The Polygamist: TV Series Comparison To Book
I first read Sue Nyathi’s debut novel The Polygamist a decade ago… The publication journey of that novel is an author’s fairytale, the kind where they struggle to find a publisher and ultimately self-publish… I am guessing there is a publishing house out there kicking themselves for turning down the manuscript.
After binge-watching all 22 episodes of The Polygamist on Netflix I decided to re-read the book for the culture, partly for curiosity, and partly to see how well the adaptation holds up in comparison. The result? A series that is broadly faithful in premise, but far more sensational in execution.
If you are yet to read the book or watch the series, then reading beyond this point will have spoilers… ⚠️
Both the book and series begin with a funeral, Jonasi Gomora’s funeral, so you know that the ending is ultimately the same and could have been as easily titled A Polygamist’s Demise…
Its also worth pointing out the title The Polygamist in both the series and the novel, is not a reflection of polygamous unions, but rather a satirical tale about a man who manipulates cultural practises to serve greed and narcissistic validation.
Setting
The most obvious change is the setting… Sue Nyathi’s novel is set in Zimbabwe, Harare, during a time period that encompasses the 2008 hyperinflation era.
The series relocates the story to a more present-day South Africa, and while the 5 main characters retain their original names the supporting characters and setting are adapted to resonate with a broad, contemporary South African and global Netflix audience.
Narrative Voice And Structure
The book has a polyphonic structure, four women, four distinct voices, and one man, seen from each of their lenses.
The series has Joyce Gomora played by Gugu Gumede as the emotional anchor and while the other three women have episodes dedicated to their backstory and story-arc, the multi-protagonist standing is inevitably flattened into a more conventional lead-character drama.
The book takes you on a journey into these women’s minds, a frontrow seat into how they rationalised themselves into the situations they end up, its gritty and real, especially given the era the book was set. The Netflix Series is sensationalised, inviting you to watch their lives burn…
The Women in The Polygamist
| Character | Book | TV Series |
| Joyce Gomora | Stay at home mum, credited with polishing Jonasi’s rough edges. Her family’s connections boosted Jonasi’s career. Met Jonasi when she was 16 (he was 21) Wife number 1 | Social Media Influencer, brand ambassador for Ivory Oasis. Its briefly hinted she was a teen mum. She is credited with giving Jonasi class Wife number 1 |
| Chracter | Book | TV Series |
| Essie Gomora | First Love and best kept secret, promiscuous with a side hustle of prostitution and may have used ritual herbs to ensure Jonasi always took care of her. Wife number 2, but Joyce thought she was just Jonasi’s relative. Tete Essie. | First Love. Her hairdressing savings funded Jonasi’s university studies, while she waited for him to come back to her. Wife number 2 but everyone is led to believe she is married to Magesh, Jonasi’s older brother |
| Character | Book | TV Series |
| Matipa Gomora | Corporate go-getter, talented, smart and not above using her feminine wiles to climb the social ladder. Wife Number 3 | An ambitious, high-climbing corporate woman who refuses to stay in the shadows. Dated Magesh before leaving him for Jonasi. Wife Number 3 |
| Character | Book | TV Series |
| Lindani | A streetwise precocious teenager with a shebeen queen mother traumatised into using her body as a commodity to escape poverty. | A teen friend of Jonasi’s daughter Mpume who is groomed into a victim. Gets a taste of the good life and runs with it the only way she has been shown how, |
Jonasi’s PA is alluded as having been a part of the women, before Matipa which explains her hostility when she first encounters her.
Surprising twists
The TV series uses the reveal of Essie’s status as a second wife as a major cliffhanger, as everyone, including the viewers, is led to believe she is Jonasi’s brother Magesh’s wife, leading to a dramatic reveal of the 20-year deception, whereas the book’s pacing establishes Essie early on, although Joyce only finds out about her when Essie is hospitalised.
The series introduces a revenge arc that is largely absent from the book. In the novel, Joyce does not seek to kill Jonasi. Instead, his downfall is more grounded in reality, he contracts HIV ironically through first love Essie and refuses to accept his condition, stops taking medication and ultimately succumbs to AIDS.
This difference is perhaps the clearest illustration of the adaptation’s shift in tone. The novel is a study in consequence, while the series leans towards a revenge telenovela. Sue Nyathi’s novel tells a universal tale about power, self-deception, and what women survive and the series sensationalises it.
Do you prefer the book or the series? What differences have you also picked up?
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