Dara, Amaka and Lillian are living the dream in Singapore, basking in the endless sunshine, low tax rates and luxury goods. That is until Lani, a handsome and mysterious new arrival to their small African expat community, upends each of their carefully constructed lives.
Dara is a lawyer and workaholic on the brink of partnership at her firm. However, her promotion is challenged when Lani, newly hired from Geneva, is assigned to the career-making case she is working on.
Spirited, sharp-tongued banker Amaka tries to hold on to her last shreds of stability amidst painful family drama and a debilitating shopping habit. Her illicit attraction to Lani is the last thing she needs, plus she already has a boyfriend. But she can’t seem to help herself.
A chance encounter with Lani, who inexplicably is the spitting image of her late father, not only spells the end of Lillian’s troubled marriage but also triggers the grief she’s spent a lifetime suppressing.
As each of their lives starts to spiral out of control, Dara, Amaka, and Lillian have to confront the ghosts of their past and learn that unfinished history can and will follow them anywhere—even to Singapore.
This book was a joy to read, partly because of its lush, tropical setting and partly because the plotlines provided just the right amount of escapism, which I didn’t know I needed.
It’s a story about female friendship, family ties, belonging, and acceptance. Though it uses tried-and-tested tropes, it comes together in a beautifully refreshing manner.
It was interesting how Fadipe used Lani as the catalyst in the chain of events that forced the women to face up to their individual problems. But there was no discernible arc or development of this particular character. Lani remains the same at the novel’s end as he did at the beginning, making him little more than a cipher in the story.
Also, he doesn’t intentionally disrupt these women’s lives; in many instances throughout the novel, he’s the victim of their actions. Yet, he emerges unscathed through a potent combination of privilege and patriarchy – the Lani’s of this world are never down for long.
My favourite storyline was Lillian’s, which was the most intriguing in its setup. It was obvious what the possible connection between her and Lani would be, but her journey to figuring it all out kept me turning the pages.
In a poignant reflection of her state of mind, Lillian moves straight past logic and reason and heads to more esoteric and spiritual ideas about why Lani would resemble her late father, including past lives and reincarnation. It’s a moving study of grief and the complications that arise when it is suppressed and/or denied, as well as how PTSD and trauma can manifest in the mind and the body.
Though Amaka and Dara’s storylines also explore grief, they also serve some of the novel’s more lighthearted moments. For example, when Dara attempt to sabotage Lani’s client presentation backfires spectacularly, I was screaming at this point. Girl, didn’t you know this would hurt you too?
Also, Amaka’s shopping sprees both delighted and terrified me. I was delighted because her wardrobe sounded amazing, and I could only dream of owning the shoes and bags she bought. But it was terrifying as it was clear she could not afford the luxurious life she felt she deserved.
In Such Tremendous Heat is a book for the summer or to read when you desperately long for the summer, as I do. It’s very readable, hits all the right notes and has a satisfying ending. Perhaps most importantly, it’s a great advertisement for visiting Singapore one day.
Just Read It 