This Motherless Land

Author Nikki May
Narrator Weruche Opia, Florence Howard
Publisher Transworld
Publish Date 18 July 2024
Run Time 10 hours and 37 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Family life fiction, FXT, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging.

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

When Funke’s mother dies in a tragic accident in Lagos, she’s sent to live with her maternal family in England. Traumatised by grief and against a backdrop of condescension and mild neglect, conformist Funke strives to fit in, determined to become one of them.

Free-spirited Liv has always wanted to break free of her joyless family, resolved to be nothing like them. Fiercely protective of Funke, she at last has a purpose. And an ally. The two cousins give each other what they need most: love.

But the past casts long shadows and the choices made by their mothers haunt Funke and Liv, shaping the trajectory of their adult lives. Can they escape their legacy?

Witty, warm, hugely entertaining, This Motherless Land bridges three decades and two continents, delving into the thorny territories of race and culture and belonging. At its heart is a story about love and how it can make the difference between surviving and thriving.

'Beautiful, bold and addictive' DAISY BUCHANAN

'A vibrant coming-of-age story that explores love, longing and belonging in a multi-cultural family' CHARMAINE WILKERSON, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake

©2024 Nikki May (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critics Review

A wonderfully nostalgic and moving novel about family, identity and belonging . . . This decades-spanning story is a compelling tour de force.

RED

A spirited modern retelling of Mansfield Park set in Lagos and Somerset . . . Page-turning and cinematic

OBSERVER

[A] warm, engaging retelling of Mansfield Park . . . a novel that celebrates the transformative power of friendship, love and home

MAIL ON SUNDAY

A clever, fresh retelling of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, focusing on identity and family

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

Utterly captivating – this book is beautiful, bold and addictive. I could read Nikki May’s words forever. I felt bereft when I got to the end; I didn’t want to leave Funke and Liv. This novel crackles with electricity and pulses with love. For me, May is a must-read author, and I think this is a book that readers will be falling in love with for years to come. She’s one of the absolute best storytellers writing right now.

DAISY BUCHANAN

A spirited exploration of culture and kinship–of how we belong, and to whom

BONNIE GARMUS, author of LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY

A vibrant coming-of-age story

CHARMAINE WILKERSON

A gripping and poignant family saga that illuminates the lasting bond between two extraordinary cousins. I was completely immersed in this entrancing story

NITA PROSE, #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE MAID and THE MYSTERY GUEST

A proper, epic, family saga. The tale of Liv and Funke was utterly absorbing and I was obsessed. Nikki has written a classic. I loved it.

JO CALLAGHAN, author of IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

THIS MOTHERLESS LAND takes Nikki May’s writing to new heights. It’s a novel about so many things – identity, belonging and acceptance; sisterhood, family and forgiveness – all wrapped up in the most compulsive and moving story. Funke and Liv gripped me from the start and didn’t let go – their bond proves, across continents and decades, through adversity, prejudices and sacrifice, that love has the power to save a life again and again. Deeply emotional and wildly entertaining, this is a novel to treasure

EMMA STONEX, author of THE LAMPLIGHTERS

User Reviews

Book 5.0

Narration 5.0

5.0

mariew 09/11/2024

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