Reviews

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

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amberrose's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

tracyksmith_reads's review against another edition

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5.0

This was a beautifully written story about forbidden love in Nigeria. The descriptions of Nigeria and the way of life were given in such rich detail.
This book definitely makes the ranks of one of my favorite. I'm so glad it was recommended to me!

l_mell's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

karendianereads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

rexinpieces's review

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

clownpea's review against another edition

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challenging sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

tjwallace04's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

"Under the Udala Trees" is a moving portrait of life for a young queer woman in Nigeria in the 1970s and 1980s. The book moves slowly, quietly through the life of Ijeoma, from the death of her father during the Biafran Civil War, to her first young love with another displaced girl, to an adulthood in which she balances on the knife's edge between desire and self-knowledge vs. traditions and expectation.

The writing is lovely and lyrical, but I struggled a bit with the many prayers, Biblical quotations, and prophetic dream sequences, which slowed down the plot even further from its already leisurely pace. But I loved Ijeoma and her inherent sense that, in spite of everything her society was telling her, she had a right to be who she was and to love whom she wanted. I particularly loved how at the end, she uses the Bible to understand God as a being who is open and understanding of change.I thought Chibundu's character was very interesting; in some ways, he seemed much more gentle and accepting than I would have expected many Nigerian men to be in similar circumstances; other times he was horrible to Ijeoma and their daughter. So basically, he was a complicated, rounded character, not a one-sided villain, which I appreciate. I also really enjoyed learning more about the history and culture of Nigeria, the different ethnic groups that live there, and the Biafran Civil War.

Nigeria currently has very restrictive laws against LGBTQ relationships, so this humane, heartfelt book is especially powerful and important. I hope that it opens hearts and minds!