Stay with Me is an evocative and heartbreaking look at what happens when love isn't enough. Yejide and Akin met and fell in love at university. Even though they married for love, they are still bound by old traditions and values where a woman's worth is tied solely to her ability to bear children. Akin is the eldest son, and when no child materializes after years of marriage, external and internal forces proceed to exert tremendous stress on their relationship.
Adebayo writes with remarkable emotional intensity. She conveys the complexity of the characters, and shows why each is driven, through the most trying circumstances, into doing things that they are not proud of. She explores themes like love, death, and forgiveness with the deft understanding of the intricacies of human nature.
At times, the pacing of the book felt a little uneven. And when the narration switches back and forth between Yejide and Akin, sometimes it takes me a few sentences before I pick that up. But these are pretty minor gripes. Overall, Adebayo's book hits all the right notes. I have a feeling this is a story that will stay with me long after I've finished reading.
Readaroo Rating: 4 stars
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