BUTTER HONEY PIG BREAD

This beautifully written and deeply human novel about the complicated relationship between Nigerian twin sisters Taiye and Kehinde is not always served by newcomer Amaka Umeh's heartfelt but uneven narration. She excels at bringing Ekwuyasi's evocative descriptions of food to life, and her lively tone perfectly captures the everyday bustle that makes this novel feel so real: friends gathering, busy restaurants, first dates. But her pacing is a bit clipped during the more introspective passages, and her character voices are inconsistent. Taiye's Nigerian accent comes and goes, and it's hard to distinguish between Taiye and Kehinde when they're conversing. Though her performance isn't perfect, the story itself is so captivating, so full of memorable moments, that sometimes the narration's imperfections fade into the background. L.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2021]