‘Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband’ by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn: Book Review

I read this book on the train many months ago, so this book review is long overdue. I remember reading this from front to back cover in a matter of weeks. It was that interesting. I found the plot to be relatable and interesting, and it was clear that the author wrote from her personal, relatable experiences.

What is ‘Yinka, where is your huzband’ about?

Yinka is an Oxford-educated British-Nigerian woman in her early thirties. She has a stable job, friends, and a mother who keeps asking about the whereabouts of her non-existent husband. Her Nigerian aunties also join her mother in their prodding and constantly pray for her to find a husband. Yinka’s work friends find her too traditional, while her close friend thinks she needs to just get over her ex.

With her cousin’s upcoming wedding to attend, Yinka is determined to find a date to keep her mother and aunties off her case. Along the way, Yinka soon realises that finding a date is the least of her problems.

What I liked about the book

• Yinka, where is your huzband where ‘husband’ is purposely spelt incorrectly to emphasise the pronunciation of the Nigerian aunties and women who emphasise the ‘Z’ instead of the ‘s’, is quite hilarious. This grabbed my attention, and I knew exactly what the book was going to be about.

• The story was relatable and very down-to-earth. There was no beating about the bush or fluff; it was just straight-up writing about the experience of a single woman who is constantly being pressured by well-meaning family members into marriage.

Additional themes addressed that made the book relatable

In addition to the existing themes already mentioned, below are a few of the themes addressed in the book, which make it even more relatable.

• Colorism
• Friendships
• Low self-esteem
• The black woman’s experience in the workplace

How many stars do I give ‘Yinka, where is your huzband?’

I will give this book three and a half stars. It was good to read and very engaging.

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