Rootless || Addresses The Overlooked Challenges Of Motherhood.

Although overly verbose, Rootless is one of those books that deserve an award. It is one of those entertaining yet educational novels that explore the dynamics of a marriage strained by conflicting dreams and cultural expectations.

Not gonna lie, it took me almost a week to finish this novel because I needed it for my literature seminar. School-related books always come last on my reading list, but after finishing this one today, I can confidently say I’m impressed. It’s a debut novel, so I’ll pardon the author for making it wordy.

It’s one of those books with a character that challenges traditional roles, societal norms, and parental expectations. It addresses the pressures women face in marriages at the expense of their happiness and desires just to conform to draining expectations from society or people around them.

Although a heart-wrenching story of love, I am thrilled with this one. Thrilled because, realistically, if a man felt mentally drained in a relationship, he would put himself first and walk away without a second thought. I was excited to see Efe walking away from what she never planned for. I admired her courage because it’s actually not easy dealing with postpartum stress, and it’s also disappointing when a woman finds herself carrying an unplanned pregnancy.

Brief Summary

The story focuses on Efe and follows her journey from teenage years to adulthood. After relocating from Ghana to London for better educational opportunities, she struggles with the course her parents picked for her and eventually drops out of school. She grapples with the challenge of being her authentic self without worrying about judgment from society and her parents. In her pursuit, she meets Sam.

Sam, from his teenage years, was idealistic, intelligent, and had his life planned out. He sees a future with Efe and is ready to do anything to keep her. They connect, but cracks begin to appear in the relationship when their desires clash, especially when faced with an unplanned pregnancy.

All Efe’s life, she’d been a people pleaser, but it was intriguing when she hit her breaking point, making that one decision that would shock everyone.

I also love how this novel, through Efe’s character, brings to light the often-overlooked challenges of motherhood.

The characters in this novel are all richly developed. I absolutely loved the switch in setting — from London to Ghana — and the use of the author’s native language in some lines.

As for the plot buildup, I don’t know if it’s just me, but I found its countdown structure frustrating. If the author wanted a countdown structure, she should have stuck with it from the first page. Starting the book from the climax and then watering it down by taking me back to the characters’ younger years was kind of annoying. I think it kind of ruined the experience for me.

Anyway, I’d advise you to pick this book up and read it for yourself. I highly recommend it 100%.