ÌṢẸ́PẸ́ by Àrẹ̀mọ Yusuf Àlàbí Balógun is a powerful and challenging novel centred on the Yorùbá wisdom that "a child is a parent's reward" (Ọmọ lèrè) and the modern conflict of the "black tax." The story follows a widow, Ìyá Ẹ̀bùn, and a questioning daughter, Olúbùnmi, as they navigate motherhood, tradition, and trauma. This genre-bending work confronts sensitive societal issues like taboo, religion, and the quiet violence in the home, ultimately exploring the high price of silence.
