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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
It felt like a book that was too long for me honestly. I liked seeing how all of the characters and their stories intertwined as well as the Biafran War (which is an very important part of Nigerian history) but it could have been a 300 maximum page novel honestly.
I knew nothing of Biafra or Nigeria’s civil war. This book was eye opening in so many ways. Centering itself around 3 different perspectives in the early and late 60’s Adichie did a beautiful job shining a light onto a time in history that seems to almost exclusively fall into the shadows.
While I was not a big fan of the structure, 4 parts alternating early sixties then late sixties, I do think the writing was grounded and engaging. As most always I wanted a bit more from the Author’s Note about the war itself but I will instead look into one of the books she used to help write this one.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
While I was not a big fan of the structure, 4 parts alternating early sixties then late sixties, I do think the writing was grounded and engaging. As most always I wanted a bit more from the Author’s Note about the war itself but I will instead look into one of the books she used to help write this one.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
challenging
informative
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:
No
This is the story of Ugwu, houseboy of Odenigbo; Olanna, Odenigbo's partner; and Richard, the partner of Olanna's twin sister Kainene. They live in Nsukka, a university town in Nigeria. We see some of their lives before the Nigeria-Biafra war of the late sixties, and then their lives during the war when they are displaced.
The characters in the early sixties find themselves in a group of intellectuals at the university, which is a clever way of making the characters discuss politics and show what is going on. There are characters from different social classes: Olanna's parents are high up in society and Kainene lives that life as well, taking over running her father's companies. Odenigbo, Richard and Olanna are in an intellectual circle, middle class I would say. And Ugwu (and his family) is working class. When the war breaks out, all of these classes are affected by and respond differently to the war.
There are those who get to flee the war. For those who stay, war has a levelling effect - even though those who were higher/middle class have better connections to get a bit more of the meagre resources there are, or they have some responsibilities/positions that others don't. The book makes very clear what happens to the characters: the disorientation in the beginning, what they do to survive, their belief in victory slowly fading, all the bad news they have to process.
I did not know anything about this war before reading this book. I'll probably be thinking about this for a while, maybe read some of the resources in the back.
The characters in the early sixties find themselves in a group of intellectuals at the university, which is a clever way of making the characters discuss politics and show what is going on. There are characters from different social classes: Olanna's parents are high up in society and Kainene lives that life as well, taking over running her father's companies. Odenigbo, Richard and Olanna are in an intellectual circle, middle class I would say. And Ugwu (and his family) is working class. When the war breaks out, all of these classes are affected by and respond differently to the war.
There are those who get to flee the war. For those who stay, war has a levelling effect - even though those who were higher/middle class have better connections to get a bit more of the meagre resources there are, or they have some responsibilities/positions that others don't. The book makes very clear what happens to the characters: the disorientation in the beginning, what they do to survive, their belief in victory slowly fading, all the bad news they have to process.
I did not know anything about this war before reading this book. I'll probably be thinking about this for a while, maybe read some of the resources in the back.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Woah, I wish I had read this book sooner. This beautifully written, heart-breaking novel, follows the lives of 3 characters Ugwu, Odenigbo and Olanna through the Nigerian Civil War. You see the characters transform hugely and some transformations are gut wrenching. I have learnt so much about Nigeria and I am ashamed to say I never knew much about the civil war. This book will stay with me and I encourage everyone to read it!! What was the worst part about this book is that it is so so relevant to what we are witnessing today in Palestine so it definitely hit me.
very sad but beautiful prose, really moving. And led me to a Wikipedia rabbit hole about Nigerian history. 10/10.
I don't know how to rate or discuss this book. It was well written and I learned a lot about Nigeria, war, colonialism and human nature. The graphic decent into war, the devastation, misery and starvation of the characters that were introduced as belonging to the upper class was very impactful and shocking. And yet or because of that, I struggled to finish it, I wanted it to be over but when it finally was it left me feeling hollow.
To sum up: There are some questions left for me.
Spoiler
Except for Kainene, I didn't care for any of the main characters anymore. Odenigbo's drinking problem while understandable, left his wife and daughter to fight for themselves. I also felt like he was more devastated about losing his social standing and his group of revolutionary drinking buddies than the war. Olanna's obsession with Odenigbo's possible infidelity was another point I didn't understand. Why would he be faithful in wartime when he wasn't in peace? And Ugwu died for me the moment he took part in the rape. Yes it was common at wartime, yes it was peer-pressure, yes he regretted it, but I realised that for me, this is one unforgivable sin that I cannot rationalise away. He didn't even hesitate. Richard was a character I don't know what to make of. Like the war itself, I don't see his point. Does he believe in 'the cause' (whatever that is)? I the end he stopped writing his book because it was never his war. But all along he had talked about 'we', had learned to speak Igbo, called himself Biafran. Sure, he could have left any time, but so could all the other characters! Olanna and Kainene's parents could have gotten them out, at least at the beginning of the war. Richard stayed because he made it his war, just as the other characters. But in the end it was supposed to be just because of misguided love? But that I can understand, as Kainene was the only one that I felt stayed sane through all this. And of course she would be the one not to come back. And then there is the war, almost a character itself, mindless and pointless and destructive. I didn't understand where it came from and I didn't understand why any of the characters would support it or hope for 'victory'. When the whole country is starving and dying, what cause or what outcome could justify that? Yes the world was silent when they died, but in the end what were they even dying for? Maybe the worse silence of the world was when the Igbo were massacred after the coup, because that was what initiated the war?To sum up: There are some questions left for me.
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced