 “Speak No Evil” (2018) by Uzodinma Iweala is an emotional story about a boy who grows up torn between the two sides of his heritage. The novel is about Gwamniru (“Niru”) Ikemadu, a queer Nigerian boy from a conservative Nigerian household in America. He is the perfect son and student but has to keep his sexuality a secret. One day, his father discovers that Niru is gay and decides to send him to Nigeria so their village can pray for his “recovery.” After attending a spiritual camp, Niru returns with misogynistic and homophobic ideals, which causes him to struggle between the life of two people: the person he used to be and the person he is now.
   From the beginning of the book, we are thrust into Niru’s shoes, which makes it easy to understand what he is thinking. This perspective shows that even families different from a white American family may have internal prejudices that lead to generational hatred. This is an impactful novel that leaves a lasting impression on its readers. 
   Throughout the book, Niru faces many harsh societal pressures on what he should believe in. As a queer person, I deeply relate to trying to find a balance between fitting into what is considered normal and staying true to myself. The book shows what happens when people don’t stay true to themselves, demonstrating how harmful it is when someone is forced to “convert,” and it showed me the similarities between my world and Niru’s. Overall, the novel forces readers to think about their own worldview and recognize the harsh reality all people face when they are forced into boxes by their parents.

Sayanti Datta's Work