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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
I thought this novel was significantly weaker than the other Adichie I have read, Purple Hibiscus.
Ifemelu lives a relatively good life in Nigeria, then decides to go to the US to study because of strikes at her university. She leaves her boyfriend behind and then cuts of contact with him. The book tells the story of her eyperiences in the US, his in the UK and reflections about race in America.
I liked the parts where things were happening in the characters lives. Especially the scene of Obinze's deportation I found powerful. The parts where characters philosophise at the dinner table or write blogs about race I found les interesting.
Ifemelu lives a relatively good life in Nigeria, then decides to go to the US to study because of strikes at her university. She leaves her boyfriend behind and then cuts of contact with him. The book tells the story of her eyperiences in the US, his in the UK and reflections about race in America.
I liked the parts where things were happening in the characters lives. Especially the scene of Obinze's deportation I found powerful. The parts where characters philosophise at the dinner table or write blogs about race I found les interesting.
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book offers a darkened, sometimes gritty picture of what life for an immigrant must be like — albeit for just a subset of immigrants. There's a constant struggle to make sense of your new surroundings, of situations, and what you consider to be home and whether or not home will continue to be the place in which you currently find yourself. Unlike her other books, this one offers very little plant inside and to the nature of Nigerian culture or politics but it's rich in its description of people, the choices that make us, those that break us, and those that rebuild us.
Too preachy and heavy handed. This book is about 200 pages too long. There were some interesting insights, especially where it discussed immigration, and the discussion of black hair was kind of funny. But on the whole, this was definitely not the book for me. It veered too much toward propaganda for my tastes.
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes