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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
The book is beautifully written, even though the story itself is very plain.
I personally adore an epic—particularly one that centers African and Black stories. An Orchestra of Minorities is an epic that stays with you. I remember reading the book with my pen just to capture an ioda of the complex and rich vocabulary of the book. There are so many lines that made me reflect so deeply and say “wow” out loud to myself. An Orchestra of Minorities makes your palms sweat as you are waiting for the other shoe to drop for the characters. It is a story that depicts real life—as you think that life can’t sink any lower, it always does in life’s uniquely disappointing way.
I found revelations and a new perspective through the narration of the Chi. But at the same time, I was often lost in those journeys and descriptions of the other worlds. I’ve figured that those pages are beyond the realm of my comprehension.
I did find some parts to be difficult to read—I would be reading the same page multiple times. But maybe that’s the point. This book is not a simple one to breeze through. It’s one that you sit with, for a while, to contemplate a Hero’s journey—but one that doesn’t end like Odysseus.
I found revelations and a new perspective through the narration of the Chi. But at the same time, I was often lost in those journeys and descriptions of the other worlds. I’ve figured that those pages are beyond the realm of my comprehension.
I did find some parts to be difficult to read—I would be reading the same page multiple times. But maybe that’s the point. This book is not a simple one to breeze through. It’s one that you sit with, for a while, to contemplate a Hero’s journey—but one that doesn’t end like Odysseus.
I'm torn between 4 stars and 5. The painful ending pushes me to a 4. I recently read The Fishermen, and it was one of my favorite books of the year, so I was excited for this one. And there were so many things I loved about this book. The chi as narrator was brilliant. Chinonso was a great character who made me hate him sometimes, and feel compassion and empathy at other times, pity at other times, disgust, frustration, and just about every other emotion too. He described his own journey as one like Odysseus. I would expand that to include Job (except that Job didn't quite reach madness), and obsessive love as seen in Pamuk's Museum of Innocence, and the poor decision making leading to dire consequences as in Coetzee's Disgrace. The reckoning, revenge, and restitution were brilliantly written. I found the story riveting from beginning to end, with neither too few words nor too many. The ending section was disturbingly controversial, and I wished for something else. However, Obioma's choice to go there was rational based on the story arc. I didn't like it, but I understood it. Disturbed by it though.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the book up until about the last 100 pages. Just seems that the tempo/style changed and it wasn't so enthralling anymore.
Saying that, it is still definitely a great read
Saying that, it is still definitely a great read
challenging
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Chigozie knows how to write a Tragedy. The children of the Fathers also say thank you sir for the introduction to Igbo cosmology.
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Writing this book with traditional Igbo traditions and in the voice of Nonso’s chi offered an interesting perspective, allowing us to understand Nonso, his thoughts and feelings, but being encouraged to criticise him for his mistakes. Despite this, his chi seems to often try to make excuses for him, with the book labelling this as an issue of fate versus free will. While I think examining where he and Ndali were doomed from the very beginning, despite, or because of, all of the trials they went through, I think this question removes a lot of personal responsibility. By the end of the book Nonso has become an character, who constantly seems to regress to unreasonable behaviour. While what he goes through is certainly tragic and would certainly effect someone, throughout the book he seems to lurch from bad decision to bad decision.
The book is also hindered by not allowing any of the other characters any growth or progression. Ndali is such a central figure of the book, and yet we never really know her. The reader can objectively understand her actions and motivations much of the time, but is little chance to deeply understand her or the connection she feels towards Nonso.
This book is a true story of tragedy and is such an interesting premise, weaving Igbo tradition with concepts of fate and destiny, but is restricted by the failure to build a range of characters to connect with.
The book is also hindered by not allowing any of the other characters any growth or progression. Ndali is such a central figure of the book, and yet we never really know her. The reader can objectively understand her actions and motivations much of the time, but is little chance to deeply understand her or the connection she feels towards Nonso.
This book is a true story of tragedy and is such an interesting premise, weaving Igbo tradition with concepts of fate and destiny, but is restricted by the failure to build a range of characters to connect with.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved the narrative structure of the novel, but the ending was chilling.