I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have recommended it lots of people…and even made my mum take it on holiday to read during ‘quiet time’.

Tiny Sunbirds Far Away was the winner of the Costa First Novel Award 2011 and my was it deserved. Set in Nigeria, this is the tale of the young Blessing and her experiences after leaving not only her (cheating) father but also a life of luxury in bustling Lagos to live on her grandfather’s compound in the countryside with her mother and brother.

Written in the first person narrative, Watson’s use of language takes you into Blessings world. You get a real sense of living in the Nigerian countryside as Watson addresses themes of polygamy, religion, political unrest, domestic violence, alcoholism and fighting against adversity.

It’s a great read. There are laugh out loud moments, mostly thanks to the vibrant personality of Celestine (I won’t say anymore about her character 🙂 ), and also points which may bring you to tears. You could say it’s a bit of an emotional roller coaster…but an enjoyable one!

I can’t ignore the fact that I was pleasantly surprised (ok, shocked) when I realised that, not only was this Watson’s first book, she was a nurse and was not Nigerian…or even African. The way she has captured Nigerian culture; from practices and traditions to the spoken language and colloquialisms of the characters is amazing and I applaud her work.

Before I’d even finished this, I googled Watson to see if she’s written any other books and was happy to see she had- Where Women are Kings. I swiftly ordered and am happy to say have read it. I’ll complete a review on this in the coming weeks. But in the meantime guys, I urge you to get yourself a copy of Tiny Sunbirds Far Away!

Happy reading xx