet tall, but he wasn’t expecting her to stab him with a six inch pig-sticker she got from her father’s desk after he died. Rather than call the cops, Koreda, who happens to be a nurse, helps her clean up the mess and get rid of the body. We’re told this is the third boyfriend, which makes Ayoola a serial killer.

Koreda loves her sister; they slept together and occasionally still do, but only as normal sisters would. Nothing hinky there. There is lots of jealousy on Koreda’s part. Ayoola is very beautiful and she attracts men with little effort. Koreda is rather plain. Koreda is also in love with Tade a good-natured doctor at the hospital.

Koreda visits a man who has been in a coma for some time, thinking he’ll never wake up. She tells him all about her sister and the angst involved in not being able to bring herself to do anything about the murders. She’s implicated herself, after all.

Ayoola is also a fashion designer, her schooling paid for by a sugar daddy who also helped her start her business. They go off on a vacation in Dubai. Prior to this Koreda has easily snatched Tade away from Koreda, but she doesn’t seem to think there’s anything unusual about running off with another man. During the vacation, she changes her M.O. a bit. Of course she puts the weight on Koreda.

Oh, yes, the girls’ father was abusive; there’s a scene where he punishes Ayoola with his belt; Koreda tries to save her but gets in the way of the belt more than helping Ayoola.

So . . . Koreda uses their upbringing as an excuse for why Ayoola is doing what she’s doing. There’s another scene where Ayoola takes the blame for something Koreda did.

The climax arrives with a big complication. Somebody besides Koreda knows what Ayoola has been doing. Think about who that might be. And Ayoola is stabbed herself. Let’s just say she asked for it, but the wrong person pays when Koreda continues to protect her sister.

How will it all end?

I really enjoyed this novella. I finished it in about 3 hours.

It is about two sisters, one who is a serial killer and the other is a nurse who cleans up after her sister’s crimes. They live in Lagos, Nigeria.

The premise of the book seems very realistic. The girls were raised by a very abusive father and don’t know what real love looks like. However, there is a strong aspect of satire because everything is so extreme. One sister is extremely beautiful while the other is apparently very unattractive. The crimes were over the top and the lack of investigation into the crimes was laughable.

I am looking forward to reading Oyinkan Braithwaite’s future writing.

I had been hearing about this book long before it was published and was eager to read it. It was the perfect thing to pick up right before Valentines Day! While many of the professional reviews focus on the humor (witty, pulpy, darkly funny) the book is more than that. It is also about family loyalty and womens place in Nigerian society. It is also about misperceptions and the things we chose to ignore about those we love.

Korede is the older sister. She is a nurse who is very responsible and plays by the rules. Fortunately for her younger sister Ayoola, Korede also knows how to clean up a crime scene! Ayoola is beautiful, creative, and gets everything she wants. She also has the bad habit of killing off her boyfriends. Korede begrudgingly helps her sister hide the evidence and also keeps her from giving away their secrets. That is until Ayoola catches the eye of a young doctor who Korede has been pining for herself. Should she try to save him? Can she? Will he believe her?

The book is written in short chapters that are as sharp as Ayoolas knife. As the story of the sisters, their mother, and their deceased father unfold, you begin to understand how Ayoola developed into a murderess. This is a short book and a quick read. There is a lot left unsaid. There are some nice twists and I think that the ending is left open to some interpretation. In my opinion, Korede does not know her sister as well as she believes and is as easily manipulated as Ayoolas boyfriends. This book is as darkly fun as it is psychologically sophisticated.

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