Where We End & Begin

The phrase “star-crossed lovers” might feel cliché, but it is the perfect description of Dunni and Obinna, the main characters of Igharo’s (The Sweetest Remedy) latest novel. What makes this story unique is a deep romance and strong chemistry between the two, with a story that seamlessly combines the beginnings of their relationship and their reconnection in the present day. Dunni returns to her native Nigeria for a friend’s wedding and reconnects with Obinna. At first glance, he’s the one that got away, but as the book goes deeper into their story, more layers of their love, loss, and trauma are revealed. Class differences and family relationships weave deeply into both Obinna’s and Dunni’s lives, and as their present selves reflect on the past, readers see how each has been affected by these sometimes-unsteady foundations. Narrator Tori Danner deftly switches between characters, including accent changes from young to older Dunni as her time in America changes her Nigerian accent.