Review by valeriejane -- Another Poor Cow

[Valerie Garske]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Another Poor Cow" by Martins Agbonlahor.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Another Poor Cow is a tragic short novel by Martins Agbonlahor that exposes the suffering of women in rural Nigeria. If you are concerned about women’s rights and are interested in other cultures and traditions, then you should read this book. Nevertheless, this is an intense story of a young girl who struggles to maintain her integrity and sense of decency, despite all odds. This book contains many uncomfortable subjects such as genital mutilation, physical abuse, and arranged marriages. Due to the amount of violence and profanity, it is better suited to mature readers.

This is the story of a girl coming of age in a culture that promotes violence and misogyny. Worse yet, should anyone tries to speak out against the cruel and dangerous treatment of women, they are beaten or incarcerated. The book begins by introducing the reader to Onaiwu who is a bright and cheerful Nigerian girl. Unbeknownst to Onaiwu, she is betrothed to a polygamist who is old enough to be her grandfather. Onaiwu has dreams of becoming a nurse, but at twelve years old she is sold into a marriage she does not want or understand. It is hard to imagine, but unfortunately, life only gets more dangerous for Onaiwu when her naivety propels her into even worse circumstances. Living in the United States, it is hard to believe female circumcision and spousal abuse are common occurrences in other parts of the world.

I liked the style of writing. It is an interesting mix of unusual or simplistic phrases along with sophisticated vocabulary. This contradiction in phrasing creates an interesting and compelling reading experience. The author is able to discuss the controversial adult topics in a way that brings the reader into the environment. Although I did not enjoy the story, I was impressed by Mr. Agbonlahor’s ability to bring this story to life and make it believable.

What I did not like about the book was the amount of profanity and vulgarity. This is a dark and tragic book. It exposes dangerous customs and ill-treatment of women, which is difficult for me to imagine. Furthermore, I found the unbiased narrator yet another disturbing element of the book.

It is worth mentioning that the book was exceptionally well edited, as I did not notice a single grammatical error. Although non-fiction, this novel feels like it could be a true story. This is a gritty and disturbing novel and not necessarily fun to read. Subsequently, I can’t say I liked the story, but it did leave a long-lasting impression. Sadly, I can’t seem to get poor Onaiwu off of my mind. Consequently, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.

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Another Poor Cow
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[Olgamiell]

I felt heartbroken just reading about this book. Nevertheless, I think telling such stories is absolutely necessary. As for someone living in another part of the world, I think those practices are unimaginable. Yet, it still happens to so many women. Terrible and devastating. Thank you for your thorough and insightful review.

[Valerie Garske]

Thanks for replying to my review. Yes a sad story that I truly wished for a better outcome for such a beautiful bright little girl.