Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala
Published by John Murray, 2018
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Speak No Evil is a book of contrasts, being at once subtle yet affecting, tender yet devastating, and tragic yet hopeful. It is testament to Iweala’s control that he can pull off this intricate balancing act, without ever losing focus on his plot or characters.
The book opens with Black 18-year-old Niru coming out to his white best friend, Meredith. Though she is supportive, his devout Nigerian parents are considerably less so. Defying their forced attempts to “cure” him of his so-called affliction, Niru continues to explore his true feelings and desires in secret. But the revelation also drives an unexpected wedge between the friends; as their lives start moving in different directions, resentment simmers, culminating in a violent incident that will have a profound impact on them and all those around them.
It’s difficult to talk about the full extent of the novel’s power without spoilers. Suffice to say, the climax comes about three quarters into the story, and it hits like a sledgehammer. From there, everything shifts – tone, perspective, themes, etc. – in a way that can feel somewhat jarring, but deliberately so. In various nuanced ways, Iweala explores identity, shame, the cost of silence, and the devastation that can come from suppressing our true selves.
Though I felt a couple of important side characters were oddly absent in the final chapters, resulting in some untapped emotional depth, I loved the time I spent with this book, and hugely admired what it had to say about friendship, love, and the difficulties of being queer and Black in modern America. Iweala writes with such grace, and in Niru, he has created a character I know will stay with me for quite some time.
I thought this was brilliant and have no idea why it didn’t get more attention when it came out. Glad you liked it too!
It did seem to fly under the radar somewhat, which is such a shame!
Thanks for the review, Callum. I might download a sample to my kindle – if there’s any room left on it. I often think it must be even more difficult for black men/women to be up front about being gay. Patriarchal societies seem to have more difficulty accepting modern life.
Absolutely! This shines a light on that very issue wonderfully, I think.
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I’ve been meaning to read this book for quite some time (I enjoyed his novel ‘Beasts of No Nation,’ which was also quite heavy.) I guess I’ve been putting it off because I figure it will probably be really sad? Anyway, great review! 🙂
It definitely has its sad moments, but when you’re in the right headspace for it, it’s a wonderful book. Thank you! 😊
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