“Munyal”—patience—is the only consolation given to a heartbroken Ramla on her wedding day. It is the only piece of advice the men of her family prescribe ahead of Ramla’s arranged marriage. After the luminous Ramla comes her quiet sister, Hindou, forced to marry their delinquent cousin as a means to rehabilitate his violent nature, and, finally, Safira, Ramla’s new co-wife, who stoically accepts sharing her husband of 20 years behind a smile of gritted teeth. From an early age, these 3 were raised to submit to men or risk shame and repudiation of themselves and their families. Yet Ramla, Hindou, and Safira are tired of waiting for a happiness that may never come. Inspired by the author’s own experiences, this is an unflinching portrayal of subjugation and violence that illuminates the enduring plight of women in the West African Sahel region with powerful grace and honesty.