My OperaSunday, November 10, 2013 1:45:59 PM
ONCE UPON AN AMERICANNAH
I think Chimamanda Adichie is cool. First, we have the same alma mater. She is a QCOG (Queen’s College Old Girl). Second, she is a good writer. Third, she speaks well too. I watched her speak on the TED talks. And, I have read all of her books except for Half of a Yellow Sun. Purple Hibiscus was her first novel, and it was awesome. The Thing around Your Neck was a compilation of short stories and I enjoyed it as well.
Generally, she infuses a lot of the African Culture into her work. Her works are full of Igbo proverbs and her prose, like Chinua Achebe, has a kind of rhythm. Her stories are exciting and her characters always come alive when you read the story. Her stories usually address issues of the contemporary African society and the experiences of an African living in Diaspora are infused therein.
It was with the above in mind that I began to read Americannah, and I was not disappointed, although, the use of flashback was initially confusing. So, I had difficulty keeping up with the characters and some of the events. However, there was something she said in the book that struck me. It has to do with an African being black when he sets his foot on the American soil. Interestingly enough, racism is one of the themes of the novel. How does a Nigerian who doesn’t see skin colour as an issue adapt to a society where that is the determinant of a lot of things? You can’t help but admire the heroine. She survived and even had a serious relationship with a white boyfriend, who sorted out her green card. She became a popular blogger and even earned a living from giving speeches based on her content (racism and other related issues).
The Nigerian society was not spared too- the thieving rich, the backside kissers, corruption, the hustlers, the returnees who think they are better than those who left the country, the youth who thinks America is the only place he can make it, the Sugardaddies and other people that make Nigeria what it is.
Then there is the romance. Ifem threw away a solid relationship with her white boyfriend because she felt like sleeping with another guy. Then her relationship with the professor is one part of the plot I just didn’t follow. Maybe, that’s why the romance part just didn’t make any sense. The first thing I thought was Harlequin is not this bad. What made Ifem throw everything away and come back to Nigeria to find an already married Obinze? Was it love? She knew he was married with a child. And that’s the problem with this book. It raises a tad too many issues and tries to resolve them too neatly. I just don’t see why they end up together at all.
That said, I liked the excerpts from Ifem’s blog. It was particularly interesting and enlightening. However you almost get the feeling that they are Chimamanda’s personal opinion. Conclusively, it was a really great book. I recommend it for people who like lively prose.
Happy reading!!!
I think Chimamanda Adichie is cool. First, we have the same alma mater. She is a QCOG (Queen’s College Old Girl). Second, she is a good writer. Third, she speaks well too. I watched her speak on the TED talks. And, I have read all of her books except for Half of a Yellow Sun. Purple Hibiscus was her first novel, and it was awesome. The Thing around Your Neck was a compilation of short stories and I enjoyed it as well.
Generally, she infuses a lot of the African Culture into her work. Her works are full of Igbo proverbs and her prose, like Chinua Achebe, has a kind of rhythm. Her stories are exciting and her characters always come alive when you read the story. Her stories usually address issues of the contemporary African society and the experiences of an African living in Diaspora are infused therein.
It was with the above in mind that I began to read Americannah, and I was not disappointed, although, the use of flashback was initially confusing. So, I had difficulty keeping up with the characters and some of the events. However, there was something she said in the book that struck me. It has to do with an African being black when he sets his foot on the American soil. Interestingly enough, racism is one of the themes of the novel. How does a Nigerian who doesn’t see skin colour as an issue adapt to a society where that is the determinant of a lot of things? You can’t help but admire the heroine. She survived and even had a serious relationship with a white boyfriend, who sorted out her green card. She became a popular blogger and even earned a living from giving speeches based on her content (racism and other related issues).
The Nigerian society was not spared too- the thieving rich, the backside kissers, corruption, the hustlers, the returnees who think they are better than those who left the country, the youth who thinks America is the only place he can make it, the Sugardaddies and other people that make Nigeria what it is.
Then there is the romance. Ifem threw away a solid relationship with her white boyfriend because she felt like sleeping with another guy. Then her relationship with the professor is one part of the plot I just didn’t follow. Maybe, that’s why the romance part just didn’t make any sense. The first thing I thought was Harlequin is not this bad. What made Ifem throw everything away and come back to Nigeria to find an already married Obinze? Was it love? She knew he was married with a child. And that’s the problem with this book. It raises a tad too many issues and tries to resolve them too neatly. I just don’t see why they end up together at all.
That said, I liked the excerpts from Ifem’s blog. It was particularly interesting and enlightening. However you almost get the feeling that they are Chimamanda’s personal opinion. Conclusively, it was a really great book. I recommend it for people who like lively prose.
Happy reading!!!
