I didn’t bother checking reviews, and I’m glad I didn’t. Maybe I would’ve judged the book based on other people’s opinions and missed out on the excitement it gave me.
Screenshot from my pocketbook app
My Sister, the Serial Killer, written by Oyinkan Braithwaite, is a dark, comedic, and thought-provoking novel that explores the complex relationship between two sisters who are very close despite their contrasting personalities. Set in Lagos, Nigeria, the story explore themes of family loyalty, societal expectations, and the kind of dark secrets that can bind two people together.
The novel is written in the first-person perspective, with well-developed characters and a fast-paced narrative.
The sisters come from an abusive, wealthy home. Korede is the responsible one. And yes, she’s a nurse who is supposed to value human life, but she’s also a big sister who has always been told to take care of her younger sibling.
She has one particularly outstanding trait: cleaning. Ayoola (her younger sister), depends on this every time she needs someone to help clean up blood and dispose of her boyfriends’ corpses.
Korede is portrayed as a physically unattractive woman who struggles to attract men. Still, she is blessed with a good heart and a deeply loyal spirit. Her younger sister's actions always fall back on her, especially because people made it clear that she (Koredo) is responsible for Ayoola...
"That’s how it’s always been. Ayoola would break a glass, and I would receive the blame for giving her the drink. Ayoola would fail a class, and I would be blamed for not coaching her. Ayoola would take an apple and leave the store without paying for it, and I would be blamed for letting her get hungry.” — Korede.
Ayoola, on the other hand, is stunningly beautiful and curvy. She’s very aware of her looks, her charm, and the power of her innocent appearance. And she uses all of that to her advantage; getting away with everything she does.
Their personalities align with stereotypical expectations based on looks—something many can relate to in today’s world, where people are often judged by their appearance. A smiling, attractive woman is assumed to be kind and sweet, while someone less attractive might be unfairly seen as unpleasant or hardhearted.
I came across this book by chance, and I must confess, it gave me everything I expected from a psychological thriller. Okay, maybe not everything, because the ending was quite different from other thrillers I’ve read.
Korede keeps putting her cleaning skills to use, all while wondering when it will finally end. But to her shock, Ayoola’s next potential victim turns out to be Korede’s own love interest. At that point, I was on the edge of my seat, feeling empathy for both her love interest and her sister. Wasn’t I supposed to hate a serial killer, especially one with such lame excuses? Korede is forced to choose between her own blood and the man she cares about.
And about confiding in a comatose patient, I already knew it was a terrible idea. But somehow, the man was either dead or at death’s door, and Korede never expected him to recover. Yet, somehow, the old man manages to come back to life, carrying all her secrets, and Ayoola’s too. The question is: will Korede "clean him up," or will she risk everything and let him live?
Oyinkan exquisitely instigates humor into the darkest places. She made me smile, even when I was a bit pissed at Ayoola.
The only thing that felt slightly unrealistic was how flawed Korede’s life was portrayed. It seemed like no one truly loved her or even noticed her struggles. And Ayoola, on the other hand, was a little too carefree. Also, the way they managed to dispose of corpses without ever getting caught felt a bit far-fetched.
Overall, this book is a must-read. I would rate it a 9/10 and recommend it to fans of darkly comedic fiction and psychological thrillers.
Thank you for taking your time to read, I appreciate your support.
