What manner of a man is Lars?
How should a mother handle a daughter who looks so much like her father, who happens to be a heartbreaker?
These are two of the questions likely to dominate discussions about Lola Akinmade’s third novel, Bitter Honey, in which the trials and triumphs of Nancy, a single mother, Tina, her superstar daughter, and Tobias, her son, are laid bare.
Without Lars, the father of Nancy’s children, this novel would lack staying power. Of course, there are other characters who make the novel remarkable, but Lars, alive or dead, enlivens the book with his bad and ugly ways.
Although Bitter Honey is not a direct sequel to the author’s previous novel, Everything Is Not Enough, it features returning characters in Nancy, Tobias, and Tina. These characters were initially introduced in the earlier novel through Kemi, one of the main characters in both the author’s first and second works. Tobias’ romantic involvement with Kemi brought his mother, Nancy, and sister, Tina, into the storyline.
Spanning four decades and three continents, Bitter Honey is a sweeping tale of a mother and daughter almost torn apart by buried secrets and the struggle to bridge generational and cultural divides.
This heartfelt novel offers a deeply moving look at the complex dynamics between mothers and daughters, highlighting themes of love, trust, forgiveness, and the journey of women discovering themselves.
Set against the backdrop of key global events—including the Eurovision Song Contest in Greece, the FIFA World Cup in Germany, the Arab Spring, an attempted coup in Gambia, a Nobel Prize ceremony honouring former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, and the royal wedding of Diana and Charles in England—the novel places Nancy, Tina, and Tobias at its core.
The story unfolds through dual perspectives: Nancy’s chapters explore her past, tracing her meeting with Lars, a university lecturer who won her heart, the subsequent births of Tina and Tobias, and the aftermath of Lars’s mistakes.
Tina’s narrative captures her journey to fame as a music star in Sweden and delves into the complexities of navigating life as a mixed-race individual, born to a Gambian mother and a Swedish father. This dual-faceted storytelling approach enriches the themes of identity, race, ambition, and the legacies of love and betrayal, which are similar to the ones in her first two works.
The dual perspectives in Bitter Honey enlivens the narrative, allowing readers to witness the generational echoes and subtle parallels between mother and daughter. This structure highlights how Tina, despite her success as a rising music star in Sweden, mirrors some of the choices and missteps that once derailed Nancy’s path. Nancy’s recounting of her past with Lars—how he captivated her, the joys and pains of their relationship, and the fallout that ensued—contrasts with Tina’s present-day struggles and ambitions.
Tina’s sections reveal her determination, yet the shadow of her mother’s experiences looms, suggesting a cycle of repeated patterns influenced by heritage, identity, and unresolved familial tensions. This reflective storytelling hints at a deeper question: are we bound to repeat the mistakes of those before us, or can we forge new paths despite shared vulnerabilities? The layered perspectives amplify this theme, giving the novel vibrating resonance and inviting readers to consider the impact of choices across generations.
The novel explores fame and its darker sides, delving into the chaos of the American music industry. By following Tina’s journey, the narrative exposes the glittering yet perilous nature of stardom. We are forced to engage with how indulgence and downfall are intertwined. Without being preachy, the novel criticises the industry’s excesses and pitfalls, especially those scenes that bring to mind the P Diddy affair.
The deportation of Malik, Nancy’s first boyfriend, exemplifies the power of resilience and the ability to rise above adversity. His transformation later in life reveals that adversity isn’t the end of life. Malik’s role, intertwined with the novel’s intricate drama, is one of the propelling forces of this remarkable work.
Like in the author’s previous works, Sweden isn’t flattered in this work. It is made to walk bare and on all fours with its imperfections, struggles, pretence and glory unadorned. We realise that despite its years of being home to Black people, they are yet to be fully accepted. In fact, in every mirror, they are still Black and given the cold shoulder. Mixed race people don’t get treated differently.
Most chapters conclude with cliffhangers, packed with thrilling moments that leave you in awe.
Bitter Honey, through well-realised characters, believable plot, historical accuracy and smooth prose rendered mostly in the present tense, succeeds as a fantastic work of art and shows the author’s mastery of the craft.
***Olukorede S Yishau is the author of ‘In The Name of Our Father’, ‘Vaults of Secrets’, ‘After The End’ and United Countries of America and Other Travel Tales. He is at work on his third novel. He lives in Houston-Texas.
