Patience Is a Subtle Thief

A Novel

By: Abi Ishola-Ayodeji

Narrated by: Liz Femi

Hope and circumstance define a young woman’s life in this heartbreaking tale of lost innocence, set in politically volatile 1990s Nigeria, from an exciting and fresh voice in global literature.

For as long as she can remember, Patience Adewale, the eldest daughter of Chief Kolade Adewale, has been waiting for confirmation that she is loved, that there is a place where she truly belongs. Patience lives a sheltered life within the secure walls of the family’s mansion in Ibadan, but finds no comfort from her distant father and stepmother Modupe. Her only ally is her younger sister, yet even Margaret’s love and support cannot overcome Patience’s insecurity and uncertainty.

More than anything, Patience wants to know why her father and uncle banished her mother from their compound years ago—and whether her mother is even alive. Determined to discover the truth, Patience embarks on a desperate search to find her mother. Answers begin to surface when she moves to Lagos for university and unexpectedly reconnects with her cousin Kash.

Kash and his friend Emeka are petty thieves with an opportunity to make a big score. To pull it off they need help—and enlist Patience and Emeka’s straight-arrow brother, Chike, to become partners in their scheme. The thieves’ plan is to quit after this job. But unforeseen events lead to unexpected consequences—and demand a price from Patience that may be too steep to pay.

Suspenseful and evoking the subtleties of Nigerian life in an fresh and unexpected way, Patience Is a Subtle Thief is a heart-wrenching story of one young woman’s precarious journey to adulthood, and the risks and sacrifices it takes to follow her heart.

Brilliant

First I must commend the narrator for her performance...changing her accent and tone in so many ways. I wish she had made better efforts to pronounce the local language phrases better. The plot was complicated and well executed. The characters depicting the in clement /hostile era the Nigerian youth are experiencing.....and it continues to get worse. Thank you dear author for putting this on paper ...permanent documentation of a failing society.

Glad I Listened!

What a great listen. The story line was real and believable and the narrator was perfect.

Excellent story about young adults trying to survive in Nigeria

As a Black American that has enjoyed listening to Nigerian authors this was a unique story compared to others. Learning about the pre-internet scams and criminal activity that desperate Nigerians relied on was eye opening. It was very moving to see how the young adults in the book were essentially forced into this criminal activity since they didn’t have many options. I loved how layered the characters were and the storyline kept me engaged the entire time. I highly recommend this novel!

Worth It!

Good Story. Believable characters. Has depth. Not overplayed. Easily engagement to the story line. Relatable. Relevant backdrop.

Great story telling

I enjoyed listening to this coming of age novel set in Nigeria. Well written, thought provoking and gritty, this story of a naive young woman with big dreams will stay with me for a while .