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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
This is a sweeping, lovely novel about Ifemelu and her first love Obinze, who she meets at university. Though the novel is mainly told from Ifemelu's POV (always in third person), it alternates between her experience in America and Obinze's experience in England...before the two make their way back to Nigeria. I appreciated that Ifemelu's experience as an outsider in America allowed me to view my American identity through an anthropological lens, and it was interesting to see her experience her Blackness for the first time in a way she didn't back home. Once she'd been settled in America for a few years, though, I found it improbable that she almost instantly could make a living through her blog about race in America. Adichie includes a lot of Ifemelu's blog posts in the text, and I also thought they were extremely on the nose.
I didn't think the book needed to be 588 pages. Adichie's prose is generally easy to read, though sometimes her language is flowery and the book's vocabulary unnecessarily esoteric. The book was mainly well paced, surprising given its length, but I think the last 200 pages or so started to drag — particularly because the book's conclusion felt inevitable, and after a point, I was really ready to reach that inevitable conclusion.
I didn't think the book needed to be 588 pages. Adichie's prose is generally easy to read, though sometimes her language is flowery and the book's vocabulary unnecessarily esoteric. The book was mainly well paced, surprising given its length, but I think the last 200 pages or so started to drag — particularly because the book's conclusion felt inevitable, and after a point, I was really ready to reach that inevitable conclusion.
Reading this in March 2025 hurts, in light of the dewy eyed optimism of the Obama chapters. Even so, a thoughtful and nuanced look at the African experience in America, and the use of hair as medium for storytelling and understanding race is one I really related too, especially as someone who also punished their hair for similar less drastic reasons. I love how neither country is shown as a paradise or as a total hellscape and how Ifemelu proves she can be happy in both countries. A lot of really fun insights into Nigerian culture as I continue on my journey of understanding my own identity better.
I needed this to be a romance and ultimately it was.
But to only say that about it would take away from the breadth of the book.
It felt real.
At times, it felt like I shouldn’t be reading it. Like it was a conversation between non-American Black people and American Black people. That part was not my lane. It was also about race though. Some of it good for white people like me to read.
I liked her. I liked the story.
But to only say that about it would take away from the breadth of the book.
It felt real.
At times, it felt like I shouldn’t be reading it. Like it was a conversation between non-American Black people and American Black people. That part was not my lane. It was also about race though. Some of it good for white people like me to read.
I liked her. I liked the story.
I'd say this is 3.5 stars for me because it is really such an important topic (racism) and she is a gifted writer.
This book is an absolute beautiful gift. I found myself immersed in the characters lives, not wanting to put it down- wanting to know what's next. The main character's blog on race in America added depth and dimension.
Absolutely loved this book. This is the story of a girl who moves to America from Nigeria and experiences so much more beyond culture shock. It is also the tale of the boyfriend she left behind.
I didn't love the ending, but I loved the book.
Recommend.
I didn't love the ending, but I loved the book.
Recommend.
A disarming read, with observations on race and gender that have only become more acute in the near-decade since its publication. Reading this alongside “Infinite Jest,” I find Adichie’s eye for the telling details that put an outsider’s perspective on American society and render the familiar strange much sharper and more disciplined than Wallace’s.
medium-paced
tl;dr: A buncha stupid millenials do a buncha stupid millenial things. The end. Also, Africa.
But no, this is actually a very decent book. And it's comforting to know that privileged younguns in other places are just as self-involved and conceited as...
But no, really, this is a good book. Well written, interesting setting, believable characters, all that good stuff. Only problem is that as true to life the characters are, and as well as they are captured in words, I never cared for any of them. There's an oblivious rich guy and his obnoxious family, a poncy academic and his unstable, free spirit sister, and the protagonists aren't all that much better, either. Here's them talking about male protagonists widowed mother remarrying:
Charming, eh? Sure he wants her to be happy, as long as it doesn't impact him in any way.
Now it's certainly possible to write a good book about unlikable characters, but this is at least to some extent a love story, and I stopped giving a damn whether they get together about halfway through.
Aight, review over, now get off my lawn.
But no, this is actually a very decent book. And it's comforting to know that privileged younguns in other places are just as self-involved and conceited as...
But no, really, this is a good book. Well written, interesting setting, believable characters, all that good stuff. Only problem is that as true to life the characters are, and as well as they are captured in words, I never cared for any of them. There's an oblivious rich guy and his obnoxious family, a poncy academic and his unstable, free spirit sister, and the protagonists aren't all that much better, either. Here's them talking about male protagonists widowed mother remarrying:
"Your mother never wanted to remarry?"
"Even if she wanted to, I don't think she would, because of me. I want her to be happy, but I don't want her to remarry."
"I would feel the same way."
Charming, eh? Sure he wants her to be happy, as long as it doesn't impact him in any way.
Now it's certainly possible to write a good book about unlikable characters, but this is at least to some extent a love story, and I stopped giving a damn whether they get together about halfway through.
Aight, review over, now get off my lawn.