Hanna just turned 14 in an african home nothing was joyful about her birthday
Why?
Because in most African homes birthdays are not celebrated because it is not worth it...
Hanna was born into a family of 6 with 4 siblings,she was the second born
Her mom's birthday gift to her was to tell her to her face that she was a mistake..
Why?why would a mother say that to her child?
Her mother said that to her because she was not a BOY
Hanna was hurt but not surprised
She asked herself this question repeatedly
Is this woman my mother?
While repeatedly tearing herself with a knife in the same spot
That was the only way to put in all the anger she felt
Hanna has an elder brother and two younger brothers she was the only girl child and she was hated on by her parents and her elder brother
Her parents provided her basic needs
Shelter,food and education..
It was a debate if she deserved education
She was GRANTED education to preserve her family's reputation not as a genuine investment for her future even at that she still spent most of her school days at home either skipping semesters or because of an illness
Hannah fell into depression and bipolar disorder when she was 16...bed rotting became her hubby her parents laughed at her and call her dramatic whenever she gave an explanation for her behavior to them she was just LAZY
Marriage was mentioned everytime she failed to cook properly
Why?why is Marriage been mentioned to a 16 year old?!!
''Don't you know some of your age mates are married"
''Is this what you plan to cook for your husband"
Comments like this was made to hannah as though she was a livestock been groomed for Marriage...hannah was bewildered by this unpleasant realization
She realized the only way to escape was through college...so that was her only goal which she took seriously
Hannah's teenage years was nothing like what it is supposed to be...it was traumatic and made her too mature for her age,all her feelings were numb she became an overthinker,she was unable to trust no one at such a young age..even in college
Oh how hanna suffered in her first year in college
Starvation,anxiety,bullying ..
Name them
Her family abandoned to fend for herself after paying her tuition fees
They only cared about their reputation... to people she was in college no further questions asked about her, which to be honest people were not supposed to care
Hanna was harassed in public..and was tagged dramatic when she tried to voice out how disrespected she felt...because in african it's already normalized
"Let men be men"
What an odd thing to say
This book is about the struggle of tenagers growing up in an african home,how the level of suffering a woman passes through is what considers her a good woman,how child abuse and traumatizing childhood is normalized in Africa homes..
My questions are what is normal about traumatizing a child?
What is normal about grooming a teen?
Why is misogyny normalized in africa?
Why does african parents consider girl children wortless and a male child a thing of joy?