Tomorrow I Become a Woman by Aiwanose Odafen Review

 Another week, another book review!

Happy 2026, fellow readers! We're starting the year on a high note with one of my favorite novels. I'm not going to lie, I was hesitant to review this book. It has so many layers, and keeping it spoiler-free feels impossible. But I'll try my best to give you the five-star review this true gem deserves.

Reading Tomorrow I Become a Woman by Aiwanose Odafen was like being pulled into a world where love, culture, tragedy, and courage collide. Sounds familiar? Well, this might be most people's reality.

From the start, I was swept up in the innocence and intensity of first love, the overwhelming feeling of giving your whole heart for the very first time. But intertwined with that sweetness was the ache of regret: the pain of looking back and wondering what life might have been. That tension between personal desire and what everyone else expects broke something inside me as I read.

Set during the Nigerian Civil War (the Biafran War), the story shows how tribalism and prejudice can dictate the fate of relationships. Love gets tested not by devotion, but by history, fear, and the voices of people who think they know what's best for you. It’s heartbreaking to imagine.

One of the most affecting parts for me was the portrait of loss that isn't clean or concluded. It depicts the particular torment of not knowing, whether to hope, mourn, or just sit in the numb space between. It’s war, but at the heart of it are these shattered families and stolen futures, illustrated in the most intimate way.

The friendships in this book touched me deeply. A group of university girls walking into adulthood together, believing they're ready for the beautiful lives they've dreamed of. But as life unfolds, you learn that nothing is as perfect as it looks from the outside. Behind closed doors, there are secrets and silent battles. It reminded me that we never really know what someone is carrying.

(I need to talk about the heavier themes now, but I'll keep it vague to protect your experience. The next part is why this book shattered me.)

Tomorrow I Become a Woman goes to some brutally honest places. It portrays a kind of betrayal that isn't from a stranger, but from the people who are supposed to love you most. It shows how tradition can be used as a cage. And it shows a courage that is slow, painful, and costly but so powerful it will make you want to stand up and cheer through your tears.

What stays with me most is how fiction can make you travel—and boy, was I transported. I felt the fear and uncertainty of war, the grief of losing loved ones who never return, and the hope that refuses to die even when everything else seems broken. The writing is masterfully creative, emotionally rich, and deeply rooted.

My key takeaways

• Love doesn’t always stay pretty. Sometimes it turns dark under the pressures of society and tradition.
• The shadows of war and tribalism aren't just in history books. They live in families, in heartbreaks, in choices we’re forced to make.
• Just because the people before you stayed and endured pain doesn't mean you have to. Break the pattern.
• Most importantly: just do you. Don't conform to others' beliefs. Use your intuition.

I highly, highly recommend it. I truly loved this book. I felt every ache, every gasp, and every heartbeat. Some stories don’t just end when you close the book, they stay with you, asking you to look at your own life differently.

That’s all for this week!

Until next time,

Natu Shimike ~ Kalaba 🌸