Funke has always been happy in Nigeria, surrounded by art, family, and sunshine. But when tragedy strikes, she is sent to England—a country she only knows from her mother’s stories. The estate is crumbling, the weather is bleak, and her mother’s family is distant and cold. Only her cousin Liv offers warmth, becoming Funke’s closest friend and fiercest protector.
As the years pass, the choices their mothers made cast long shadows over their lives. When a second tragedy shatters their bond, Funke and Liv are forced onto separate paths, divided by country, ambition, and misunderstanding.
Moving between Lagos and Somerset, This Motherless Land is a powerful exploration of identity, belonging, and whether family’s deepest wounds can ever truly heal. A Read with Jenna Book Club pick and NPR Best Book of the Year.
