After a streak of 3-star, mildly satisfying, and average novels, Yomi Adegoke’s debut, The List, stands out as a refreshing reminder of what makes a story truly great.
Ola and Micheal, the children of immigrant parents and second-generation Britons, are on the brink of marriage. About a month before their vows, a list of alleged sexual abusers and predators is released on Twitter, and Micheal is named.
Ola, a feminist and advocate for women's rights, now finds herself in a position she has only passionately written about. She must grapple with her initial instinct to turn on Micheal and her enduring love for him.
Meanwhile, Micheal is forced to confront the fallout from being named on the list, as well as his own demons. What follows is an unpredictable narrative that kept me turning page after page, constantly asking: Is Micheal innocent? Will their wedding still take place?
While reading The List, I noticed that Yomi's skillful character development quickly stood out. The main characters, Ola and Micheal, are so well fleshed out that their thought patterns feel natural and their actions entirely plausible. They felt like real people to me, so much so that it was easy to forget I was reading a novel. This realism was particularly important given one of the major themes of this story: sexual abuse. (There are no graphic descriptions of sexual abuse).
Despite the delicacy of the main topic explored, I appreciated how Yomi strikes a careful balance in The List. We live in a world deeply polarized on many fronts, and while this story could have easily become another contribution to today’s gender wars, it manages to transcend that.
Instead of appealing to only one side, it’s a book that everyone can read without feeling attacked. At the same time, it does not shy away from addressing the gravity of the issue.
I also found The List to be a striking reflection of our modern society, particularly around dating. How well do you truly know someone? What does it say about a relationship if one rumor can cause it to unravel?
Another significant theme interwoven into the plot is the internet and its role as a tool for social justice. The List highlights how easily the internet can enable a form of jungle justice, deserved or not, and forces readers to confront the ethical dilemmas that come with it.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The List. It’s the kind of book that would make for lively discussions in a book club or provide plenty to ponder when read alone.
