The Son of the House explained

The Son of the House is a family saga novel written by the Nigerian author Cheluchi Onyemelukwe. Her debut novel, it was first published by Parrésia Publishers (in Nigeria) and Penguin Random House South Africa in 2019.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Plot

The Son of the House is focused mainly on Nwabulu, who was sent out by her step mother to work as a servant. She falls in love with a boy from a wealthy family who impregnates her and then denies the pregnancy. Nwabulu is sent back to the village where she was married to a man whose grandmother is eager to get a grandson.

Meanwhile, there is also an independent teacher named Julie who has fallen in love with a wealthy man married man named Eugene who wants nothing more than a son.

When both women are kidnapped they tell each other their stories and find that they have more in common than they once thought.

Theme

The novel revolves around polygamy, patriarchy in Africa, and the subordinate position which most women are kept in Africa.

Reception

A reviewer at Publishers Weekly described the novel as an "...intimate study of the issues facing contemporary Nigeria..." and that "...her masterly storytelling makes this consistently entertaining."^[4] Quill and Quire described it as a "...roller coaster of emotions that Nwabulu experiences with perfectly executed cliffhangers to her chapters."^[1] CBC Books acknowledged that the "...debut is set against four decades of vibrant Nigeria, celebrating the resilience of women as they navigate and transform what still remains a man's world."^[5] The novel has been compared to Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood.^[6]

Awards and recognition

Year	Prize	Cat	Res	Link
2019	Sharjah International Book Fair	—
2020	SprinNG Women Authors Prize	—		[7]
2021	Giller Prize	—		[8]
	Nigeria Prize for Literature	—		[9]

Other

• 35 Canadian books to check out in summer 2021 by CBC Radio.^[10]
• The Top Nigerian Books Of 2019 by Channels Television.^[11]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Review: The Son of the House. Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onubia. 7 June 2021. Quill and Quire. 5 September 2021.
2. Web site: Book Review Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia's The Son of the House Ikhide Ikheloa. Ikhide Ikheloa. 18 October 2019. Brittle Paper. 5 September 2021.
3. Web site: Nigeria's Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia Wins At Sharjah International Book Fair. 11 November 2019. Channels Television. 5 September 2021.
4. Web site: Fiction Book Review: The Son of the House by Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia. Dundurn, $18.99 trade paper (304p) ISBN 978-1-4597-4708-1. Publishers Weekly. 5 September 2021.
5. Web site: Book Review: The Son of the House. Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia. 25 January 2021. Dundurn Press. CBC Radio. 5 September 2021.
6. Web site: The Son Of The House: Cheluchi Does Impeccable Work Here, While Entertaining, Educating, And Appealing To One's Sense Of Morality – Book Review. Uduak-Estelle Akpan. 2 May 2021. OkadaBooks. 5 September 2021.
7. Web site: Chukwuebuka Ibeh . Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onubia wins inaugural SprinNG women authors prize . Brittle Paper.
8. News: Adina Bresge . 5 October 2021 . Two-time runner-up Miriam Toews among authors on Giller Prize shortlist . .
9. News: Damiete Braide . 30 October 2021 . BREAKING: Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia wins Nigeria Prize for Literature 2021 . .
10. Web site: 35 Canadian books to check out in summer 2021. 30 June 2021. CBC Books. CBC Radio. 5 September 2021.
11. Web site: Afonja, Be(com)ing Nigerian – The Top Nigerian Books Of 2019. 31 December 2019. Channels Television. 5 September 2021.