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A review by taliaissmart
How the Leopard Got His Claws by Chinua Achebe
2.0
How the Leopard Got His Claws chronicles the breakdown of peace and harmony in the forest kingdom triggered by a power struggle between the leopard and the dog.
Although the illustrations are absolutely GORGEOUS, I can’t look past this story’s narrative faults. Achebe’s/Iroaganachi’s writing did not particularly impress me—it was inconsistently formal, and the writers seemed to struggle in terms of adhering to the folktale format. I failed to understand the necessity of the intermittent songs within the story.
Additionally, it really bothered me that Achebe chose to adapt such a dark, grim story for a childhood audience. It’s violent, depressing, and it does NOT have a happy ending. As a kid I would have been traumatized by this book. Plus, it portrays dogs in a really nasty light.
Although the illustrations are absolutely GORGEOUS, I can’t look past this story’s narrative faults. Achebe’s/Iroaganachi’s writing did not particularly impress me—it was inconsistently formal, and the writers seemed to struggle in terms of adhering to the folktale format. I failed to understand the necessity of the intermittent songs within the story.
Additionally, it really bothered me that Achebe chose to adapt such a dark, grim story for a childhood audience. It’s violent, depressing, and it does NOT have a happy ending. As a kid I would have been traumatized by this book. Plus, it portrays dogs in a really nasty light.