Books / The University of Bristol
Clifton author releases debut novel to rave reviews
A Clifton author’s debut novel has already received rave reviews from The New Yorks Times and actress Reese Witherspoon.
Dr Peace Adzo Medie, who is also a senior lecturer in gender and international politics at the University of Bristol, wrote her debut novel over the course of seven years, using her academic study to explore issues in the story.
His Only Wife follows a young woman in Ghana who is finding her voice in a difficult marriage and was written between 5am and 7am most mornings, before Medie began teaching and researching.
is needed now More than ever
“My research is on women and gender in Africa, including on women’s experiences in marriage,” says Medie, who began writing the novel in 2013.
“I explore similar themes in His Only Wife. The novel has been informed by research that I have conducted in Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana over the past decade.”
Medie says that while she can’t promise the novel has “a traditional fairy tale ending”, it’s a “journey to self-discovery and freedom” for the story’s main character, seamstress Afi Tekple. Afi is lured into an arranged marriage promising a glamorous new world, which soon turns sour.
But Medie explores the themes of power relations and competing pressures that women face with humour and warmth throughout the novel.
“I love this book so much I turned the pages so fast… It’s all about the search for independence and being true to yourself and who you really are,” says Reese Witherspoon. Image: Dr Peace Adzo Medie
The New York Times described the author’s debut as “mesmerising”, adding that “this is not a book to read with one eye on a beach volleyball tournament; it’s a story to soak up in silence, on a long, cloudy afternoon when you have time to think”.
Medie is humble despite the high praise, saying: “I just start writing and hope for the best.
“But I did consider the possibility that no one would publish this book that I had worked so hard on. It’s therefore wonderful to have it published and so well-received.”
The novel has also received acclaim from the likes of BuzzFeed, Marie Claire and Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine Book Club.
Medie has also published short stories and has written her second novel already. She is currently writing her third book.
“Women are under different pressures from their mother, friends, and so on,” says Medie.
“Fiction allows me to explore these important themes in a new way and to a wider audience, beyond academic conferences.”
Main photo: Sylvernus Darku/Team Black Image Studio
Read more: Author from St Paul’s to have debut novel published
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