A review by agateg
Zikora by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

challenging reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

 "Bear it, that is what it means to be a woman,” and it was years before I knew that girls took Buscopan for period pain.”
 
 When Zikora, a DC lawyer from Nigeria, tells her equally high-powered lover that she's pregnant, he abandons her. But it's Zikora's demanding, self-possessed mother, in town for the birth, who makes Zikora feel like a lonely little girl all over again. Shunned by the speed with which her ideal life fell apart, Zikora turns to reflect on her mother's painful past and struggle for dignity. Preparing for motherhood, Zikora begins to see more clearly what her own mother wants for her, for her new baby, and for herself.
 
 This was a short yet powerful story. It dives into the not-always-happy experiences of womanhood. I felt such deep sympathy for the main character because I would not be strong enough to bear a child in such circumstances. It was challenging to read because of the topic it discussed but I liked the author's writing style and how she decided to show this story.
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