Lola Akinmade returns with ‘Bitter Honey’

No society is perfect; no home is perfect; there are no perfect parents, no perfect countries, and no perfect works of art. If perfection existed in these things, the world would be dull. It is in their imperfections that the drama and dynamism that make life meaningful emerge.

Onoaralolaoluwa Akinmade Åkerström, better known as Lola Akinmade Åkerström, faces microaggressions almost daily in Sweden, a country she has called home for several years since leaving the United States. It is thus not surprising that we see this in her novels.

In her third novel, ‘Bitter Honey’, in which the trials and triumphs of Nancy, a single mother, Tina, her superstar daughter, and Tobias, her son, are laid bare, Sweden isn’t flattered. It is made to walk on all fours and unclad. We see its imperfections, its struggles, its pretence and its glory. We see that despite its years of being home to Black people, they are yet to be fully accepted. In fact, in every mirror, they are still Black and given the cold shoulder. The case of mixed race people isn’t much different.

Without Lars, the father of Nancy’s children, this novel’s staying power won’t have been there. Of course, there are a couple other characters who make the novel remarkable, but Lars, alive and dead, enlivens the book with his bad and ugly ways.

What manner of a man is Lars? How should a mother handle a daughter who looks so much like her father, who is a heartbreaker? These are questions that this novel may pose to a reader.

Although ‘Bitter Honey’ is not a direct sequel to the author’s previous novel, ‘Everything Is Not Enough’, it features returning characters Nancy, Tobias, and Tina. These characters were initially introduced in that earlier novel through Kemi, one of the main characters in both the author’s first and second works. Tobias’s romantic involvement with Kemi brought his mother, Nancy, and sister, Tina, into the storyline.

Set against the backdrop of key global events, including the Eurovision Song Contest in Greece, the FIFA World Cup in Germany, the Arab Spring, an attempted coup in Gambia, a Nobel Prize ceremony honouring former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, and the royal wedding of Diana and Charles in England, the novel places Nancy, Tina, and Tobias at its core.

The story unfolds through dual perspectives: Nancy’s chapters explore her past, tracing her meeting with Lars, a university lecturer who won her heart, the subsequent births of Tina and Tobias, and the aftermath of Lars’s mistakes. Tina’s narrative captures her journey to fame as a music star in Sweden and delves into the complexities of navigating life as a mixed-race individual, born to a Gambian mother and a Swedish father. This third-person dual-faceted storytelling approach enriches the themes of identity, race, ambition, and the legacies of love and betrayal, which are similar to the ones in her first two works.

The dual perspectives in ‘Bitter Honey’ enrich the narrative, allowing readers to witness the generational echoes and subtle parallels between mother and daughter. This structure highlights how Tina, despite her success as a rising music star in Sweden, mirrors some of the choices and missteps that once derailed Nancy’s path. Nancy’s recounting of her past with Lars, how he captivated her, the joys and pains of their relationship, and the fallout that ensued, creates a contrast with Tina’s present-day struggles and ambitions.

Tina’s sections reveal her determination, yet the shadow of her mother’s experiences looms, suggesting a cycle of repeated patterns influenced by heritage, identity, and unresolved familial tensions. This reflective storytelling hints at a deeper question: are we bound to repeat the mistakes of those before us, or can we forge new paths despite shared vulnerabilities? The layered perspectives amplify this theme, giving the novel vibrating resonance and inviting readers to consider the impact of choices across generations.

The novel explores fame and its darker sides, delving into the chaos of the American music industry. By following Tina’s journey, the narrative exposes the glittering yet perilous nature of stardom. We see how indulgence and downfall are intertwined. Without being preachy, the novel critiques the industry’s excesses and pitfalls, especially those scenes that bring to mind the P Diddy affair. The author sheds light on the glamorous yet dangerous sides of the music industry, including its excesses, indulgences, and moral pitfalls.

The deportation of Malik, Nancy’s first boyfriend, exemplifies the power of resilience and the ability to rise above adversity. His transformation later in life reveals that adversity isn’t the end of life. Malik’s role, intertwined with the novel’s intricate drama, is one of the propelling forces of this remarkable work.

The novel delves into how choices and traumas, especially those involving love, betrayal, and identity, are passed from one generation to the next. It also raises questions about the long-term impact of absent or toxic fathers on both mothers and children.

It also highlights issues of racial identity, exclusion, and the struggle for acceptance in a society that still marginalises Black and mixed-race individuals.

The novel also critiques Sweden’s racial dynamics and the persistent experience of otherness faced by people of African descent.

We see how women try to understand and redefine themselves amidst societal, relational, and internal pressures.

The book portrays the emotional and cultural chasms between generations and across continents, showing how hard it is to bridge these divides without confronting the past.

Most chapters conclude with cliffhangers, packed with thrilling moments that leave you in awe.

Spanning four decades and three continents, ‘Bitter Honey’ is a sweeping tale of a mother and daughter almost torn apart by buried secrets and the struggle to bridge generational and cultural divides.

This heartfelt novel offers a deeply moving look at the complex dynamics between mothers and daughters, highlighting themes of love, trust, forgiveness, and the journey of women discovering themselves.

‘Bitter Honey’, through well-realised characters, believable plot, historical accuracy and smooth prose rendered mostly in present tense, succeeds as a fantastic work of art and shows the author’s mastery of the craft.

My final take: No society is perfect; no home is perfect; there are no perfect parents, no perfect countries, and no perfect works of art. If perfection existed in these things, the world would be dull. It is in their imperfections that the drama and dynamism that make life meaningful emerge.