Iryn Tushabe
House of Anansi Press
22 April 2025
328
eBook - PDF
Contemporary
ARC via Edelweiss
A tender coming of age novel set in Uganda in which a young woman grapples with the truth about her sister in a country that punishes gay people.
Eighteen-year-old Aine Kamara has been anticipating a reunion with her older sister, Mbabazi, for months. But when Mbabazi shows up with an unexpected guest, Aine must confront an old her beloved sister is gay in a country with tight anti-homosexuality laws.
Over a weekend at Aine’s all girls’ boarding school, sisterly bonds strengthen, and a new friendship emerges between Aine and her sister’s partner, Achen. Later, a sudden death in the family brings Achen to Mbabazi’s and Aine’s home village, resulting in tensions that put Mrs. Kamara’s Christian beliefs to the test. She issues an ultimatum, forcing Mbabazi to make a difficult choice, but Aine must too. Unable to convince Mama to reconsider, Aine runs away to Mbabazi’s and Achen’s home in Kampala. There she reconnects with Elia, the sophomore at Makerere University she’s had a crush on for a while.
Everything is Fine Here was a thoughtful and intense debut nove from Iryn Tushabe. Aine was a character who immediately caught my interest and held it to the end. The book covered many themes including confronting societal expectation, family bonds and hidden truths in addition to the obvious LGBT+ storyline. The pacing of the story was good and the finale was satisfying without suggesting everything could possibly be tied up neatly with a bow, adding to the realism of the tale. This is a tale that has a universal feel that goes beyond its setting and I would definitely read more from this author in the future. I am giving this book 4.5 stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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