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A Widow's Silhouette by Basil Opurum

Spanning more than three decades, A Widow’s Silhouette successfully merges a wartime love story with realistic glimpses of daily life during the Biafran-Nigerian civil war and the reconstruction period afterward. When Jane’s parents’ finances begin to dwindle, her education abruptly ends. She relocates to live with her uncle Bryan and work as his secretary and an attendant at his gas station. One day she meets Bryan’s friend John, who falls deeply in love with her but is already married. John is torn between his late father’s wish for his marriage and his love for Jane. Is divorce an option? Set against a turbulent background of riots, civil war, and bloodshed, this tour de force follows not only the powerful story of Jane, but also the trials of her brother Michael and the beautiful Ugonma, whose lover, Ndubueze, deceives her and forces her into a life of prostitution. An eloquent and evocative work of historical fiction, this novel’s haunting voice and lush scenes will leave you breathless.



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