Who’s better, Kenyan or Nigerian men? Only Nairobi women can tell
TITLE: Sinners
AUTHOR: Sarah Haluwa
PUBLISHER: Self (audiobook format by eKitabu)
REVIEWER: Tracy M. Ochieng
AVAILABILITY: shop.eKitabu.com and ‘On eKitabu’ app
PRICE: Ksh350 (Audiobook); Ksh1,000 (Print).
“No rest for the wicked who promise good sex and don’t deliver,” says Nancy after a disappointing hook-up with a fitness influencer, following a breakup with her lover. Chantelle, on the other hand, is a “sprinkle sprinkle” lady chasing the high life as an escort to a governor. Sinners follows the lives of 10 women—Nancy, Chantelle, Judy, Zahra, Habiba, Lindah, June, Diana, Cate, and Bellah.
These women, from diverse age groups, lifestyles, backgrounds, and settings, take readers on an exhilarating journey through their sex lives and relationships. From struggling wives in sex-starved marriages to middle-aged women seeking thrill and desire with younger lovers, and young women desperate to make their relationships and lives work, Sarah Haluwa presents these characters with charm, mystery, and twisted humor.
Set in Nairobi and its suburbs, Sinners throws us into the tumultuous worlds of these 10 women, each grappling with complex relationships and life situations—many of which are deemed “immoral” for women. It is no secret that society expects women to be inexperienced and naive in their sexual desires and self-expression to attract the “right” man or be considered worthy of love, admiration, and affection. Anything contrary, and you’re labeled a slut, especially in Nairobi, often likened to a vast bedroom where everyone is “eating” everyone and partners are frequently shared.
No romance without finance
For a long time, marriage was an economic necessity for most women, and this expectation still lingers today. Spinsters and childless women remain objects of criticism and disapproval in Kenyan society. Marriage is often seen as the ultimate achievement in a woman’s life, regardless of her economic independence or education. Such is the story of Judy, a 48-year-old single mother of two, who embodies the struggles of both single mothers and older women. Despite her success in business, what she lacks is lasting love—until she meets Obi, a Nigerian man who “love-bombs” her, only to scam her out of millions. While her story may seem cliché, it highlights the malice some men bring to relationships, preying on emotionally vulnerable women. By the time these women realize the truth, their lives are often in shambles. Perhaps not all is fair in love and war; Judy just wanted to be loved.
Nigerian men have long been a thorn in the side of many Kenyan men, often accused of “stealing” their women with their reputation for being exceptionally romantic. They’re also frequently in the news for all the wrong reasons, such as the recent case in Kenya involving the heinous death of a university student at a short-stay apartment. Since there’s no romance without finance, many young Kenyan women fall prey to these men, who always seem to have money to spare, blinding them to any red flags. Money can turn any red flag into a glaring green one.
Ungovernable
“The nonsense of you woke women! How can I satisfy you when your body is desensitized from jumping from man to man…” Steve bashes Cate after she protests the lacklustre end to their romantic moment. Cate is your typical good-time girl—the kind that’s good enough for a short fling but never gets the ring. She’s also self-aware of her bodily needs and wouldn’t hesitate to pleasure herself if her partner fell short, something that irks Steve. A traditional man with a big ego, Steve is fixated on his need for approval and dominance, especially in the bedroom. His reaction highlights how sexual awareness in women is still widely discouraged by both men and women. In a move that would set the X space and TikTok ablaze with talks of “karma” and “you cannot build on another woman’s tears.” Cate sends a steamy photo of her and Steve to Vicky, her friend, after discovering that Vicky was involved in dragging her name through the mud.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
Kenyan women on X once came out to explain the sinister ways they made their partners “go back to their Maker” once the relationship went stale or when infidelity was suspected. Some swore by steel wool, which they would sneak into the man’s food daily, reducing his stomach lining to a sieve. Others swore by crushing glass into the man’s food for a similar effect—but not June. She planned the classic murder, ensuring that George would at least travel to the great beyond looking dapper. Infidelity is rampant in many marriages, but cases often get overlooked by women attached to their husbands because marriage is their only financial plan. They choose to stay in loveless, sexless marriages as long as there’s a roof over their heads and food on the table. For those financially endowed like June, deliberate actions might be taken to nick the problem at its root—or uproot it entirely.
“…most of the time, it breaks you even more because you will choose to stay,” cautions the private investigator to June, who is hellbent on finding out who her husband is cheating on her with.
Sexual healing
I admit I was captivated by some of the characters, perhaps even related to some of their situations—except for Diana, a middle-aged woman exploring with a young lover, probably because of the pervasive double standard in age-gap relationship dynamics in Kenyan society. However, openly expressing and talking about sex as women, by women, let alone writing about it, is a feat worth celebrating.
I was warned that this book could corrupt my morals, but I say that for those seeking empowerment on sexual and relational issues, this is a must-read. If you can get off your moral high horse and dive deep into the ocean of pleasure, heartbreak, and despair, you will laugh, cringe, and empathise with the characters.
This book is not just about incredibly descriptive moments of pleasure, heartbreak, and revenge; it is capable of transforming women who are passive about their desires, choices, and, in turn, the direction of their lives. Buckle up for an exhilarating ride with Sarah Haluwa in her book Sinners.
Tracy Ochieng is a staff writer with Books in Africa. Email: tracy.ochieng@ekitabu.com
Who’s better, Kenyan or Nigerian men? Only Nairobi women can tell
TITLE: Sinners
AUTHOR: Sarah Haluwa
PUBLISHER: Self (audiobook format by eKitabu)
REVIEWER: Tracy M. Ochieng
AVAILABILITY: shop.eKitabu.com and ‘On eKitabu’ app
PRICE: Ksh350 (Audiobook); Ksh1,000 (Print).
“No rest for the wicked who promise good sex and don’t deliver,” says Nancy after a disappointing hook-up with a fitness influencer, following a breakup with her lover. Chantelle, on the other hand, is a “sprinkle sprinkle” lady chasing the high life as an escort to a governor. Sinners follows the lives of 10 women—Nancy, Chantelle, Judy, Zahra, Habiba, Lindah, June, Diana, Cate, and Bellah.
These women, from diverse age groups, lifestyles, backgrounds, and settings, take readers on an exhilarating journey through their sex lives and relationships. From struggling wives in sex-starved marriages to middle-aged women seeking thrill and desire with younger lovers, and young women desperate to make their relationships and lives work, Sarah Haluwa presents these characters with charm, mystery, and twisted humor.
Set in Nairobi and its suburbs, Sinners throws us into the tumultuous worlds of these 10 women, each grappling with complex relationships and life situations—many of which are deemed “immoral” for women. It is no secret that society expects women to be inexperienced and naive in their sexual desires and self-expression to attract the “right” man or be considered worthy of love, admiration, and affection. Anything contrary, and you’re labeled a slut, especially in Nairobi, often likened to a vast bedroom where everyone is “eating” everyone and partners are frequently shared.
No romance without finance
For a long time, marriage was an economic necessity for most women, and this expectation still lingers today. Spinsters and childless women remain objects of criticism and disapproval in Kenyan society. Marriage is often seen as the ultimate achievement in a woman’s life, regardless of her economic independence or education. Such is the story of Judy, a 48-year-old single mother of two, who embodies the struggles of both single mothers and older women. Despite her success in business, what she lacks is lasting love—until she meets Obi, a Nigerian man who “love-bombs” her, only to scam her out of millions. While her story may seem cliché, it highlights the malice some men bring to relationships, preying on emotionally vulnerable women. By the time these women realize the truth, their lives are often in shambles. Perhaps not all is fair in love and war; Judy just wanted to be loved.
Nigerian men have long been a thorn in the side of many Kenyan men, often accused of “stealing” their women with their reputation for being exceptionally romantic. They’re also frequently in the news for all the wrong reasons, such as the recent case in Kenya involving the heinous death of a university student at a short-stay apartment. Since there’s no romance without finance, many young Kenyan women fall prey to these men, who always seem to have money to spare, blinding them to any red flags. Money can turn any red flag into a glaring green one.
Ungovernable
“The nonsense of you woke women! How can I satisfy you when your body is desensitized from jumping from man to man…” Steve bashes Cate after she protests the lacklustre end to their romantic moment. Cate is your typical good-time girl—the kind that’s good enough for a short fling but never gets the ring. She’s also self-aware of her bodily needs and wouldn’t hesitate to pleasure herself if her partner fell short, something that irks Steve. A traditional man with a big ego, Steve is fixated on his need for approval and dominance, especially in the bedroom. His reaction highlights how sexual awareness in women is still widely discouraged by both men and women. In a move that would set the X space and TikTok ablaze with talks of “karma” and “you cannot build on another woman’s tears.” Cate sends a steamy photo of her and Steve to Vicky, her friend, after discovering that Vicky was involved in dragging her name through the mud.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
Kenyan women on X once came out to explain the sinister ways they made their partners “go back to their Maker” once the relationship went stale or when infidelity was suspected. Some swore by steel wool, which they would sneak into the man’s food daily, reducing his stomach lining to a sieve. Others swore by crushing glass into the man’s food for a similar effect—but not June. She planned the classic murder, ensuring that George would at least travel to the great beyond looking dapper. Infidelity is rampant in many marriages, but cases often get overlooked by women attached to their husbands because marriage is their only financial plan. They choose to stay in loveless, sexless marriages as long as there’s a roof over their heads and food on the table. For those financially endowed like June, deliberate actions might be taken to nick the problem at its root—or uproot it entirely.
“…most of the time, it breaks you even more because you will choose to stay,” cautions the private investigator to June, who is hellbent on finding out who her husband is cheating on her with.
Sexual healing
I admit I was captivated by some of the characters, perhaps even related to some of their situations—except for Diana, a middle-aged woman exploring with a young lover, probably because of the pervasive double standard in age-gap relationship dynamics in Kenyan society. However, openly expressing and talking about sex as women, by women, let alone writing about it, is a feat worth celebrating.
I was warned that this book could corrupt my morals, but I say that for those seeking empowerment on sexual and relational issues, this is a must-read. If you can get off your moral high horse and dive deep into the ocean of pleasure, heartbreak, and despair, you will laugh, cringe, and empathise with the characters.
This book is not just about incredibly descriptive moments of pleasure, heartbreak, and revenge; it is capable of transforming women who are passive about their desires, choices, and, in turn, the direction of their lives. Buckle up for an exhilarating ride with Sarah Haluwa in her book Sinners.
Tracy Ochieng is a staff writer with Books in Africa. Email: tracy.ochieng@ekitabu.com
Share :
Delete