Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Published April 12th 2012
I cannot express how much I adored this book. I read it as it is the only full length novel which I am required to read in my mandatory English literature class and I'm hoping to get through all of that reading list before September. I read her essay 'We Should All Be Feminists' in the summer and was amazed by how incredible it was. So I started with this novel because I already wanted to read it.
This book was borderline perfection. The only possible flaw I could find in the book is that the last chapter kind of rushes through what happens but that was just personal preference. I possibly think the book would have been more enjoyable without the last chapter, but in terms of themes and analysis the final chapter was essential.
Aside from this, i loved every second of this book. It was haunting and beautiful and horrifying and hopeful. I had no idea of Nigeria's history. I had no idea that this time period in Nigeria even existed. I learnt so much about Nigeria and it's culture and am now planning to try read books from as many different African countries as possible.
Ultimately, this book is about Kambili and her family dealing with her abusive father. If you are at all triggered by abuse i wouldn't recommend this book. Some of the scenes were really hard and horrifying. But Chimamanda being the genius she is, she manages to weave so many different topical themes into the novel like colonisation and the effects of forcing Christianity upon people. I'm so excited to write about this book at university and explore the themes more.
In conclusion, this novel is a masterpiece and I think everyone would benefit from reading this unless any of the triggers I'll mention below effect you. I learnt so much about a new culture and feminism along with gaining a new favourite book with characters who i love so dearly and are so developed and are in no way pushed to the side in order to focus on the plot of the novel as i often feel literary fiction does.
TW - beating, burning, miscarriage, poisoning, prison
