Books The Middle Daughter  by Chika Unigwe

The Middle Daughter by Chika Unigwe is a literary novel set in contemporary Enugu, Nigeria, centered on seventeen-year-old Nani, the middle daughter of a family struck by tragic loss. After Nani loses her older sister Udodi in a car accident and then her father soon after, her world is thrown into turmoil. Feeling isolated and misunderstood by her grieving mother and younger sister, Nani becomes drawn to an itinerant preacher, Ephraim, who claims a direct connection to God and offers her a sense of belonging.

However, this relationship takes a dark turn as Nani marries Ephraim and finds herself trapped in an abusive marriage. Despite the love she has for her children, she struggles to comprehend her situation and fears her husband. The story follows Nani's painful journey as she wrestles with grief, abuse, and deprivation, and her courageous efforts to break free and reclaim her life and identity without losing what matters most to her.

The novel is a modern reimagining of the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone framed within a Nigerian family context. It explores themes of family trauma, grief, sisterhood, societal pressures, and the fragile nature of relationships. The narrative is fast-paced with well-developed characters and includes multiple perspectives, with occasional poetic reflections by the late sister Udodi.

Unigwe’s work also comments on Nigeria’s social classes, women’s reproductive rights, issues like surrogacy and "baby factories," and broader cultural and societal challenges.