'This fierce young woman's struggle for independence in a city that is way out of step with the time-honoured traditions of the rural village in which she grew up is vivid, witty and utterly absorbing.'
His Only Wife
A Reese's Book Club Pick - 'Bursting with warmth, humour, and richly drawn characters'
Peace Adzo MedieAN OBSERVER, TIME MAGAZINE & NEW YORK TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR, 2020
A REESE WITHERSPOON’S BOOK CLUB PICK * LONGLISTED FOR THE DIVERSE BOOK AWARDS
‘Vivid, witty and utterly absorbing.’ Daily Mail
In one of the most talked about and hilarious debuts of the year, Afi Tekple, a bright young seamstress from a small town in Ghana, is convinced by her family to marry a man she has never met.
Elikem Ganyo is a wealthy businessman whose family has chosen Afi in the hope that she will distract him from a relationship with another woman they think is inappropriate.
The fact that she doesn’t know Elikem seems a small price to pay for a marriage that offers her family financial security and provides the key to a lifestyle she has always wanted. But when Afi arrives in Accra, Ghana’s gleaming capital, she realises her fairy-tale ending might not be all she had hoped for…
His Only Wife is a life-affirming, must-read novel about a young woman’s search for independence in a man’s world, and the rules she just might have to break along the way.
Reviews
Daily Mail
'I love this book so much I turned the pages so fast... It's all about the search for independence and being true to yourself and who you really are.'
Reese Witherspoon
'Mesmerising... This is not a book to read with one eye on a beach volleyball tournament; it’s a story to soak up in silence, on a long, cloudy afternoon when you have time to think.'
New York Times
'With characters making questionable decisions and a rather brilliant ending, this is a good old-fashion book club read that'll leave you arguing about character motivations and morals.'
Stylist
'A Cinderella story set in Ghana... A Crazy Rich Asians for West Africa, with a healthy splash of feminism.'
Kirkus (starred review)
'Bursting with warmth, humour and richly drawn characters you can’t help but root for.'
Cosmopolitan
'A hilarious, page-turning, sharply realized portrait of modern womanhood in the most infuriating of circumstances. A gem of a debut.'
Wayetu Moore, author of She Would Be King
'I couldn't put down His Only Wife, which made me nostalgic for the food, frills, and folly of Ghana. Peace Adzo Medie's sentences are packed with muscle, beauty, and hilarity. Even though I was rooting for Afi's happiness in her arranged marriage, I didn’t see that beauty of a twist coming at the end.'
Ayesha Harruna Attah, author of The Deep Blue Between
'In her debut novel, Medie writes with a precise rhythm that builds the reader’s anticipation. Themes like deception, ambition, love, and values drench the pages with conflict that evolves into an emotional rollercoaster.'
Booklist
'This stirring tale sings when Afi learns to flex her limited power.'
Publishers Weekly
'Afi's charm makes her an empowering example of modern womanhood... Its message bold and its viewpoint appealing, His Only Wife is an inspiring novel.'
Foreword Reviews
'Medie gives Afi a voice that winningly combines insecurity, wisdom and dignity... The dramas of Afi's marriage and various family conflicts offer an entertaining plot rich with humour, but it is the story of the strong woman in a challenging and changing world that will capture readers' hearts. His Only Wife is a memorable novel of personal growth and choosing one's own destiny... [A] winning debut.'
Shelf Awareness
Peace Adzo Medie
Peace Adzo Medie is a Ghanaian writer and Senior Lecturer in Gender and International Politics at the University of Bristol. The author of Global Norms and Local Action: The Campaigns to End Violence Against Women in Africa (Oxford University Press, 2020), she holds a PhD in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in Geography from the University of Ghana. She was born in Liberia.
Author page
