Ties that Tether is that one book about interracial love I've kept in my e-library for quite some time. This was because the first few pages were not as intriguing as I expected them to be, little did I know that the author was slowly cooking an amazing novel.
I am totally amazed and in awe of the author, Jane Igharo, and if I knew her on a personal basis, I would say she was writing her own story. She artfully penned down every chapter, taking her readers through an emotional rollercoaster. For those who judge books by their covers; the author’s choice of cover for the novel is artistic and stunning.
I’m led to believe that the reason she was able to capture the struggles of the character so well, was because she was a Canadian immigrant herself.
To say I enjoyed the book, would be a grave understatement. I was totally drawn in by every chapter, largely owing to the fact that I've always wanted a romance novel that gave some insight on how relationships and romance worked for people in diaspora, and if happy endings was a reality amongst people of mixed races and cultures.
About The Book.
The book starts off with my favorite character Azere, an Edo girl. She is a Nigerian Canadian, who immigrated to Canada with her mother and younger sister whilst she was still very little. She is for the umpteenth time, on a terrible date with one of her mother's many matches, who constantly insists she must get married to someone of her own tribe.
Not only is her date uncultured with no table manners, she finds him very disgusting. I was truly angered at this point for Azere, because while her meddlesome immigrant mother insists that she gets married to someone of her own tribe, she definitely doesn't know how to get good matches for her daughter.
Angered by his condescending behavior, she gives him a piece of her mind, and storms off to a bar to seemingly chill off.
And that is where she meets her love interest, Rafael, who although is sweet and humorous, is definitely not who her mother would accept for her, because he is ‘white’.
After a genital meet and greet, she surprisingly bumps into him at her work place, and it just turns out that they are coworkers. Azere finds out she is falling for the man, who is the very opposite of what her mother would approve of. The author didn't just stop there, she had to put the icing on the cake! Azere became pregnant with Rafael's child after sleeping with him just once.
As Rafael and Azere's romance keep budding, she must choose between her love for Rafael and fulfilling her mother's wish. The unbending nature of African mothers is not a new thing, which is why Azere is distraught when her mother eventually disowns her for choosing 'a white man' over an Edo man.
One character that piqued my interest was Azere’s cousin, Jacob. Jacob was that cousin whom Azere could share basically everything with. He just further buttresses the point that no one can really get through life alone. We all need support systems.
Then there's Rafael. I mean, I am all for broken heroes, and even though he was dealing with traumas of his own, for the most part he was very sweet and thoughtful. He however, held onto things from his past for far too long and I was delighted to see him work through all of it.
Azere's mother was one other intriguing character, who even though hardened in the subject of her daughter’s marriage, passed through the journey of growth and self discovery as well. This could have been due to the fact that Immigrants chase success differently because they have something to prove to the people they left behind.
My Opinion
It is understandable that Azere's mother believed if she got married to someone who was not her kind, she would lose key parts of herself and her culture, but the author fell short in portraying how love could be a harmonizing factor between different cultures.
I believe she would have dwelt more on showing us how Azere and Rafael's relationship would have helped the both of them navigate their different cultures better.
Also, they were a few times the characters portrayed a forced narrative, like Azere's obsession with romantic comedies, and Rafael's inability to properly display the character of a person still experiencing a past pain/ trauma, but otherwise, they kept the readers engaged.
I couldn't also help but notice a different type of romance budding as the plot progressed and the characters developed. Rafael's love for Azere was thoughtful and sweet, which was in contrast to the toxic narrative peculiar to most romance novels.
The author also explored the dynamics of family relationships, and how they can affect who and how we love.
More than love, I enjoyed seeing the characters, especially Azere go through the journey of self discovery. Her struggle in conforming to the status quo as an immigrant in Canada, and retaining her identity as a Nigerian, was accurately portrayed by the author.
There have been criticisms that the novel has some racial undertone to it, but we fail to understand that even if Azere fell in love with a black Canadian, it wouldn't have mattered, because all her mother wanted was to make sure Azere preserved her culture by marrying an Edo man and not getting lost in the Western culture, which she believed, her union with Rafael would cause.
Recommendation.
Do I recommend this book? Yes, I absolutely do. From the artistic cover that will draw you in, to the unravelling of the plot that addresses interracial love in the most wonderful way, you'll absolutely love it.
If you've been looking for a book that addresses interracial romance, and one that navigates cultural differences, then this is the perfect read for you. You wouldn't even notice when the pages go by till you're at the end.
Images used are screenshots from my e-library except stated otherwise.
Love🤍
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