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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
A narrative experiment that is far from novel-ready in my opinion. Obioma draws on Igbo mythology and storytelling to frame this story, but the constant didactic diversions and philosophical musings mean the story does not flow at all smoothly (hint: try skipping the first few paragraphs of each chapter, as they rarely have anything to do with the story).
The story was engaging and moving, so it's a shame the narrative frame was do distracting. I'm sure Obioma can work the Igbo style to better effect, but I just don't think it was successful here.
The story was engaging and moving, so it's a shame the narrative frame was do distracting. I'm sure Obioma can work the Igbo style to better effect, but I just don't think it was successful here.
I really thought I’d like this one, and it pains me to give it a a poor score, but it just didn’t work for me. What sounds like an interesting concept of the narrator being the MC’s “chi” turns out to be an excuse for verbose lectures that slow up an already slow-burn story - it sits alongside Midnight’s Children as a book in need of better editing.
Meanwhile, the MC himself, Chinonso, is a man-child who blames everyone else for his own stupid decisions. Given that the whole premise of the novel is that the “chi” is trying to defend Chinonso’s actions, the fact that I had not a single ounce of sympathy with him suggests that the idea failed.
This is another of those books that makes me wonder what the Booker Committee look for in a book.
Meanwhile, the MC himself, Chinonso, is a man-child who blames everyone else for his own stupid decisions. Given that the whole premise of the novel is that the “chi” is trying to defend Chinonso’s actions, the fact that I had not a single ounce of sympathy with him suggests that the idea failed.
This is another of those books that makes me wonder what the Booker Committee look for in a book.
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was quite hard for me to get into, and was quite a slow read until about 2 thirds into the book. It took me nearly a year the get through. It was full of wisdom and relection which challanged me and put some of my on thoughts into eloquent sayings. It confirmed my feelings about life at times as well even though i couldn't identify with his particular struggles.
The book showcases the complexity of humanity and our problematic, at times, feelings and thoughts better than any book i have ever read. It was quite heartbreaking.
The book showcases the complexity of humanity and our problematic, at times, feelings and thoughts better than any book i have ever read. It was quite heartbreaking.
The narrator is not the protagonist in this story in rather the same way as Death is the narrator in Markus Zusak's The Book Thief. Again we have a spiritual, immortal figure telling the story, this time the protagonist's chi. Yet the life described here is poorer and at times Chinoso frustrated me because he let other people and his own anger get the better of him. It's a long book - some 512 pages in hardback but it engages the reader throughout.
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
FULL REVIEW https://t.co/GIOeCiYP17?amp=1
Still trying to figure out how to rate this one. But it made me really angry.
Still trying to figure out how to rate this one. But it made me really angry.
Unrelenting misery porn, and not in a good way, that I ended up hate-reading until 5 in the morning just so I wouldn't have to get up the next day and read it some more. It started with an uncomfortable sense of foreboding and got worse from there. Everything is shit, the world is shit, every decision you make is terrible and there is no justice or comfort to be had from anywhere. It's just a deeply unpleasant world view that made for an unhappy reading experience. In addition the clumsy metaphors squeezed into the story were drawn out around 300 pages more than they ever deserved.
You want it to be a retelling of the Odyssey? OK, no need to mention that 12 times. You want to show the absurdly inept main character being humiliated? Got it. Humiliated repeatedly, imprisoned, raped. Then countless revisits to his humiliation, imprisonment and rape. I did not like this book.
You want it to be a retelling of the Odyssey? OK, no need to mention that 12 times. You want to show the absurdly inept main character being humiliated? Got it. Humiliated repeatedly, imprisoned, raped. Then countless revisits to his humiliation, imprisonment and rape. I did not like this book.
Great characters. You think you've experienced setbacks? Pull up a chair. Don't get bitter.