My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have very mixed feelings about this novel. At first, I wasn't drawn in as quickly or deeply as I would've liked, but after a few chapters it started to grow on me. There are a LOT of short chapters which made it a speedy read but also at times made it feel a bit erratic. Almost like I was watching a movie rather than reading a novel.

I appreciated the dark humor; there were definitely moments that made me laugh. But the moments of laughter didn't make up for how much I disliked the characters. Later on in the novel, the motivations behind their actions are revealed as we delve deeper into their past, but there was nothing redeeming enough to make me feel sympathetic towards them.

Ayoola was a cold-blooded killer without a conscience, no matter what caused her to be that way. Kerede was an enabler caught between a rock and a hard place and while that's understandable, I couldn't get behind her decisions. Her personality also left much to be desired. She was way too judgemental for my taste, not to mention the hypocrisy of resenting everyone for not seeing Ayoola for who she is while also enabling her.

I wanted to enjoy it fully, in all of its moments of levity and darkness, but maybe my tolerance for the characters and their behaviors was much too low for it to capture me the way it could have. It was no doubt an entertaining read, but I just found it difficult to connect to emotionally.

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