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A review by dzibmoni
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2.0
1.5
I don't know very well how to express my feelings about this book.
First, the writing is phenomenal, I expected that, I have read other books by her, I have seen her interviews and lectures, I know she is a very good writer.
In what I have seen previously, I have always liked the way she talks about differences in cultures, feminism and racism
So, what was my problem with Americanah? the way it was "sold".
Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love when they depart military-ruled Nigeria for the West. Beautiful, self-assured Ifemelu heads for America, where despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple with what it means to be black for the first time. Quiet, thoughtful Obinze had hope to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, I have instead plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Fifteen years later, they meet in a newly democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion-for each other and for their homeland.
I was expecting a novel about two people and yes, being this author I knew it would include talks about racism and feminism, but for me this was completely an opinion book.
I felt that I did not know any of the characters, or rather I only knew one side of them. Ifemelu throughout the story complained about certain behaviors, criticized, seemed never to be happy anywhere. Obinze, this story is not about him, it's mostly about his impact on Ifemelu's life.
When I started the book I was really enjoying it, but afterwards the dialogue became repetitive and as I said, it stopped being a novel, each chapter that passed I already knew that it was going to deal with a different topic of racism.
And the worst thing is that, that would have been fine, a book about observations about racism, something like what she did in Dear Ijeawele for feminism, although more extensive and elaborate and oh I would have read it with pleasure.
But inserting unnecessary characters and practically no plot, for me, wasn't the way to do it.
I don't know very well how to express my feelings about this book.
First, the writing is phenomenal, I expected that, I have read other books by her, I have seen her interviews and lectures, I know she is a very good writer.
In what I have seen previously, I have always liked the way she talks about differences in cultures, feminism and racism
So, what was my problem with Americanah? the way it was "sold".
Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love when they depart military-ruled Nigeria for the West. Beautiful, self-assured Ifemelu heads for America, where despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple with what it means to be black for the first time. Quiet, thoughtful Obinze had hope to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, I have instead plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Fifteen years later, they meet in a newly democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion-for each other and for their homeland.
I was expecting a novel about two people and yes, being this author I knew it would include talks about racism and feminism, but for me this was completely an opinion book.
I felt that I did not know any of the characters, or rather I only knew one side of them. Ifemelu throughout the story complained about certain behaviors, criticized, seemed never to be happy anywhere. Obinze, this story is not about him, it's mostly about his impact on Ifemelu's life.
When I started the book I was really enjoying it, but afterwards the dialogue became repetitive and as I said, it stopped being a novel, each chapter that passed I already knew that it was going to deal with a different topic of racism.
And the worst thing is that, that would have been fine, a book about observations about racism, something like what she did in Dear Ijeawele for feminism, although more extensive and elaborate and oh I would have read it with pleasure.
But inserting unnecessary characters and practically no plot, for me, wasn't the way to do it.