You must read this.
February 18, 2018
I am currently reading Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This book has opened my eyes to the wide world of World Literature. Being an English Literature major has shaped my understanding of literature in a very interesting way. This is Adichie’s first novel and it is one of absolute substance and worth. Set in 1990’s Rhodesia, Kambili is at her prime coming of age time and struggles to understand the expectations her father has for her and her brother Jaja. During this she is trying to figure out who she is in relation to her cousins who lead a starkly different and better life than her. Despite the fact that they are very wealthy next to their cousins, but she has realized that she’s missing something that her cousins have. “Fifteen year old Kambili’s wealthy Catholic father, although generous and well respected in the community, is repressive at home. Her life is regulated by schedules: prayer, sleep, study and more prayer. She is haunted by fear of his violence. When Nigeria suffers a military coup, Kambili and her brother are sent away to their aunt. Her house is full of laughter. Here Kambili discovers a different, glowing life beyond the confines of her father’s authority. The visit will lift the silence from her world and, in time, reveal a terrible, bruising secret at the heart of her family. Purple Hibiscus is a compelling novel which captures both a country and an adolescence at a time of tremendous change.” My journey in reading this novel has been a smooth one because Adichie is the kind of author who pulls you in and makes you feel empathetic and sympathetic for the characters in her novel. I’d encourage you to read it if you can, purchase it here. It’s one you don’t want to miss. |