Adrienne Yabouza's Co-épouses et co-veuves: Female Exemplary Stories of Hardship and Improbable Alliances

Yabouza's 2015 novel entitled Co-épouses et co-veuves chronicles the emotional, physical and social upheavals of two widows, Ndongo Passy and Grekpoubou, after the death of their common husband. Here Yabouza explores an often ignored topic: the condition of widows and their children as they suffer discrimination, marginalization, extreme poverty, and exposure to violence in the aftermath of a sudden change of family status. The author presents this topic by letting the widows and an omniscient narrator describe their experiences and the fabric of the relationships from which they originate. In doing so, I contend, Yabouza attains two results. First, she challenges commonly held assumptions regarding the Central African Republic's liberation and the notion of female national belonging while providing a comprehensive critique of both discourses in the postcolonial era. Second, she creates an opportunity for deeper exploration of widowhood. The author's decision to offer multiple perspectives allows for the debate and discussion of vital female-centric subjects in the virtual space that she creates for her characters.