Julie Iromuanya’s debut novel, Mr. and Mrs. Doctor, immediately grabs your attention with its unforgettable opening line: “Everything Job Ogbonnaya knew about sex he learned from American pornography.” This provocative start plunges us into the world of Job Ogbonnaya, the man we come to know as Mr. Doctor, a Nigerian immigrant in the United States tangled in a web of lies. Jaimie Eubanks’s review in Gulf Stream Magazine expertly navigates the complexities of this novel, and we delve deeper into the character of Mr. Doctor and the intricate layers of Iromuanya’s storytelling.
From the outset, the mystery surrounding Job, or Mr. Doctor, is compelling. Why the lab coat and stethoscope if he’s not truly a doctor? The narrative unfolds as Job marries Ifi in Nigeria, an arranged marriage built on a foundation of deceit. Ifi believes she is marrying an American doctor, a dream shattered upon arrival in Nebraska. Their cockroach-infested apartment starkly contrasts with the image of American prosperity she envisioned. Ifi’s suspicion is justified: Job is not a medical doctor, but a nursing assistant, a secret he desperately guards. His initial dream of becoming a doctor in America twenty years prior had derailed, leading him to a marriage of convenience for citizenship and a life built on pretense.
Mr-and-Mrs-Doctor-683×1024
Iromuanya masterfully crafts the narrative from both Job and Ifi’s perspectives, fostering a deep sense of empathy for both characters. Her own background as a child of Nigerian immigrants in the Midwest lends authenticity and nuance to their experiences. While the reader might initially side with Ifi, the wronged wife of Mr. Doctor, Iromuanya skillfully reveals the insecurities driving Job’s deception. His lie, born from a desire for success and fear of failure, becomes a self-perpetuating cycle. Confession seems impossible; the weight of the fabrication is too heavy to bear. Job’s promise to Ifi – “You will be trained as a nurse, and we will build a clinic in Nigeria. I promise.” – is a testament to his self-deception, a belief in his ability to eventually make the lie a reality.
The review rightly points out the novel’s page-turning quality, comparing it to a suspense thriller. The reader is constantly kept in suspense: How will Mr. Doctor maintain his facade? What happens when Cheryl, his first wife, reappears? Will Ifi uncover the truth? This anticipation is fueled by both the plot’s twists and turns and Iromuanya’s distinctive prose. The dialogue and inner thoughts of Job and Ifi are rendered in a Nigerian-American dialect, adding a layer of richness and cultural specificity. This linguistic rhythm permeates the entire text, creating a unique musicality and natural flow that makes the novel incredibly readable. The reviewer highlights this with a vivid example of the conversations between Job and Emeka, capturing the essence of their immigrant experience and the lure of “A-mer-eeka!”
The element of surprise in Iromuanya’s writing is not merely for shock value; it serves a deeper purpose. It immerses the reader in the disorienting experience of a Nigerian immigrant navigating the unfamiliar terrain of America. The sense of unpredictability mirrors the characters’ own experiences, where cause and effect seem blurred in a world vastly different from their own. The clues to future events are present, yet often obscured by the overwhelming sensory input of “Americanness,” creating a feeling of both excitement and unease.
“Mr. and Mrs. Doctor” brilliantly dissects the American dream, exposing both its allure and its inherent contradictions. Mr. Doctor’s frequent use of American idioms, Ifi’s optimistic pronouncements about limitless possibilities, and the characters’ incredulous exclamations of “Only in America” all contribute to a nuanced portrayal of this idealized vision. However, Iromuanya juxtaposes this dream against the harsh realities of class and racism in America. The novel doesn’t shy away from exploring racial tensions, not only between white and black communities but also within the black community itself. The incident where Mr. Doctor is assaulted by African American teenagers and then treated as a suspect by the police highlights the complex layers of racial identity and prejudice. His poignant statement, “Yes, they were my color, but no, not like me,” underscores the cultural distinctions often overlooked by a monolithic view of Black America. While Mr. Doctor grapples with these divisions, Ifi finds connection and solidarity with her African American neighbors, showcasing differing responses to navigating racial dynamics in a new country.
Ultimately, Mr. and Mrs. Doctor stands as a powerful social novel, meticulously crafted to reveal the multifaceted American experience. Its strength lies in its realism; the ending, as the review notes, is intentionally messy and true to life, diverging from the neat resolutions often found in fiction. Iromuanya redefines the American dream, dismantling its idealized image and presenting it through the eyes of Job, Ifi, and countless other immigrants who confront its imperfect, bittersweet, and ultimately human reality. This novel, centered around the deceptive persona of Mr. Doctor, is a compelling and essential read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the immigrant experience and the complexities of identity in contemporary America.
