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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
Wow! This book, Adichie's second novel, makes me want to read all her writing. I really enjoyed Americanah, yet Half of a Yellow Sun is so much more enjoyable, interesting amd engaging. A beautiful, epic telling of the end of the country of Biafra and the main characters living through that violent time. Worth reading a second time.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I am surprised that this book has not won more awards than it has. It's a captivating story that shares the personal and emotional experiences of the Biafran war through the eyes of fictional but realistically created characters. I learned a lot about the mindset of different individuals at the time and how they interacted with each other in a time of conflict. This book also brings in a bit of nuance with its literary confrontation of themes relevant to women's rights, keeping mutual respect and cultural expectations in the home. After finishing the novel, I did navigate to the movie adaptation, which was streaming in one of the popular apps. The film featured some of my favorite actors and was entertaining. But, the book is the real star and I highly recommend it.
A well written literary book with great, real characters that I was interested in; there was non of the black and white nonsense, all the characters had both bad and good traits about them as it’s supposed to be in a book if the book wants to reflect life. It’s a non-scary historical fiction based on the true events. Non-scary because historical fiction is a heavy title and doesn’t necessarily stir excitement when you hear it.
The author has done such a great, profound and unbelievable to me job that it can’t be compared with the only other memoir/lose historical fiction that I read this year “Born a crime” by Trevor Noah, who has done such a poor job so don’t go there. The book is describing people of Nigeria over two decades and from different classes, which is always a dream when you want to learn about a country. At some point in that period there is a war happening in the country, one of the most famous African war and the author is calling out the UK for encouraging it, if not forcing it upon the African nation. It also calls out, in an absolutely marvelous way, the white world for the way African events are reported and discussed in the white world. Which was so refreshing and I want to see more of honest portrayals of global abusers such as the UK.
In the interest of full disclosure, one hundred pages in the middle felt a little bit of a drag, contrary to very interesting first and last quarters of the book. And that is the reason I graded this book with 4 stars.
A recommended read, especially for people, who are no strangers to tomes. If it’s your first 400 page book, I’ll say it’s an absolutely doable book; don’t set any deadlines though.
The author has done such a great, profound and unbelievable to me job that it can’t be compared with the only other memoir/lose historical fiction that I read this year “Born a crime” by Trevor Noah, who has done such a poor job so don’t go there. The book is describing people of Nigeria over two decades and from different classes, which is always a dream when you want to learn about a country. At some point in that period there is a war happening in the country, one of the most famous African war and the author is calling out the UK for encouraging it, if not forcing it upon the African nation. It also calls out, in an absolutely marvelous way, the white world for the way African events are reported and discussed in the white world. Which was so refreshing and I want to see more of honest portrayals of global abusers such as the UK.
In the interest of full disclosure, one hundred pages in the middle felt a little bit of a drag, contrary to very interesting first and last quarters of the book. And that is the reason I graded this book with 4 stars.
A recommended read, especially for people, who are no strangers to tomes. If it’s your first 400 page book, I’ll say it’s an absolutely doable book; don’t set any deadlines though.
informative
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape, Violence
dark
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
hopeful
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:
Yes
I started reading this book purely based on the fact that I had enjoyed 2 other books by the author in the past. I went into it naively assuming it to be a work of literary fiction (based on the brief blurb alluding to the intersection of 3 characters), turned out to be a gripping and somewhat educational story of life during war.
I enjoyed how the book lured you in with prose of beauty and interesting characters, all easy to read yet done so elegantly. Once hooked the story takes you on a journey that is as deeply moving, tragic at times and shocking as it is real and hopeful.
The various characters evoked different feelings as they evolved, some better so or more prominently so than others, but nonetheless generally well developed. I never quite understood Richard or Odenigbo. Kainene stole the show for me despite never quite being a main character. There was so much more I would have like to have experienced through her eyes.
A heavy topic that opens minds and hearts in a beautiful way.
I enjoyed how the book lured you in with prose of beauty and interesting characters, all easy to read yet done so elegantly. Once hooked the story takes you on a journey that is as deeply moving, tragic at times and shocking as it is real and hopeful.
The various characters evoked different feelings as they evolved, some better so or more prominently so than others, but nonetheless generally well developed. I never quite understood Richard or Odenigbo. Kainene stole the show for me despite never quite being a main character. There was so much more I would have like to have experienced through her eyes.
A heavy topic that opens minds and hearts in a beautiful way.
This is a book I've been seeing and hearing about for ages and decided to catch up with it on audio.
First off, I think the narrator does a brilliant job in voicing the characters and bringing them to life.
This is such an interesting and harrowing part of Nigeria's history and depicted the horrors of conflict on civilians with an honest but, relatively, gentle touch.
I found it difficult to truly connect with some of the characters but the structure was very well constructed that by the end I was truly moved.
First off, I think the narrator does a brilliant job in voicing the characters and bringing them to life.
This is such an interesting and harrowing part of Nigeria's history and depicted the horrors of conflict on civilians with an honest but, relatively, gentle touch.
I found it difficult to truly connect with some of the characters but the structure was very well constructed that by the end I was truly moved.