'Many people
in our modern world scoff at seemingly outrageous ideas, schemes and plots of
tv "soap operas" - I am reminded of this as I consider the
antecedents, mysteries, schemes, surrounding the birth and upbringing of Liza
here. (Elizabeth is the daughter of Jagua Nana; Elizabeth is the protagonist of
this work) In the earlier, more famous work, the eponymous Jagua Nana is a notorious prostitute, and her daughter, Elizabeth,
is not much better, it seems. She has two children by two different men, and is
already the mistress of a "rich and powerful man" - a man ensconced
with a number of other wives. Jagua
Nana's Daughter is a well written novel, even if it appears to ramble
intermittently; the author Ekwensi, has never been averse to write about sex
and physical pleasures allied to women, and this work is no exception - it is
perhaps amusing eg when a "lowly" young woman is surprised at how
much an older man enjoys ravishing her, spluttering widely in the process on
top of her... Elizabeth finally meets her mother, Jagua, after a series of
events and research and drama. Cheers! Vagaries of family life also in the mix
in this absorbing work. Kudos to the late Cyprian Ekwensi for composing so many
endearing works of literature...' - Eric
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