Reviews with content warning for War - Under the Udala Trees

I really enjoyed that this was a book that highlighted the interplay between religious bigotry and the LGBTQ community in a non-Western society. Ijeoma was a fantastic and relatable character, constantly torn between staying true to herself and the influences of her religious-propaganda-filled upbringing.

I wish this book had focused a little more on the Nigerian Civil War, a event in history that was very new to me, but I also understand that this book told the story of the war from the lens of a girl who was growing up in the midst of its events. My only big complaint is that her mother

never faced any consequences for being a religious bigot and all-round awful person. Plus that Ijeoma never really reflects on her internalized homophobia as a result of her religious upbringing

Otherwise, I found Chinelo Okparanta's writing style easy to follow, and the story was captivating enough to propel me through the book. For those looking to read this book, I will warn that there are several unsavory topics discussed within and I would check out the content warnings prior to reading!

Content Warnings

lesbihane's review against another edition

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dark hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

an incredibly touching and sad realistic depiction of gay existence in a violently homophobic country but with a tiny, glittering glimpse of hope

Content Warnings

besnee's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-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? It's complicated

Content Warnings

sundayray's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Content Warnings

hanreadin's review

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4.0

Content Warnings

bites_of_books's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

Listening to this audiobook was probably the best choice for me in order to be able to get through it. This book is written in such a way that you feel the weight of the emotions, the tension, the grief, the longing...
We follow Ijeoma, from her childhood, living through civil war in Nigeria, the aftermath, her coming of age, and learning that she's in love with another girl, all the way through to her adulthood. Her mother leans heavily into religion as she mourns her husband and that has a very strong impact in Ijeoma's life and is a heavy theme throughout the book. Another big theme is folktales. We get multiple short folktales told by various characters at different points in the story, those were my favorite parts.
I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a book that portrays the history of how queer people are treated in Nigeria through the eyes of a lesbian girl who grows up in that culture. There's a lot of shaming, emotional abuse, homophobia, war, etc. so do read with care!

Content Warnings

rachela_7's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

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