Book Title: The Re-Write
Author: Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
Publisher: Penguin Books
Year of Publication: 2025
Reviewer: Oriyomi Anthony
Synopsis
Temi and Wale met at a bookstore in London and are instantly attracted to each other. Not long after, they embark on a whirlwind romance that burns out due to a lack of trust on both sides. All that Temi wanted afterwards was to recover from the blow Wale dealt her and lick her wounds in peace, but Wale’s participation in the reality TV show, Love Villa, put paid to that. It didn’t help matters that Wale was portrayed as the gigolo of the show, jumping from one woman to the next. Eventually, Wale gets booted off the series and embarks on an intensive campaign to leverage the publicity being on Love Villa has earned him to do good, while also re-writing public opinion about him. One way he sought to do this was through a memoir, and who ended up getting the commission to write the book but Temi, his shunned ex-cum-looking-for-a-publishing-deal writer. The exes approach their new professional relationship with part wariness and part curiosity, wondering if it will be an opportunity for them to rewrite their love story or if it is too late for it to be salvaged.
Review
Lizzie Blackburn did a fair job exploring familiar and less-known themes in The Re-Write. Second chance romance, personal ambition, alcoholism, non-profit sustainability, writers and the struggles they face to get published, caregiving responsibility and betrayal, are some of the themes covered.
Being a writer herself, it was easy for Blackburn to describe, through Temi, the highs and lows and heartaches writers face to show publishing houses that their manuscript is worth a chance, no matter how long it takes to finally get a yes, while still proving to family and friends that they are not wasting their lives.
Another refreshing angle is alcoholism, especially among Africans, where it is mostly viewed as a masculine problem. However, we get a different look in Wale’s mum, whose addiction becomes a vicious strain on her, her husband and her children’s lives.
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Most non-profits do great work in addressing little-known but serious challenges and in serving underserved populations. Despite their efforts, most struggle to survive, and we see this in ACE Charity and its fight to remain standing despite lack of funding.
We often get distracted by the fame and recognition that trails people who participate in reality TV shows, since most participants actually do so because of the expected popularity that would accrue afterwards. But not all popularity is good, and not all reality TV stars are comfortable with their newfound renown, and this dissonance is fairly portrayed in Wale’s character.
What is not clear though is the motive for Kojo’s hate or jealousy of Wale. He started out as a supposed “OK” friend but Blackburn’s sudden transposition of his character from good to bad is indecipherable. Probably an attempt to introduce a villain/antagonist, though he’s not a strong one, or maybe his sudden change is inexplicable in the same way most human behaviour could be unreasonable.
Overall, The Re-Write is a good read for a quiet day of relaxation. Its characters are not overambitious, and the plot though, largely predictable, is enjoyable.