Author: Sefi Atta
publisher name: Myriad Editions
ISBN: 9781912408344
The story is set in Lagos in January 1976, six years after the Nigerian Civil War. A new military regime is in power, and rumors of a countercoup are spreading. Remi Lawal, a Nigerian woman who runs a greeting-card shop, meets Frances Cooke, an American art dealer in Nigeria to buy rare beads, at an art exhibition in Ikoyi. They become friends and discuss their aspirations, loyalties, marriage, motherhood, and Nigeria itself. While Remi's husband, Tunde, is suspicious of Frances being an American potentially gathering intelligence for the CIA, Remi's view is more nuanced. However, after the assassination of General Muhammed on February 13, Remi begins to reconsider her friendship with Frances in a different light, and her sense of patriotism is reawakened. Sefi Atta's novel, "The Bead Collector," brings a fresh perspective to international espionage, focusing on the intrigue and politics of family life.
