Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
Author of Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?: A Novel
About the Author
Works by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Gender
- female
- Short biography
- Lizzie Damilola Blackburn is a British-Nigerian writer, born in Peckham, who wants to tell the stories that she and her friends have longed for but never seen – romcoms 'where Cinderella is Black and no-one bats an eyelid'. In 2019 she won the Literary Consultancy Pen Factor Writing Competition with the early draft of Yinka, Where is your Huzband?, which she had been writing alongside juggling her job at Carers UK. She has been at the receiving end of the question in the title of her novel many times, and now lives with her husband in Milton Keynes.
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Associated Place (for map)
- United Kingdom
Members
Reviews
Every nationality has family members who pressure singletons to marry, then follow up with the push to have children, but it seems Nigerian aunties are in the Olympic medalist echelon. The charming if immature, Yinka is delightful and ends up searching for a job and a boyfriend at the same time. This 31 year-old woman is smart, an Oxford graduate, yet lacks self-confidence and believes social media opinions of what a beautiful Black woman should look like. Blackburn’s debut is not a show more perfect book but it's witty and has believable characters. It is set in London's Nigerian community. show less
Poor Yinka is under pressure from her Nigerian mother and aunties who pray for her to find a huzband, especially since her younger sister is married with a baby on the way. Now her cousin is getting married and Yinka needs a date for the wedding. Her challenge to find one takes over her life, and not for the better.
I really felt for Yinka. The one thing that really leapt out at me whilst reading this book was that she never felt good enough. Like so many women, she doesn't want to be who she show more is, only who she could be if she was somebody else, somebody with longer hair or lighter skin or a bigger bum. I was longing for her to see how special she is in her own skin.
The characters are fantastic. Yinka is brilliant and she's the narrator of her story so we see things very much from her point of view, but also with the onlooker's perspective too. It made me cringe at times, particularly as she pursued various paths in her chaotic and panicky quest to find love, treating some people appallingly along the way, but I also understood where her behaviour was coming from. I loved her friends, Nana, Jo and Brian who stuck by her no matter what, and I enjoyed the dynamic between Yinka and her cousins, Rachel and Ola. I also loved her Nigerian family and their culture, and the Nigerian food, even if Yinka did prefer a good old greasy chicken and chips takeaway.
Observed perfectly, Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? made me rage inwardly at the pressures that society and other women put on us, whilst rejoicing in family and friendship, and ultimately, hopefully, inner peace. I found it a funny, yet thought-provoking read, warm-hearted and real. It's a fantastic debut from Lizzie Damilola Blackburn. I'm already looking forward to what she comes up with next. show less
I really felt for Yinka. The one thing that really leapt out at me whilst reading this book was that she never felt good enough. Like so many women, she doesn't want to be who she show more is, only who she could be if she was somebody else, somebody with longer hair or lighter skin or a bigger bum. I was longing for her to see how special she is in her own skin.
The characters are fantastic. Yinka is brilliant and she's the narrator of her story so we see things very much from her point of view, but also with the onlooker's perspective too. It made me cringe at times, particularly as she pursued various paths in her chaotic and panicky quest to find love, treating some people appallingly along the way, but I also understood where her behaviour was coming from. I loved her friends, Nana, Jo and Brian who stuck by her no matter what, and I enjoyed the dynamic between Yinka and her cousins, Rachel and Ola. I also loved her Nigerian family and their culture, and the Nigerian food, even if Yinka did prefer a good old greasy chicken and chips takeaway.
Observed perfectly, Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? made me rage inwardly at the pressures that society and other women put on us, whilst rejoicing in family and friendship, and ultimately, hopefully, inner peace. I found it a funny, yet thought-provoking read, warm-hearted and real. It's a fantastic debut from Lizzie Damilola Blackburn. I'm already looking forward to what she comes up with next. show less
Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? is Lizzie Damilola Blackburn's just released debut novel. I was going to love it from the first pages...
Huzband (pronounced auz*band)
" A nonexistent man in a nonexistent marriage whose whereabouts is often asked, usually by Nigerian mums and aunties, of single British-Nigerian women. e.g. "So, Yinka, where is your huzband? Ah, ah. You're thirty-one now!"
Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? was an absolute joy to read. Even more so with the world today. Sometimes you show more just need an 'escape' read - one that will take you away, make you laugh, make you nod your head in agreement or disbelief (those aunties are intense!) And I believe every reader will connect with the book through a situation or a piece of dialogue. The depiction of family, friendship, culture and community was so very well done. It's not all perfect, but instead is believable and mirrors real life.
Blackburn also explores faith, social issues and the workplace. There's a myriad of supporting characters, each with a different outlook that adds greatly to the overall story. But the book belongs to Yinka as she tries to find what's next for her in life, in love and more. And it's most definitely not a straight path.
From Operation Wedding Date to the final revelation, the reader will be behind Yinka as she looks for love - and herself. From the author's dedication page...."And to all the women who question their worth. Remember, you're always deserving of self-love..."
A wonderful debut and I look forward to Blackburn's next book. show less
Huzband (pronounced auz*band)
" A nonexistent man in a nonexistent marriage whose whereabouts is often asked, usually by Nigerian mums and aunties, of single British-Nigerian women. e.g. "So, Yinka, where is your huzband? Ah, ah. You're thirty-one now!"
Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? was an absolute joy to read. Even more so with the world today. Sometimes you show more just need an 'escape' read - one that will take you away, make you laugh, make you nod your head in agreement or disbelief (those aunties are intense!) And I believe every reader will connect with the book through a situation or a piece of dialogue. The depiction of family, friendship, culture and community was so very well done. It's not all perfect, but instead is believable and mirrors real life.
Blackburn also explores faith, social issues and the workplace. There's a myriad of supporting characters, each with a different outlook that adds greatly to the overall story. But the book belongs to Yinka as she tries to find what's next for her in life, in love and more. And it's most definitely not a straight path.
From Operation Wedding Date to the final revelation, the reader will be behind Yinka as she looks for love - and herself. From the author's dedication page...."And to all the women who question their worth. Remember, you're always deserving of self-love..."
A wonderful debut and I look forward to Blackburn's next book. show less
"You're so British!" Yinka's mum says, dismissively. *I was born here,* thinks Yinka. The child of Nigerian immigrants, within a large family of "aunties," 31-year-old Yinka begins to fold under the pressure and criticism of her female relatives to find a "huzband" by the time her cousin Rachel gets married.
When it comes to dating, Yinka feels that she is too dark-skinned, too religious, or too *something undefinable*, so Yinka starts making changes to herself. While she would like to be a show more strong and confident woman, she is faltering in both her career and in her ability to tell he embarrassing truth to the women in her family, knowing beforehand exactly what they will say.
With the help and support of some really good friends and her aptly named Aunty Blessing, the insecure Yinka gradually finds her own way forward after some outrageous mishaps and emotional missteps.
I identified completely with Yinka and was totally absorbed in her life. This hilarious cross-cultural tale of one young woman who struggles to stand up for herself and risk heartbreak from men and criticism from women is 100% modern, right down to the dating apps and text messages, but is also loving, exuberant, and wise. show less
When it comes to dating, Yinka feels that she is too dark-skinned, too religious, or too *something undefinable*, so Yinka starts making changes to herself. While she would like to be a show more strong and confident woman, she is faltering in both her career and in her ability to tell he embarrassing truth to the women in her family, knowing beforehand exactly what they will say.
With the help and support of some really good friends and her aptly named Aunty Blessing, the insecure Yinka gradually finds her own way forward after some outrageous mishaps and emotional missteps.
I identified completely with Yinka and was totally absorbed in her life. This hilarious cross-cultural tale of one young woman who struggles to stand up for herself and risk heartbreak from men and criticism from women is 100% modern, right down to the dating apps and text messages, but is also loving, exuberant, and wise. show less
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- Works
- 2
- Members
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- Popularity
- #68,678
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 12
- ISBNs
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