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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
An Orchestra of Minorities is a stunningly beautiful, terribly sad novel written from the most unique narration I’ve ever read.
For you if: You love a sad, literary novel, and/or you’re interested in reading stories rooted in African culture and history.
FULL REVIEW:
Wow.
An Orchestra of Minorities was my final read of the 13 novels longlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize. It’s really, really beautiful. It’s an incredible work of fiction with exquisite storytelling. It’s also really sad — but not necessarily in the way that I tend to enjoy.
This novel is narrated by the chi — guardian spirit — of the main character, whose name is Chinonso. His chi is pleading his case before the higher powers, telling the story of Chinonso’s life and misfortunes, explaining how he came to commit a wrong that could possibly damn him. So right off the bat, I was really drawn in. What an incredible choice of narration. What a creative way to celebrate and honor the beliefs and traditions of Obioma’s culture and heritage, and to bring those unfamiliar with that culture along for the ride.
One night, Chinonso is driving home from a trade market in a nearby town when he encounters a woman about to jump off a bridge. He throws two chickens — despite his attachment to them, him being a poultry farmer who cares for his flock with tenderness and love — off the bridge and into the raging river below to dissuade her. Later, they reconnect and fall in love. She’s from a wealthy family, and her parents won’t accept him. So he decides to get a university degree to persuade them that he’s worthy of her. And that’s where everything goes so terribly, terribly wrong, dismantling his life and his sense of self piece by piece.
I’m ultimately torn on this book. On the one hand, I loved the writing fiercely. On the other hand, it was a long book about one terrible thing happening after another. I usually love sad books, but sometimes I just didn’t want to keep reading this one because I knew it was just going to keep being sad and being sad and being sad. There was a lot of spiraling and the plot moved slowly.
But. That’s also kind of the whole point of this book — the woes of those who are powerless to fight back against the tide of misfortune afflicted on them by those who are more powerful. In that light, I understand why the book is shaped this way. And the decision to have it narrated by his chi, in the world of fate and reincarnation and the heavens, 10,000 feet above the level of the story itself, drove this home even more. But wow, was that sad.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Male rape; Domestic violence; Racism and racial slurs
TL;DR REVIEW:
An Orchestra of Minorities is a stunningly beautiful, terribly sad novel written from the most unique narration I’ve ever read.
For you if: You love a sad, literary novel, and/or you’re interested in reading stories rooted in African culture and history.
FULL REVIEW:
“He had joined many others ….all who have been chained and beaten, whose lands have been plundered, whose civilizations have been destroyed, who have been silenced, raped, shamed, killed. With all these people, he’d come to share a common fate, they were the minorities of this world whose only recourse was to join the universal orchestra in which all there was to do was cry and wail.”
Wow.
An Orchestra of Minorities was my final read of the 13 novels longlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize. It’s really, really beautiful. It’s an incredible work of fiction with exquisite storytelling. It’s also really sad — but not necessarily in the way that I tend to enjoy.
This novel is narrated by the chi — guardian spirit — of the main character, whose name is Chinonso. His chi is pleading his case before the higher powers, telling the story of Chinonso’s life and misfortunes, explaining how he came to commit a wrong that could possibly damn him. So right off the bat, I was really drawn in. What an incredible choice of narration. What a creative way to celebrate and honor the beliefs and traditions of Obioma’s culture and heritage, and to bring those unfamiliar with that culture along for the ride.
One night, Chinonso is driving home from a trade market in a nearby town when he encounters a woman about to jump off a bridge. He throws two chickens — despite his attachment to them, him being a poultry farmer who cares for his flock with tenderness and love — off the bridge and into the raging river below to dissuade her. Later, they reconnect and fall in love. She’s from a wealthy family, and her parents won’t accept him. So he decides to get a university degree to persuade them that he’s worthy of her. And that’s where everything goes so terribly, terribly wrong, dismantling his life and his sense of self piece by piece.
I’m ultimately torn on this book. On the one hand, I loved the writing fiercely. On the other hand, it was a long book about one terrible thing happening after another. I usually love sad books, but sometimes I just didn’t want to keep reading this one because I knew it was just going to keep being sad and being sad and being sad. There was a lot of spiraling and the plot moved slowly.
But. That’s also kind of the whole point of this book — the woes of those who are powerless to fight back against the tide of misfortune afflicted on them by those who are more powerful. In that light, I understand why the book is shaped this way. And the decision to have it narrated by his chi, in the world of fate and reincarnation and the heavens, 10,000 feet above the level of the story itself, drove this home even more. But wow, was that sad.
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Male rape; Domestic violence; Racism and racial slurs
This book is so heavy on my spirit. I hadn’t felt so moved by a book since I read “Stay with Me” by Ayobami Adebayo. I so wanted to know what happens but I felt I couldn’t take the pain, the sorrow, the despair. I had to stop. I had to give myself some space. I felt so connected (for no personal reason, really) to Chinonso, so in-tuned with his emotions. And though he’s not perfect. He’s ignorant and vengeful but loving and human. He loves intensively so he must go through hell (like almost literally) to make himself worthy of Ndali. Like in the old sagas. Like Hercules or Odysseus. This is no less of a good story. Squeeze over, Homer. Here comes Chigozie Obioma.
emotional
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really disliked this book. I'd been looking forward to reading it, I'm interested in learning more about Nigeria and both the setting and framing device of having the story told by the Chi of the protagonist, a spirit from Igbo myth, sounded like it would be right up my street.
However, it is dull. Tremendously dull. The author labours so long over everything that even the passages where there is something happening, which are few and far between, are still dull. The book is far too long and the protagonist is a vaguely unlikable person about whom we get little insight throughout and about whom it is difficult to care much. Even the climactic end when we learn what this crime of which he has been accused is, is dull, there's no catharsis in it, no real feeling of resolution, just relief that we're finally done.
I couldn't wait to finish it and move on, if I had known after the first hour or two it wasn't going to improve I'd have chucked it then but I thought with it appearing on the Booker list it might have gotten better. It did not.
However, it is dull. Tremendously dull. The author labours so long over everything that even the passages where there is something happening, which are few and far between, are still dull. The book is far too long and the protagonist is a vaguely unlikable person about whom we get little insight throughout and about whom it is difficult to care much. Even the climactic end when we learn what this crime of which he has been accused is, is dull, there's no catharsis in it, no real feeling of resolution, just relief that we're finally done.
I couldn't wait to finish it and move on, if I had known after the first hour or two it wasn't going to improve I'd have chucked it then but I thought with it appearing on the Booker list it might have gotten better. It did not.
loved the story of this novel and can see it being longlisted for the booker prize but however felt could of been slightly shorter as lost it mid way through novel but overall liked the book
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Liked the Igbo cosmology and how it was told from the perspective of the chi, but struggled with the plot and characters. 2.5.
It's a no from me.
More than 500 pages of trying to excuse a man, who essentially punishes a woman for the choices he made, who did nothing but love him . Narrated by his Chi, which supposedly has been around for however many centuries and still is like, surprised by his actions?? Ridiculous. Even if it's supposed to be a commentary on how men are vindictive, selfish humans who blame women for every mishap in their life (due to what - toxic masculinity? lack of emotional maturity?), it didn't read like that. It read instead like an affirmation that redemption is a commodity you might buy at a tank station. Compared to the Odyssey? My ass. My lad Odysseus has done Nothing (haha) to deserve the comparison. A story about love? The only person who had any genuine love in them was Ndali and what did she get for it?
Also I wasn't crazy about the mommy issues all throughout.
More than 500 pages of trying to excuse a man, who essentially punishes a woman for the choices he made, who did nothing but love him . Narrated by his Chi, which supposedly has been around for however many centuries and still is like, surprised by his actions?? Ridiculous. Even if it's supposed to be a commentary on how men are vindictive, selfish humans who blame women for every mishap in their life (due to what - toxic masculinity? lack of emotional maturity?), it didn't read like that. It read instead like an affirmation that redemption is a commodity you might buy at a tank station. Compared to the Odyssey? My ass. My lad Odysseus has done Nothing (haha) to deserve the comparison. A story about love? The only person who had any genuine love in them was Ndali and what did she get for it?
Also I wasn't crazy about the mommy issues all throughout.
This is a phenomenal book! It was difficult to immerse myself into the story at first but once I did, I fell in love.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!
I honestly can't fathom how this made the shortlist for the Booker Prize. I was going to make a longer more detailed review but after 500 something pages of waffling, I honestly can't be bothered. Don't get me wrong the concept of the novel is interesting. The chi (spirit) of a man recounts to the gods his life story which is wrought with misfortunes.
But the protagonist is so absolutely unlikeable that it took me a month to finish this book. If this person existed in real life I would highly suggest he be kept away from women. The rampant misogyny combined with all the horrible life choices he makes despite his chi and other people advising him not to baffled me.
In the beginning, I liked the cultural references and anecdotes. It gave an informative insight into certain African cultures as well as the racism faced by Africans in foreign countries. But after the 400th 'I've seen this many times' said by the chi yet nothing significant happening from it and the excessive waffling I had had enough.
But the protagonist is so absolutely unlikeable that it took me a month to finish this book. If this person existed in real life I would highly suggest he be kept away from women. The rampant misogyny combined with all the horrible life choices he makes despite his chi and other people advising him not to baffled me.
In the beginning, I liked the cultural references and anecdotes. It gave an informative insight into certain African cultures as well as the racism faced by Africans in foreign countries. But after the 400th 'I've seen this many times' said by the chi yet nothing significant happening from it and the excessive waffling I had had enough.