Two Britains – Book Review
by Ladun Alabi
What gives a location a homey feel? Is it the way you are perceived by others when you walk down the street, the language, or a common past? Through the tale of Amara, a British-Nigerian lady who has learnt to live in the precarious balance between two cultures – and who unexpectedly finds that balance tested – Ladun Alabi’s Two Britains poses these questions.
I was very excited to get a review copy of this book to enjoy and to tell you about. And I will say from the start, I really enjoyed it. It’s book one in a series called Hard Conversations and it’s broken down into eight chapters, some with multiple parts. I liked this because it made it easier to work through the contents, and to refer to things later. Now, let’s dive deeper.
The work is deep, split, and full of inconsistencies, and it feels like we are entering a mirror of our own world from the very first pages. Amara’s voice is personal and inquisitive, and her viewpoint provides insight into the emotional realities of negotiating one’s identity in a nation that simultaneously claims and rejects one. This work is notable for its inability to provide tidy conclusions. Alabi instead allows Amara and her community’s lived experiences to shine in all their complexity – messy, conflicting, and incredibly human.
Thoughtful and unapologetic, the writing never backs down from the awkward topics of race, belonging, and identity politics. However, there is an underlying sense of empathy even in the challenging sections. You can sense the author’s regard for both the stories being presented and the listening experience itself. Yes, this book is about having difficult talks, but it’s also about making room for vulnerability, uncertainty, and realities that may coexist even when they appear to be at odds.
The way that Two Britains strikes a balance between being intensely personal and widely relatable is what most impressed me. Amara’s struggle will resonate with readers who have lived in different cultures, but even those who haven’t will find themselves considering what it means to fit in. The idea of “Two Britains” is a potent metaphor: the Britain of myth and history and the Britain of daily reality, which are piled on top of one another and occasionally clash or coexist.
This book sets the standard high because it is the first in the Hard Conversations series. It’s not always easy to read, but that’s part of the point – rather than racing over it, it forces you to reflect, ask questions, and sit with discomfort. By the end, I felt as though I had been invited into a continuing conversation that continued long after the last page had been turned. It will make you think about life and how you’re living it.
Two Britains is a potent start for those seeking a book that questions as much as it reveals. Whether at a dinner table or in a book club, this is the type of book that makes people talk. And it’s the kind of story we need right now, one that questions what it means to be a part of a divided home. It’s hard to place it in a niche box, but that’s part of the beauty of it.