Wahala
First edition
AuthorNikki May
LanguageEnglish
GenreLiterary fiction
Set inLondon
PublisherHarperCollins Publishers
Publication date
January 11, 2022
Media typePrint (hardcover)
Pages384
ISBN9780063084261

Wahala is a 2022 fiction novel by British Nigerian writer Nikki May. Her debut novel, it was originally published by Custom House an imprint of HarperCollins in 2022.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] May's debut novel follows the friendship three Anglo-Nigerian women whose friendship are threatened by a Russian Nigerian woman.[3][2]

Development

May's stated that she got the inspiration for the novel after having a lunch at a Nigerian restaurant in London and while on a train ride back home she thought about how she changed from the Nigerian she was in the dinner to an English woman.[8][5] The clash of Nigerian and English cultures made her write the first parts of the book in the train.[8][2] She finished writing the novel after 18 months and the title of the novel; Wahala means trouble in Nigerian Pidgin.[9][1]

The book deals with themes of racism, gender and identity all inspired by May's personal life when she moved from Nigeria to London as a biracial woman.

In May 2021, six months before it publication, it was optioned by BBC to be adapted into a TV series.[10][11]

Plot

Set in London, Ronke, Simi and Boo are friends who met a university in Bristol 17 years ago, they are biracial having English mothers and Nigerian fathers. Their friendship is crushed when Isobel, Simi's childhood friend and a rich and influential girl, insists on being the centre of every conversation; she knows the secrets that the three friends are keeping from each other.

Characters

  • Ronke — A dentist who is currently single and is looking for a nigerian husband.
  • Simi — A fashion marketer whose husband wants a child she is not ready for. She suffers from impostor syndrome.
  • Boo — A research scientist and housewife struggling with internalized racism, due to her biological father having left her mother before she was born. She takes care of her daughter, Sofia, alongside her husband, Didier, while looking for more excitement in her life.
  • Isobel Babangari — A Russian Nigerian who is Simi's rich and influential childhood friend who begin to destroy the rich friendship.
  • Kayode — Ronke's Nigerian boyfriend.
  • Martin — Simi's Husband
  • Didier — Boo's French husband
  • Sofia — Didier and Boo's daughter

Reception

The book received generally positive reception from book reviewers and readers alike.[4] A starred review from Kirkus Reviews called the novel "A fascinating look at the dark side of female friendship”. Another review by NPR stated that "Wahala is both great fun and extremely smart in how it captures some of the central issues in modern city living".[7] A review from Publishers Weekly noted that "May’s nuanced exploration of race and gender makes this refreshing.”[12]

Adaptation

In May 2021, it was announced that BBC had optioned the novel for a TV series with Theresa Ikoko, who is known for her work in Knocks writing the screenplay.[11][13] Wahala will be produced by Firebird Pictures, with its founder Elizabeth Kilgarriff as the executive producer alongside Mona Qureshi. BBC Studios had also gained the rights to distribute the series worldwide.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 Rankin, Seija (12 January 2022). "What's in a Page: 'Wahala' author Nikki May on the importance of food in books". Entertainment Weekly.
  2. 1 2 3 Hennigan, Rosemary (29 January 2022). "Wahala by Nikki May: A refreshing story of female friendship". The Irish Times.
  3. 1 2 May, Nikki (4 January 2022). "In This New Novel About 3 Anglo-Nigerian Besties, "Sh*t Happens Everywhere"". Bustle.
  4. 1 2 Akpan, Paula (13 January 2022). "Wahala, by Nikki May, review: a wistful ode to flawed friendship and Nigeria". iNews.
  5. 1 2 Watkins, Emily (4 January 2022). "Nikki May on her debut novel Wahala: 'I wanted to write a brown Big Little Lies'". iNews.
  6. ↑ Ryan, Maggie (14 January 2022). "Wahala Is Your First "Friendship Thriller" For 2022". PopSugar.
  7. 1 2 Bell, Carole V. (10 January 2022). "In Wahala intimacy at times morphs into enmity". NPR.
  8. 1 2 Read, 7 Min. "Piercing and powerful: an interview with novelist Nikki May". The Bristol Magazine Online. Retrieved 6 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ "'Wahala': A sizzling, fast-paced tale of love, female friendship and identity". The South African. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  10. 1 2 Kanter, Jake (18 May 2021). "BBC Drama Slate Features Series From 'Rocks' Writer Theresa Ikoko & 'This Is England's Shane Meadows". Deadline. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  11. 1 2 Clarke, Annaleigh Rose (19 May 2021). "BBC to adapt upcoming novel Wahala into TV drama". TellyMix. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "Fiction Book Review: Wahala by Nikki May. Custom House, (384p) ISBN 978-0-06-308424-7". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  13. ↑ "BBC Drama Slate Includes 'Rocks' Writer Theresa Ikoko's Series Adaptation On Nikki May's Wahala". BlackFilmandTV.com. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
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