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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
A complicated story of love and fate in contemporary Nigeria. I won’t exaggerate, I struggled with this one at times. But the payoff is a masterful story filled with sage observations about life and destiny. Not to mention the unique format is particularly captivating. Our protagonist’s story is told from the perspective of his chi. At once we know he’s done something dark to a woman, since his chi is speaking in his defense. This voice makes the story seem at times ancient, which in many ways it is.
A true roller coaster of emotions, An Orchestra of Minorities is an epic to be savored.
A true roller coaster of emotions, An Orchestra of Minorities is an epic to be savored.
slow-paced
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Chigozie Obioma’s excellent debut, The Fishermen, was Booker Prize shortlisted in 2015 and his second novel follows suit. An Orchestra Of Minorities tells the story of Chinonso, a simple chicken farmer whose life changes one day when he saves the life a young woman, Ndali, who is about to jump from a bridge. When the pair meet again by accident some time later, they fall in love. However Ndali is from a wealthy and influential family, while Chinonso is poor and uneducated, which leads her parents to initially reject him.
After he is humiliated by her brother at a family party, he decides to take the drastic step of selling his farm and house to secure a university place in Cyprus on the advice of an old school friend. But when he arrives there he discovers that he has been utterly duped. This part of the book is based on a true story (which you can find on the Guardian website), and Obioma has some interesting things to say about how Africans are treated when they go overseas.
Chinonso’s story becomes increasingly tragic as he gets ever further from his home and all that he loves. Obioma draws on Igbo cosmology throughout, and the story is narrated by Chinonso’s Chi – his spiritual guardian – who is pleading the case of his “host” (as he calls him) in front of a heavenly tribunal.
This unusual point of view enables Obioma to explore his character’s thoughts and emotions while being able to slip outside of his body at convenient moments to gain a broader perspective. He can even see the goings on in the bizarre spirit world that runs parallel to ours.
This is a story full of humour and pathos, and is fine when it gets going. But the pacing is at times much too slow and the novel could have done with a stronger editorial hand to trim excess description and some of the Chi’s longer invocations.
There is a distinctly Nigerian flavour to the book in terms of the language. The prose is a delight, with fresh metaphors on every page and sprinklings of Igbo proverbs, sayings and beliefs (which may remind the reader of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart). The author is also unapologetic in his use of Nigerian Pidgin English and words and phrases in Igbo.
After he is humiliated by her brother at a family party, he decides to take the drastic step of selling his farm and house to secure a university place in Cyprus on the advice of an old school friend. But when he arrives there he discovers that he has been utterly duped. This part of the book is based on a true story (which you can find on the Guardian website), and Obioma has some interesting things to say about how Africans are treated when they go overseas.
Chinonso’s story becomes increasingly tragic as he gets ever further from his home and all that he loves. Obioma draws on Igbo cosmology throughout, and the story is narrated by Chinonso’s Chi – his spiritual guardian – who is pleading the case of his “host” (as he calls him) in front of a heavenly tribunal.
This unusual point of view enables Obioma to explore his character’s thoughts and emotions while being able to slip outside of his body at convenient moments to gain a broader perspective. He can even see the goings on in the bizarre spirit world that runs parallel to ours.
This is a story full of humour and pathos, and is fine when it gets going. But the pacing is at times much too slow and the novel could have done with a stronger editorial hand to trim excess description and some of the Chi’s longer invocations.
There is a distinctly Nigerian flavour to the book in terms of the language. The prose is a delight, with fresh metaphors on every page and sprinklings of Igbo proverbs, sayings and beliefs (which may remind the reader of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart). The author is also unapologetic in his use of Nigerian Pidgin English and words and phrases in Igbo.
Enjoyed this book and the stylistic form of writing employed by the author. The book is told from the perspective of chi, the guardian spirit of the main character. The chi invokes the tales of the old fathers as it narrates the tale. The parallelism to Odysseus is apparent but it’s still a great book in its own form. Almost read like a Nigerian folk tale book.
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A Nigerian man endures trials abroad in hopes of returning home to his beloved. While the plot gives a nod to Homer's Odyssey, the tale is rooted in Igbo folklore and is narrated by the man's chi - or guardian spirit - who pleads his host's case to a heavenly tribunal. Challenging to get into at first but well worth it for a unique reading experience.
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is Chigozie’s Magnum opus.
It was an emotional journey that took a lot of out of me.
The best book I’ve read this year!
It was an emotional journey that took a lot of out of me.
The best book I’ve read this year!
This book is a fascinating picture of Nigerian folklore and beliefs as the book narrated by an igbo spirit who possesses the body of the books subject Nonso takes us through the increasingly distressing adventures of this unfortunate poultry farmer.
After intervening to stop a young woman killing herself Nonso tries to better himself by trying to get a degree in Cyprus where everything goes from bad to worse.
I recall The Fishermen including some magical elements however this is a book where that aspect is fundamental to the story as fate intervenes repeatedly and a gentle simple and honest man is driven to the ends of his capacity to forgive and cope with life's travails.
I was totally absorbed with the story, loved the writing including the magical features and I put the book down having stretched my reading and enjoyed the tale of a memorable character.
After intervening to stop a young woman killing herself Nonso tries to better himself by trying to get a degree in Cyprus where everything goes from bad to worse.
I recall The Fishermen including some magical elements however this is a book where that aspect is fundamental to the story as fate intervenes repeatedly and a gentle simple and honest man is driven to the ends of his capacity to forgive and cope with life's travails.
I was totally absorbed with the story, loved the writing including the magical features and I put the book down having stretched my reading and enjoyed the tale of a memorable character.