I don’t think I’m giving away a major spoiler by saying that you know exactly what direction this is heading the minute you are introduced to Korede’s crush. It’s a trope we’re undoubtedly familiar with, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A good writer can make a classic trope work, and Braithewaite is a good writer. She put together a fun and funny story with characters that hold your attention. What makes it interesting is that the story isn’t really about Ayoola’s relationship with men or how their bodies keep ending up six feet underground. It’s really about Korede’s relationship with Ayoola and how protecting her sister ruins her life.

Oyinkan Braithwaite

What makes this story interesting is always looking for a place where the reader can empathize with the protagonist. In Pet Sematary, it was watching Louis’s life spiral out of control. In Bag of Bones, it’s Mike’s intense loneliness and grief. In My Sister the Serial Killer, it’s the eternal conflict between loyalty and morality.

Any older siblings out there? Any parents? Anyone with a friend who you love but cannot justify the decisions they make? This is another emotional conflict that is almost inherent in being a social animal.

The fact that Korede’s moral quandary involves protecting a serial killer, however, is pretty unfortunate. 

Here’s where the story gets interesting: is Ayoola just a sociopath? Maybe, maybe not. She certainly shows the superficial charm we might associate with that sort of character. Still, as you learn more about her past, the question gets a lot grayer. There’s a little more to it than loyalty that keeps Korede protecting her sister. Ayoola is a far more complex person than you are initially led to believe.

It’s a fun novel written in short, once scene chapters that you want to keep reading. I enjoy it, and I hope you do, as well.