By Megan Thomas
I listened to the audiobook of Yomi Adegoke’s novel for my book club, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
It’s a simple premise: Ola Olajide is a well-established journalist at Womxxxn magazine, as well as a celebrated black, feminist micro-influencer. Online, people consider her relationship and engagement to Michael as #couplegoals and eagerly await updates on their lives. Nobody, however, expected that update to be Michael’s inclusion on an anonymous, online allegation list which named sexual abusers (of varying degrees) in the industry.
I think in parts, the book was overambitious. The core themes and topics are so fascinating that it could have held its own without a few of the twists and turns included, but there is something to be said for those being needed to ensure this reads like a novel and not just a fascinating think-piece.
Ola’s rise to success in the public eye was largely attributable to breaking a story very similar to this in a different industry, but obviously this time, she has reasons to hold back. But the hypocrisy isn’t lost on Ola; she knows that if Michael’s name wasn’t on the list, she would be publicly condemning any woman who wasn’t 100% behind the victims. The trouble is, which is so often the case… She believes Michael. Or at least, she wants to.
Ola was deliciously dislikable in some parts and 100% relatable in others – Adegoka has written a 3D character here. She’s self-aggrandising but also self-aware, she’s insensitive yet so wary of other people, she’s dealing with the situation like any other human being would… Badly. And, in the process, offending and alienating both her friends and her online following.
Did Michael actually do anything? Does it matter? Or is this all just evidence of how indulgently people believe their own circumstances to be unique to the pattern? It is so easy to believe, truly believe, that you would always support and believe an abuse victim. We know that this doubt is what fuels so much mistrust in women and even more injustice in courts. We know that often, abuse stems from the people we least expect, particularly a romantic partner with no previous history (that we know of). Yet this story was a subtle but profound reminder of how easy it is to hold lofty, intellectual, hypothetical opinions which will likely never match up to an individual’s reality. Life is too complicated for that.
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