Reviewed by Belinda Whitehead
Imagine This is a beautifully written coming of age tale about Lola Ogunwole, a young girl whose father relocates her and her elder brother Adebola to their native Nigeria from England without so much as an explanation for his actions. Sent to live in a remote village with her aunt, and surrounded by a whole host of relatives she has never met before, Lola struggles to settle into her new life in Idogun.
Adebola, meanwhile, is himself suffering at the hands of his cruel uncle Joseph, and through their correspondence the two children dream of running away together to a better life.
Unable to come to terms with her abandonment, Lola starts acting up in school as a ploy to force her father to come and get her, but succeeds only in getting herself into more trouble with her relatives and provoking her father’s anger. When things eventually come to a head, Lola finds that even when it seems life can’t get any worse, it does.
This book does more than just tell a story, it takes the reader on a journey of discovery, provoking empathy towards Lola as she endures the many hurdles life throws her way, coming to terms with life, love and, the hardest thing of all, loss.
Rating: 4/5
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