Books/2 mins

“The Son of the House” Reflects Patriarchy and Womanhood

As a title, The Son of the House comes off as a book about men but on a deeper level, it is a book about women proving themselves in a patriarchal society that often forces them to shrink.

By ForKulture • May 13, 2026

Who is a woman? This is a question I think we’ll continue to answer forever. Definitions are endless. A woman is a helpmate. A woman’s place is in the kitchen. If anything, there's no one way to be a woman. A woman is many things all at once.

As a title, The Son of the House may come off as a book about men but on a deeper level, it is about women proving themselves in a patriarchal society that often forces them to shrink.

This is Cheluchi Onyemelukwe’s debut—a thrilling, relatable and powerful attempt, I must say. The story chronicles the patriarchal system that shrinks women & how they must fight to find & prove themselves.

Every chapter forces women to find a mirror, stand in front of it and sink into a reflective mood, searching for answers to endless questions.

If anything, a woman is many things all at once.