My Sister, the Serial Killer

A sharp, exciting, and surprisingly thoughtful read. It's darkly funny, suspenseful, and incredibly easy to get through - I found myself flying through the pages. Beneath the entertaining story, it also raises interesting questions about family, loyalty, and morality. A great choice if you're looking for something both fun and thought-provoking.

Super für jeden der nicht immer die gleichen Geschichten lesen möchte. Die Geschichte ist spannend und leicht zu lesen. t

Sehr gut geschrieben. Lese viel Afrik. Autorinen ...frisch, lebendig. Ausgezeichnet!

Korede and her sister Ayoola live in Lagos together with their mother since their father dies. Korede, who works at a hospital as a nurse, is a decent, but rather plain young woman whereas Ayoola always has all the looks on her. Even though the sisters couldn’t hardly be more different, they are sister after all so when Ayoola calls her, it is without any question that Korede shows up with some bleach to wipe away the mess of another murder. They have done it before and will also succeed this time. Why does she have to kill all her boyfriends? Korede wonders but since none of the was really important to her, she remains secret and the sister she is supposed to be. But when Ayoola starts dating to one man Korede really likes, things become a bit more complicated. Oyinkan Braithwaite’s debut novel is a hilarious read full of absurd situations and fantastic characters. The author, who graduated in Creative Writing and was a 2016 finalist for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, surely knows how to create outstanding characters and how to combine humour with an actually very serious topic. What I appreciated most is how she, on the surface, wrote a funny story that, beneath, offers so much crucial and grave issues. What it all comes down to after all is the well-known fact that blood is thicker than water and that without any question, you know which side you have to be on. Ayoola is a serial killer – absurd as it may sound, the title is absolutely clear about it and after the opening scene, you know all about her killings. Yet, this is one of the least interesting aspects, much more remarkable is the sisters’ relationship: jealousy, love, anger, hatred, support – the full spectrum of emotions. Of course, it is Korede that the reader commiserates, she is obviously the good girls that nobody notices, neither their parents nor the men. I wondered if Ayoola suffered from some kind of mental illness, she somehow does not really seem to realise what she does, but she definitely is rather egocentric and not very considerate when it comes to other people’s feelings. “My sister, the Serial Killer” is a black comedy that should not be taken too seriously I guess. It is a great read that I utterly enjoyed. I am absolutely looking forward to reading more from the author.

4.5 stars My Sister, the Serial Killer is a story about two sisters. Ayoola is a beautiful young woman who has come into the habit of killing her boyfriends. Korede, the protagonist and older sister, works as a nurse in a hospital. She feels responsible for her younger sister and literally helps clean up her mess when Ayoola calls her. The book deals with the dysfunction of a relationship between two sisters. One sister, who feels responsible for every action of her little sister. Protects her while living in her shadow. The other, who turns heads where ever she goes but has a violent streak. It was interesting yet very frustrating to see how they treated each other in different situations. But also how both acted in general. Although they both grew up in the same house and under the same circumstances, they couldn't be any more different. Braithwaite debut is not a thriller. It is not a suspenseful story, but nevertheless very compelling. The chapters are short and striking and I flew through the pages. A book you can read easily in one sitting. I loved the structure of the book, the storytelling and the sarcastic aspects. The author showed a few insight of the past of the sisters. I think she could have issued the motivation and the psychological side a bit more. It was one aspect I would've loved to dig deeper in. All in all I can recommend this dark humored story