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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
**SPOILERS**
I think this book was quite amazing and so messed up in many ways. Having a background in African culture due to being a direct descendant my perspective on the book is different from others that don't have an everyday look into various African culture. Reading the book I knew things about what she was going through, why her life was the way it is, how characters were going to end up being, etc. It was interesting reading about it instead of first/second hand experiencing certain things. I hear things like what went on in the book happening all the time resent it much of it and also partially understand certain circumstances and situations. When I started reading the book I automatically knew Kambili's father, Papa, was abusive with how he ran his family and what he expected out of them. Throughout the book you can see how much of a sociopath he is and how he needed to convince himself that he was this amazing person and wanted others to believe such with all that he did. He was amazing at compartmentalizing different aspects of his life and personality.
I say he is a sociopath because he was very aware of what he was doing, felt somewhat guilty but continued to keep doing the same thing. Using "God" as the voice in his head to do what he did. People like him are why people stray from Christianity because how can you be Christian and be so evil? In many African cultures when a person is well off and does many things for the community, etc they can do no wrong and a blind eye is turned if they do , do any wrong because they fear the reaction they'll get from the individual and as well as the people in the community. Which is why he was able to get away with his abusive ways. Some men in African culture take beating their wife as a duty they are given from "God" due to how the bible states your wife should obey you and the responsibility a wife has to their husband. This is something they use as an excuse to be cruel is all because its literally not a thing and goes way past African culture and into every culture that believes in Christianity.
Kambili has to be the one I feel the worse for because I don't think she'll ever get the help she needs to understand what has been done to her and why she is the way she is. Her father has degraded her on such a psychological level it will truly be amazing if she ever recovers from it. For the rest of her life she will always seek validation from an individual, especially men to know if she is doing something right or wrong. Throughout the book she does grow in some aspects but you can tell she lacks observation skills of peoples emotions and thoughts around her. One skill she believes she has is speaking with her eyes to her brother, even this I do not think she fully understands everything her brother attempts to tell her silently with how in tune he is with everything and how she isn't. Her brother understands the world around him and feels it on a deep level. His story is the saddest because I believe the author at the end foreshadowed him turning into his father with everything that he has been through and shouldn't have. His story is even sadder because out of everyone he had the most potential of living a great life and getting out of his fathers evil reign and saving his sister and mother. In some ways he did save his sister and mother but in sacrificing himself.
I was initially sad for the mother and still am because she has went through A LOT and I think she is so deeply damaged and dead inside she has nothing more to give. The poor women was able to stay strong and her husband finally broke her when he nearly killed their daughter. She did what she had to do for her children but in a very stupid way in the end. If she wouldn't have admitted anything about what she did to her husband, her children wouldn't have known and her son would not have confessed to a crime he didn't commit putting him in another psychologically breaking situation which I believe in the end made him into a worse person but who can really blame him? The authorities would have automatically assumed other people were trying to kill him due to the environment they were currently living in. She just needed to play ignorant, I say this because the justice system in Africa at least in Nigeria is probably one of the worse. In the book, the author shows how corrupt it is with how they are able to bribe people and what not. Also, even if she admitted it before her son she would have left her children to fend for themselves and not have any family to help them or even take care of them. I'm truly pissed at the mother for how she fudged everything up because it could have gone in a more positive route I believe.
A few last minute comments, I didn't like the relationship between the Priest and Kambili because to me he kind of took advantage of her vulnerability and knew he couldn't act on his feelings due to him being a Priest and her being way too young for him. She fell in love with him because he was the first older man other than her father to show her attention and affection and she was always looking for validation with him. Aunty Ifeoma is my favorite character, I wish her and her family didn't move to America but I understood why. The daughter also highlighted one of the many struggles of living in America and being part of the low class you don't get to see your family or truly spend quality time with them. Everyone is so busy and involved with their lives its rare to catch a break and just enjoy each other. A problem many of us face being natives or foreigners in this country.
This book is truly something. There is so many more things I could say but I'll leave off by saying Ms. Adichie is an amazing author.
I think this book was quite amazing and so messed up in many ways. Having a background in African culture due to being a direct descendant my perspective on the book is different from others that don't have an everyday look into various African culture. Reading the book I knew things about what she was going through, why her life was the way it is, how characters were going to end up being, etc. It was interesting reading about it instead of first/second hand experiencing certain things. I hear things like what went on in the book happening all the time resent it much of it and also partially understand certain circumstances and situations. When I started reading the book I automatically knew Kambili's father, Papa, was abusive with how he ran his family and what he expected out of them. Throughout the book you can see how much of a sociopath he is and how he needed to convince himself that he was this amazing person and wanted others to believe such with all that he did. He was amazing at compartmentalizing different aspects of his life and personality.
I say he is a sociopath because he was very aware of what he was doing, felt somewhat guilty but continued to keep doing the same thing. Using "God" as the voice in his head to do what he did. People like him are why people stray from Christianity because how can you be Christian and be so evil? In many African cultures when a person is well off and does many things for the community, etc they can do no wrong and a blind eye is turned if they do , do any wrong because they fear the reaction they'll get from the individual and as well as the people in the community. Which is why he was able to get away with his abusive ways. Some men in African culture take beating their wife as a duty they are given from "God" due to how the bible states your wife should obey you and the responsibility a wife has to their husband. This is something they use as an excuse to be cruel is all because its literally not a thing and goes way past African culture and into every culture that believes in Christianity.
Kambili has to be the one I feel the worse for because I don't think she'll ever get the help she needs to understand what has been done to her and why she is the way she is. Her father has degraded her on such a psychological level it will truly be amazing if she ever recovers from it. For the rest of her life she will always seek validation from an individual, especially men to know if she is doing something right or wrong. Throughout the book she does grow in some aspects but you can tell she lacks observation skills of peoples emotions and thoughts around her. One skill she believes she has is speaking with her eyes to her brother, even this I do not think she fully understands everything her brother attempts to tell her silently with how in tune he is with everything and how she isn't. Her brother understands the world around him and feels it on a deep level. His story is the saddest because I believe the author at the end foreshadowed him turning into his father with everything that he has been through and shouldn't have. His story is even sadder because out of everyone he had the most potential of living a great life and getting out of his fathers evil reign and saving his sister and mother. In some ways he did save his sister and mother but in sacrificing himself.
I was initially sad for the mother and still am because she has went through A LOT and I think she is so deeply damaged and dead inside she has nothing more to give. The poor women was able to stay strong and her husband finally broke her when he nearly killed their daughter. She did what she had to do for her children but in a very stupid way in the end. If she wouldn't have admitted anything about what she did to her husband, her children wouldn't have known and her son would not have confessed to a crime he didn't commit putting him in another psychologically breaking situation which I believe in the end made him into a worse person but who can really blame him? The authorities would have automatically assumed other people were trying to kill him due to the environment they were currently living in. She just needed to play ignorant, I say this because the justice system in Africa at least in Nigeria is probably one of the worse. In the book, the author shows how corrupt it is with how they are able to bribe people and what not. Also, even if she admitted it before her son she would have left her children to fend for themselves and not have any family to help them or even take care of them. I'm truly pissed at the mother for how she fudged everything up because it could have gone in a more positive route I believe.
A few last minute comments, I didn't like the relationship between the Priest and Kambili because to me he kind of took advantage of her vulnerability and knew he couldn't act on his feelings due to him being a Priest and her being way too young for him. She fell in love with him because he was the first older man other than her father to show her attention and affection and she was always looking for validation with him. Aunty Ifeoma is my favorite character, I wish her and her family didn't move to America but I understood why. The daughter also highlighted one of the many struggles of living in America and being part of the low class you don't get to see your family or truly spend quality time with them. Everyone is so busy and involved with their lives its rare to catch a break and just enjoy each other. A problem many of us face being natives or foreigners in this country.
This book is truly something. There is so many more things I could say but I'll leave off by saying Ms. Adichie is an amazing author.
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence
challenging
sad
emotional
inspiring
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
standard coming-of-age whose strength lies in the socio-cultural landscape depicted. Simple prose played to the story and its characters rather than detracted— but I will say that I think it made it feel as if it would be a good read for high schoolers (which is not a bad thing), better than other less intersectional coming-of-age stories.
Also CNA kinda terf-y I found out (but this is not factoring into the score. Just probs won’t read anymore of her stuff)
Also CNA kinda terf-y I found out (but this is not factoring into the score. Just probs won’t read anymore of her stuff)
I really liked this. I thought it was well written as expected from Adiche. Watching how her fathers abuse affected Kambili and her family was fascinating, and deeply saddening. Especially the dichotomy between how her father acted around others and how he acted around them. Being in Kambili's head and seeing just how deeply the abuse affected her every thought, how she socialized and then getting to watch her overcome thought was amazing.
I thought the weaving of info about the political discourse going on in Nigeria was well done as well.
Although there was a lot to like and appreciate about this book there were some things I didn't like. 1) Kambili's crush
2. The ending
Overall I liked this, I'd recommend it if you can handle reading about abuse and an incredibly sad story.
I thought the weaving of info about the political discourse going on in Nigeria was well done as well.
Although there was a lot to like and appreciate about this book there were some things I didn't like. 1) Kambili's crush
Spoiler
on Father Amadi is encouraged by him? She's 15 and I think it makes sense that she would develop a crush on one of the first men who shows gentleness & care for her, but I wasn't a fan of how this was painted as more than a childish crush since this man is definitely much older.2. The ending
Spoiler
Why did Jaja take the blame?? I'm fairly certain that their mother would not have been found out, the didn't make sense to me. I would've peferred seeing the children deal with the fact that their mother poisoned their father instead of Jaja being in prison.Overall I liked this, I'd recommend it if you can handle reading about abuse and an incredibly sad story.
Wow. Such layered writing despite the simplicity.