This Motherless Land A Novel
This Motherless Land A Novel by Nikki May, published by HarperCollins Publishers on September 2, 2025, is a 352-page work presented in English. The narrative follows two cousins, Funke and Liv, as they navigate their shared family history while split between England and Nigeria. The story unfolds as Funke, content in her Nigerian life, is thrust into a foreign environment in England after a family tragedy, where she encounters a cold family and a dilapidated estate, contrasting sharply with her previous life.
Readers will find a vibrant coming-of-age tale that explores themes of identity, culture, and the complexities of familial relationships. As Funke and Liv grow closer, their bond is tested by the choices made by their mothers and the tragedies that befall them. The novel spans two decades and delves into the intricacies of race and belonging, ultimately questioning whether generational wrongs can be reconciled. This Motherless Land offers a rich exploration of domestic life and the enduring ties of family amidst the challenges of ambition and misunderstanding.
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Shortlisted for the Nigeria Prize for Literature
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“A vibrant coming-of-age story.” — Charmaine Wilkerson
“I was completely immersed.” — Nita Prose
From the acclaimed author of Wahala, a stunning reimagining of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park: Split between England and Nigeria, two extraordinary cousins are set on vastly different paths as they come to terms with their shared family history–a masterful exploration of race, identity, and love.
Quiet Funke is happy in Nigeria. She loves her art teacher mother, her professor father, and even her annoying little brother (most of the time). But when tragedy strikes, she’s sent to England, a place she knows only from her mother’s stories. To her dismay, she finds the much-lauded estate dilapidated, the food tasteless, the weather grey. Worse still, her mother’s family are cold and distant. With one exception: her cousin Liv.
Free-spirited Liv has always wanted to break free of her joyless family. She becomes fiercely protective of her little cousin, and her warmth and kindness give Funke a place to heal. The two girls grow into adulthood the closest of friends.
But the choices their mothers made haunt Funke and Liv and when a second tragedy occurs their friendship is torn apart. Against the long shadow of their shared family history, each woman will struggle to chart a path forward, separated by country, misunderstanding, and ambition.
Moving between Somerset and Lagos over the course of two decades, This Motherless Land is a sweeping examination of identity, culture, race, and love that asks how we find belonging and whether a family’s generational wrongs can be righted.
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