Serial Killer Makes Everyone Laugh

Flo was our pioneer! She signed up to nominate for her first time in February, for discussion in April. Double whammy! The wheels in motion by the Pandemic determined that Flo would experience another first in her 2020 Book Club experience: she was the first to present a book and lead the discussion on Zoom! Thanks, Flo, for rising to the challenge!

After telling us about the author’s poetry, creative writing, and law school education, Flo led the discussion with questions about My Sister the Serial Killer, by Oyinkan Braithwaite.

Question: The writing is humorous but deals with serious topics. What effect does the humor have?
Dennis liked the dark humor and attributed it to his enjoying reading the book.
Marcia thought the details about cleaning were an important serious part of the book but were also humorous. She noted the repetitive episodes of the younger sister (Ayoola) calling on the older sister (Korede) to help her literally as well as figuratively clean up the murder scenes.
I noted that Ayoola never set out with premeditated murder in mind. The ways that Ayoola accidentally got rid of some men who she really was well rid of were part of both the seriousness and the humor.
Shirley said that the sisters’ father’s knife was an important symbol of seriousness in the girls’ lives but also did the killing.
Flo said that the book was really about the abuse that the girls suffered at their father’s hand. The murders were how Ayoola and Korede coped with the abuse.

Question: What relevance did Korede’s job as a nurse have in her looking after Ayoola, her younger sister?
Joanne said children in families take care of their younger siblings and ignore their foibles. She indicated that this is automatic, common, and traditional for families. She thought that Ayoola’s obliviousness to the problems she left in her wake were in character for a younger sibling whose responsibilities are accepted by an older sibling.
Flo said the fact that Korede was a nurse was relevant because Korede knew how to clean up the blood from the murders, sometimes using solvents typical people might not know about.
I said that toward the end of the book, the blatant paternal abuse that was described in flashback format explained the early origins of Korede’s taking care of her sister and forgiving her the trouble she caused.
Marcia suggested that in the Nigerian culture, family was top priority, and the oldest daughter was responsible for the youngest. Since Ayoola had beauty, she learned to manipulate her older sister (and men). Korede was vulnerable to the manipulation, partly because she was a nurse and had a nurse’s outlook and personality.

At the very end of the book, a man had knocked on the door of the sisters’ house and was waiting for Korede. We had a discussion as to who that man was supposed to be! Joanne thought it was Mukhtar, the coma guy, with several possible implications. Shirley and Teresa thought it was a new suitor for Ayool and likely her next victim!

Our Zoom discussion of My Sister the Serial Killer, by Oyinkan Braithwaite was a grand success! There was lots of laughter! Zoom might be helpful in keeping us focused and on topic, as well as minimizing side conversations and interruptions.