Novel asks: ‘What if your two favorite people hate each other with a passion?’

A woman poses next to separate image of book cover
Ore Agbaje-Williams' debut novel, "The Three of Us," explores the tension between a husband, a wife and her best friend.
Courtesy Jedidah M and Penguin Random House

A pair of best friends determine to leave behind their conservative families and societal expectations, and live by a new motto: By Myself, For Myself.

What happens when one of those friends marries, and the other friend sees the new husband as a betrayal of their values?

That’s the premise behind British-Nigerian author Ore Agbaje-Williams debut novel, “The Three of Us.” The story plays out on a single wine- and whiskey-soaked afternoon, when the wife, husband and best friend Temi toy with the fine line between compromise and betrayal when it comes to themselves and the people they love.

On this week’s Big Books and Bold Ideas, Agbaje-Williams joins MPR News host Kerri Miller to discuss the power of female friendships, why her story had to unfold in a single afternoon, and how love and loyalty can shape our lives.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

Guest:

Use the audio player above to listen to the podcast version of the conversation.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on Apple PodcastsGoogle Podcasts or RSS.

Subscribe to the Thread newsletter for the latest book and author news and must-read recommendations.