Inteesar is just a normal girl living a simple life, and you can feel that from the very first page. One morning, she is sitting on a small wooden stool, helping her mom, Umma, with the cooking fire. You can almost smell the wood smoke and the food in the air. Umma is making dan wake, which is one of those traditional meals that just feels like home. Inteesar is the kind of daughter every parent wants. She is helpful and respectful. Even though she has her own things to do, she stays to help her mom. But her mom knows she needs to go over to Hajiya Fatima’s house. Hajiya Fatima is like a second mother to her, and if Inteesar is late, Hajiya starts worrying and asking if everything is okay. It is so sweet to see how much people in the neighborhood love her. Before she leaves, she stops to greet her dad, Abba, who is sitting in the entrance room reading his Qur'an. He gives her his blessing and tells her to go in peace. It’s such a calm and beautiful way to start a story.
When she gets to the big house where Hajiya Fatima lives, the atmosphere changes a bit. It’s a huge, fancy house with a big gate. The security man, Baba Ibrahim, already knows it’s her before he even opens the door. He’s always happy to see her because she treats him with so much respect. Inside the house, Inteesar finds Hajiya Fatima, who she calls Mummy, in the kitchen. Mummy is so happy to see her. One part of the book says — "I was just thinking about you in my heart, you are a good child, so you showed up." (translated from Hausa). This really shows the deep bond they have. Even though Inteesar doesn't live there and isn't their biological daughter, she fits right into the family. She doesn't just sit around like a guest; she goes straight to the kitchen to help with the chores. You can tell she’s the type of person who can’t stand seeing work left undone.
Then we meet Mufida, who is Mummy’s actual daughter. Mufida is a bit of a character! She is the opposite of Inteesar when it comes to house chores. She’s supposed to be peeling potatoes, but she’s complaining and trying to find any excuse to stop. She even tries to lie and say she cut her finger with the knife just so she can leave the kitchen. Inteesar just smiles because she knows Mufida is just being lazy. The way the author, Zainab Abdullahi K.N.T (also known as Maman Ihsan), describes their friendship is so natural. Inteesar takes the knife and finishes the work in no time. One part of the book says — "She took the knife and started peeling the potatoes, and in a very short time, she was done." (translated from Hausa). After she finishes the potatoes, she fries them, makes eggs, and prepares tea with a nice aroma. She is a total pro in the kitchen, and it makes Mufida look even lazier by comparison.
While they are in the kitchen, Mufida starts talking about her future husband. She says she wants to marry a man who isn't like her dad. Her dad doesn't like eating food made by house helps, so Mummy and the girls always have to do the cooking. Mufida says she wants a husband who won't mind if they hire a cook. It’s a funny conversation because it’s exactly how young girls talk when they are dreaming about the future. If you love stories that show this kind of real-life family drama, you should definitely download Hausa novels from the site I use. It’s great to see the different perspectives of these two friends. Inteesar just listens and laughs, probably thinking about how different her own life will be.
The real tension in the story starts when Daddy’s phone rings while they are all at the dining table. It’s his son, Muhammad Muhdeen, calling from Egypt. Muhdeen is a doctor and he’s been away for a friend's wedding. The moment Daddy mentions his name, Inteesar’s whole mood changes. Her heart literally drops. In her mind, she is terrified. She thinks to herself, "I hope the bad man isn't coming back, or I'm in trouble." (translated from Hausa). This makes you wonder what is going on! Why is this sweet girl so scared of the son of the family? Muhdeen sounds like he’s a bit of a golden boy, but maybe he’s also very strict or mean to Inteesar. It’s a big mystery that makes you want to keep reading to find out what happened between them in the past.
On the phone, Muhdeen tells his dad that he wants to go to London to visit someone named Sumayya before coming back to Nigeria. But Daddy is not having it. He tells him that the new hospital is ready, the staff are waiting, and he has already spent a week in Egypt when he was only supposed to stay for three days. Daddy is the kind of father who doesn't like his orders being questioned. He tells Muhdeen he must come home tomorrow. Muhdeen isn't happy about it, but he knows he has to obey his father. This tells us a lot about the family dynamic. Even though they are rich and successful, the father still runs things with an iron hand. You can find more best Hausa novels that talk about these kinds of powerful family figures on the web.
Mummy and Mufida also get a chance to talk to Muhdeen on the phone. You can tell they all adore him. Mufida even teases him about not calling her, showing that they are a very close-knit family. But through all this happy chatter, Inteesar is just sitting there, feeling very uncomfortable. She doesn't even want to eat the fancy breakfast she just spent time cooking. She tells Mummy she wants to go home and eat her mom's dan wake instead. It feels like she just wants to run away before the "bad man" returns. The contrast between the happy family talking to their son and Inteesar’s quiet fear is really strong. It makes the story feel very real because we’ve all had that feeling of being uncomfortable in a place where everyone else is happy.
Mufida decides to follow Inteesar back to her house because she’s craving that dan wake too. As they walk together, you get a sense of the neighborhood and the simple life Inteesar lives. Even though she spends her mornings in a mansion, she is perfectly content with her humble home. The friendship between the two girls is so nice to see, even if they come from different backgrounds. Mufida doesn't care that Inteesar is poor, and Inteesar doesn't care that Mufida is a bit spoiled. They just enjoy each other's company. If you are looking for Hausa novels online, this is a great one to start with because the characters feel like people you might actually know.
The way the story is building up is really interesting. You have this hardworking, humble girl who is loved by everyone, but there is this one person, Muhdeen, who seems to be her biggest fear. And now he’s coming back tomorrow! You just know that the peace she has right now is about to be disturbed. Will he be mean to her when he sees her? Or is there a secret reason why she’s so scared of him? The author does a great job of making you care about Inteesar’s feelings. You want her to be happy, but you also want to see the drama that happens when Muhdeen arrives. It’s like waiting for a storm to hit a very peaceful beach.
I really enjoyed reading this first part of the book because it’s not just a boring story. It has a lot of heart and a lot of mystery. You can feel the heat of the cooking fire and the tension in the dining room. If you want to find out what happens when Muhdeen finally lands in Nigeria and meets Inteesar face to face, you should definitely read the full book. You can find this novel and many more like it on Taskar Novels. It’s the best place to get all the latest stories and follow your favorite authors. Trust me, once you start reading about Inteesar, you won't want to stop until you reach the very end!
