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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
The writing was quite good but it took a lot for me to become engaged. It got to a point where I was slogging through the book and I really only finished because I wanted to be done with it. I did appreciate the unique narrator (a guardian spirit) & the incorporation of Igbo beliefs but what mildly irritated me is how Chinonso basically became an incel at the end. While yes love and hate are two sides of the same coin, his behaviour at the end felt like a large departure from his origins, which I suppose is a testament to how much the events in Cyprus changed him. In all, the chi’s rumination on death, misery, and all things related to mankind was really interesting to read, the plot itself less so.
Whew! This was longer than I expected but!! I still enjoyed it. The prose was abrupt at times, but I attribute some of that to the translation.
This was an interesting read because I felt empathy and frustration/irritation with each character at different times – sometimes the same time!
The ending made me gasp and made me go, "UGH!" because it was so.....if you know you know.
Overall intriguing and interesting! I liked the return to the "orchestra of minorities" concept throughout.
This was an interesting read because I felt empathy and frustration/irritation with each character at different times – sometimes the same time!
The ending made me gasp and made me go, "UGH!" because it was so.....if you know you know.
Overall intriguing and interesting! I liked the return to the "orchestra of minorities" concept throughout.
I really wanted to like this one. An Africanized retelling of The Odyssey? Yes, please! However, after several restarts (and building annoyance at the redundant and graphic depictions of visits to the brothel), I just couldn’t grab hold. I’m sure there’s lots to take away, but I’ll leave it for someone else.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While a painfully heartbreaking novel this book tackles themes that have been around since the dawn of civilization. The jacket cover describes it as a "contemporary twist on Homer's "The Odyssey" told in the mythic style of the Igbo literary tradition." Contemporary issues like racism, classism, imperialism, and in relation to that the main character's chi often brings up memories of his past lives where life was simpler. How villages were constructed, where the trees were, and that time did not dictate everything in life. The events that unfold are heart-rending as Chinonso moves through life. Like in all lives there are good and bad times, but as a young adult and once he finds the woman he loves things just seem to only go downhill from there. We follow his journey as he does everything in his power to make himself the man he feels he needs to be to be with his love, as well as to be a god kind man to those around him. He pays a hefty price for both, and in the end who is to say whether it was worthwhile or if he ever finds peace. While the plot may be heartbreaking the book is a joy to read and is made all the more interesting by its non-Euro-centric format which brings a change. I appreciate that Obioma did not have a perfect protagonist that always made the perfect/best choices throughout his life and was sometimes cruel or selfish, or perhaps struggles to forgive and move on. These are all things that humans struggle with and makes Chinonso relatable to everyone.
The only difficulty I faced was sometimes being taken out of the story to try to figure out words since Igbo, Pidgin, and the Igbo spiritual hierarchy are new to me. But that is something that is on me and allowed me to learn new things. For those wondering, it is infrequent. It is in no way like attempting to read a book fully in a language that you do not understand.
The only difficulty I faced was sometimes being taken out of the story to try to figure out words since Igbo, Pidgin, and the Igbo spiritual hierarchy are new to me. But that is something that is on me and allowed me to learn new things. For those wondering, it is infrequent. It is in no way like attempting to read a book fully in a language that you do not understand.
I am in awe of the beauty of this book. Akin to Tolstoy, James, or Dickens, rarely have I seen a novel so deft with the art detailing the human psyche. Obioma delves deep into what pain can do to decimate a man.
The story is told through the voice of the "chi", an Igbo spirit guide that inhabits all human beings. This narrative choice is one of genius. The story could only be told through a narrator so dedicated to the protagonist, Chinonso. Told as a frame story, the tale begins as the chi stands trial to speak on behalf of his ruined host. It is this style that makes the tale so alluring. All individuals who choose to examine themselves and their conscience must come to terms with both their sins and their triumphs. The chi is a perfect vessel through which this examination of Chinonso can begin.
Aside from this in-depth introspection, the language is beautiful. Fresh metaphors mixed in with the Igbo language and a dash of pidgin pull the reader quickly through each beautiful page. The beauty of Nigeria is contrasted deeply with the image of the purgatory -like Cyprus and the hell that is international prison.
As if the prose and the characters were not enough, the plot is heart shattering. The tragedy unfolds at a near perfect pace: neither rushed nor a slow-burn so that the suspense never detracts from the philosophical questions that the chi presents.
I was astounded that this book was written by someone so young and in the modern era. The story is reminiscent of its many Western influences, such as The Odyssey, The Great Gatsby, and Great Expectations. However, the story is also deeply African, with Igbo cosmology the rotating force that turns the tale. I will be hard pressed to find a more impressive novel this year.
The story is told through the voice of the "chi", an Igbo spirit guide that inhabits all human beings. This narrative choice is one of genius. The story could only be told through a narrator so dedicated to the protagonist, Chinonso. Told as a frame story, the tale begins as the chi stands trial to speak on behalf of his ruined host. It is this style that makes the tale so alluring. All individuals who choose to examine themselves and their conscience must come to terms with both their sins and their triumphs. The chi is a perfect vessel through which this examination of Chinonso can begin.
Aside from this in-depth introspection, the language is beautiful. Fresh metaphors mixed in with the Igbo language and a dash of pidgin pull the reader quickly through each beautiful page. The beauty of Nigeria is contrasted deeply with the image of the purgatory -like Cyprus and the hell that is international prison.
As if the prose and the characters were not enough, the plot is heart shattering. The tragedy unfolds at a near perfect pace: neither rushed nor a slow-burn so that the suspense never detracts from the philosophical questions that the chi presents.
I was astounded that this book was written by someone so young and in the modern era. The story is reminiscent of its many Western influences, such as The Odyssey, The Great Gatsby, and Great Expectations. However, the story is also deeply African, with Igbo cosmology the rotating force that turns the tale. I will be hard pressed to find a more impressive novel this year.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This story is written from the point of view of the guardian spirit that inhabits a man who saves a woman from suicide and then falls in love with him. His desire to become what her family wants him to be takes him to Cyprus where he loses everything including the woman he loves.
I found it hard to like the main character or to completely sympathize with him. I also didn't care for the very descriptive sexual scenes. And the book was overly long. But the story was well told and I loved the insights into Igbo culture.
I found it hard to like the main character or to completely sympathize with him. I also didn't care for the very descriptive sexual scenes. And the book was overly long. But the story was well told and I loved the insights into Igbo culture.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
“Sometimes a man cannot fully understand what he has done until he has told another person about it. Then his own action becomes clearer even to himself”, one of the truest sentiments from Chigozie Obioma’s An Orchestra of Minorities. The entire picture presented by the novel doesn’t become clear until the chi tells it in the court of the spirits.
The novel focuses on poultry farmer Chinonso and the lengths he’s willing to go for his love. Very early on it becomes clear that he will stop at nothing until he and Ndali can get their happy ending. Such determination and passion seems like something truly out of a fairytale, then misfortune strikes, and strikes, and strikes again. This novel is one wild ride that I think a true reader will enjoy.
At no part of the book was I able to guess what would happen next. I had my suspicions, but the entire thing was largely unpredictable and still enjoyable. The concept of spirit narration was so fresh and well done. Chinonso’s chi constantly stepped in and reminded the counsel of spirits, while also reminding the reader, to go easy on this man because he has indeed suffered a lot. At times it felt as though the chi functioned as the voice of the author dropping in, keeping the reader focused and on track while providing beautiful details and quotables.
It also becomes clear that the author wants the reader to be encapsulated by all the going-ons around the protagonist when things are going well for him. You get descriptions of shops, and mountains, tourist spots, etc. When things are going poorly, as they often do, the narrative tightens up and focuses on Chinonso, his chi, and very little else. This writing really helped me focus on what the author wanted me to, making for a better reading experience as I felt I was genuinely being guided and taken along on a journey. A true breath of fresh air and a pleasure this was to read.
The novel focuses on poultry farmer Chinonso and the lengths he’s willing to go for his love. Very early on it becomes clear that he will stop at nothing until he and Ndali can get their happy ending. Such determination and passion seems like something truly out of a fairytale, then misfortune strikes, and strikes, and strikes again. This novel is one wild ride that I think a true reader will enjoy.
At no part of the book was I able to guess what would happen next. I had my suspicions, but the entire thing was largely unpredictable and still enjoyable. The concept of spirit narration was so fresh and well done. Chinonso’s chi constantly stepped in and reminded the counsel of spirits, while also reminding the reader, to go easy on this man because he has indeed suffered a lot. At times it felt as though the chi functioned as the voice of the author dropping in, keeping the reader focused and on track while providing beautiful details and quotables.
It also becomes clear that the author wants the reader to be encapsulated by all the going-ons around the protagonist when things are going well for him. You get descriptions of shops, and mountains, tourist spots, etc. When things are going poorly, as they often do, the narrative tightens up and focuses on Chinonso, his chi, and very little else. This writing really helped me focus on what the author wanted me to, making for a better reading experience as I felt I was genuinely being guided and taken along on a journey. A true breath of fresh air and a pleasure this was to read.