So picture this, It's New Year’s Eve, fireworks are blazing and champagne is flowing but instead of enjoying the joys of life, Eve walks into her husband’s studio and finds him unalived by his own hands, no note or any form of closure. In that moment, Eve’s world just shatters.
Eve’s life flips upside down in a heartbeat. One minute she’s living in a fairytale with her husband Quentin, the charming photographer from a fancy family and the next minute she’s staring at his lifeless body amidst wailing sirens.
The story bounces between the messy present; where she quits her job because she can't focus, pops pills like candy and pushes everyone who cares away, and the vivid flashbacks of how she met her husband in the university, fell hard and built a life despite the cultural clashes and little red flags she ignored.
Eve’s mother-in-law, Aspen, can be described as a blood-thirty animal. She capitalizes on every chance she gets to frustrate Eve, blaming her for killing her only child and attempting to scram away with his fortune. Meanwhile, Eve is chasing ghosts and silently missing her husband.
I felt unsatisfied after reading this novel because the author didn't give easy answers. There was no big reveal as to why Quentin, the rising star, did what he did. But somehow, this aspect made the narration brutally real because some suicides are like that right? Messy, unfair, leaving people with so many questions. But there’s always a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel right?
The people in this book are all very interesting in their own ways.
Take Eve for instance. Eve is messy, mouthy and hilarious in pain like when she describes therapy as “paying someone to nod while you vomit your emotions.” Then there’s her family, the Nigerian-British squad. On hearing the news, her mom and dad show up with lots of food and that no-nonsense love that says we’re not leaving you to sink. Then there's her sister who tries her best to get Eve back on her feet but gets frustrated on the way because Eve doesn't seem like she would budge anytime soon.
Nate, her brother, is the most level-headed. He pushes Eve to do better and be better. Bee, her best friend, does everything a best friend could possibly do in such troubling times and her new friend, Gloria, brings fresh energy, reminding Eve that life doesn't stop when someone dies.
Aspen is the villain you love but hate. She is snobby, blood-thirsty and everything a toxic in-law can be, but she adds layers to the story. And Quentin himself, the memories and throwbacks tell us that he wasn't a saint but a random human who struggled to be freed from the grip of his family’s wealth.
This book unpacks grief like no man's business. It shows how ugly and repetitive grief can be, not some neat and perfect checklist.
Eve is left floating, replaying every fight, every silencend the fact that Quentin doesn't leave a note amps her torture up.
The book spotlights mental health's sneaky side and how "happy" people can be battling unseen demons. I also like the blend of both cultures with Eve's side thriving on community, food and popular Igbo phrases flying around versus Aspen's slow upper lip loneliness.
Onyi Nwabineli’s “Someday, Maybe” grabs you by the heart from this gut-wrenching opening and doesn't let go as she builds tales of grief, brick by brick.
Trigger warnings are necessary with this book. This was the third sad book I read in a row and it was the cherry on the cake. I remember having a different outlook on life after reading the book. It left me reflecting on my own losses and grateful for the messy love that pulls me through certain situations.
There are themes of depression, suicide, heavy grief and the likes embedded in this book. Don't say I didn't warn you. However, this is a good read. You'll emerge bruised but better after this read.