The book's story centers on Idu, a young woman in a Nigerian village whose husband has died, and her efforts to be reunited with him.

The novel is set in a remote African village and follows the protagonist Idu and her husband Adiewere over a number of years.

From the beginning of the novel, Nwapa ensures the reader is aware of the wedded bliss between Idu and Adiewere; they are absolutely devoted to each other as husband and wife.

However, after six years and no children, Ojiugo leaves Amarajeme to live with her husband's friend in order to fulfill her dream of motherhood.

Upon hearing the news Ojiugo has born a son, Amarajeme realises he is sterile and to blame for their childlessness and hangs himself.

After Adiewere's death, Idu does not weep, wear black or scrape her hair as tradition expects.

Ojiugo dies that same day out of devotion to her first husband, symbolic of exerting her voice and choosing marriage over motherhood.

Published in London by Heinemann Educational Books in 1970, Idu is the second work to be written by Nigerian author Flora Nwapa.

As is the case with the rest of her work, Idu was written with the intention of challenging the depiction of women in Nigerian Literature.

[5] Flora Nwapa's novels and stories take topics like marriage, social responsibility, self-sacrifice, and humanity and then questions the prevalent cultural norms associated with them.

[8] Idu does challenge her role in the Igbo community but the fact that she is pregnant "problematizes the issue of childlessness".