Reviews with content warning for Racism - Americanah

“Racism should never have happened and so you don’t get a cookie for reducing it.”

“Relaxing your hair is like being in prison. You’re caged in.”

Americanah chronologies the lives of Nigerian immigrants, Ifemelu and Obinze, an engaged couple. Ifemelu legally enters the United States of America, while Obinze swiftly becomes an undocumented immigrant in London, England. The couple is soon separated by unforeseen circumstances and must rely on themselves to adjust to their new lives. Wrapped in the romance of the two main characters, the readers are thrown into the lives of numerous African immigrants as they navigate America and the UK.

An impressive number of issues are touched upon in Americanah. We watch the African immigrants grapple with the foreign concept of race and adjust and adapt their thinking towards other black ethnic groups in America and the UK. We watch how the pressures placed on immigrant teens can wreak havoc on their personal lives, resulting in suicide attempts. We witness the devaluation and degradation of black men and the over-sexualization of black women. We read about the victims of colorism and the constant and insistent hold texurism has on white society. All of these discussions are handled with nuance and grace.

I was not too drawn in by the plot of romance between Ifemelu and Obinze. I found it uninteresting and rather predictable. I also found that almost all the characters sucked, one way or another. Many lacked intersectionality and could not look past their own opinions. Others were habitual cheaters who lacked empathy. I was more into the political aspect of the Americanah than anything.

If I recall correctly, there were also mentions of Asian people that appeared to uphold the “model minority myth.” This rubbed me the wrong.

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ruthmoog's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective slow-paced

4.75

I took away a heartwarming love story of the one who got away, yet it's all the while filled with gritty realism and the flaws of humanity.
It's full of observations and discussions on race and honesty, and, living amongst a variety of cultures and places, which add depth to the storytelling and complexity to the characters' life journeys.
A great book!

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skeptic_hecate's review

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emotional informative reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book nearly made me cry. It is so crude and realistic, I really enjoyed the main character and I loved how the difference between developed and developing countries is not glamorized in either way. The only reason why I put a score shy of 5 stars is because, nearing the end of the book, Ifemelu and Obinze criticize everyone and adopt this "holier-than-thou" attitude. Also, I found Curt as a plot device, as in, thanks to him Ifemelu gains financial independence. Now, it doesn't mean it is not realistic, it just tries my suspension of disbelif.

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vas_17's review against another edition

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challenging emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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moriahleigh's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

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kathis_wonderland's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a novel about life in Nigeria, experiencing race and racism in the US and trying to find oneself. Ifemelu and Obinze grew up in Nigeria together but saw no opportunities for themselves in this country. Ifemelu managed to move to the US and had to leave her love Obinze behind. There she experienced race and racism for the first time and had trouble adapting to her new life. After years in America, she moved back to Nigeria and realized how different she had become.

I wanted to read this book for a very long time. And now I am not fully sure what to think about it. In general, I liked the book. It felt very authentic and gave me a new insight into Africans’ experiencing racism in the US and Europe. It really broadened my horizon. The plot was very diverse. We heard about race and racism, about everyday racism, normal life, struggles, love and relationships.

However, the story was very long. Some scenes were not interesting at all and seemed to make the story longer. I was very confused at the beginning of the book. The author was jumping around within the plot, talking about the present and then jumping back to the past, writing several chapters about Ifemelu's youth and then suddenly jumping back to the present again. This confused me a lot in the beginning. Therefore, it took me ages to get into the story and to start liking it. I found Ifemelu's actions often questionable. She was cheating on her boyfriends a lot. And if there is one trope I don't like in books, it is cheating!

In the end, I started to like the book more and more. We got different perspectives and read about lots of different experiences. The love between Ifemelu and Obinze was really nice. I expected something different from the book, but in the end was pleased. I can recommend it!

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clairealysa's review

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emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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sara_jex's review

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challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

After finishing this book, I'm determined to read anything Adichie writes - her prose is as gorgeous as it is inspiring. This story captures how platonic love transcends familial and romantic affection in a such a beautiful way. Adichie illustrates the racial microaggressions and tension that Black people in America experience through impactful, raw character depicitions. I love this book.

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