Author:
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (This is Adichie's first novel, but you
wouldn't know it.)
Age: High school to
adult. (Although the protagonist is fairly young, the content may
not be appropriate for children.)
Setting: Post-colonial Nigeria
(which is fairly recently for Nigeria. Although no dates are
given, the novel seems to be set in the modern day.)
Themes and topics for discussion:
physical and mental abuse, political upheaval, family values,
traditional vs. religious values, abuse of power, colonialism,
evangelism, celibacy of the clergy
No-spoiler Summary: Kambili and
her brother Jaja have been physically and emotionally abused by their
father for their entire lives, but when their aunt opens their eyes to
what life really should be like and how family should behave towards
the ones they love, the children can no longer remain silent. But
speaking out against their father can have disastrous consequences.
Review: I really enjoyed this
novel for several reasons. Firstly, Adichie seems to have an
uncanny understanding of the psychology of abuse; each character's
actions and reactions are entirely believable, even if equally
horrifying. Secondly, her narrative style is just so
beautiful. And finally, the narrative character is wonderfully
drawn; as a reader, I couldn't help but get wrapped up in Kambili's
story, hoping and praying that she would find her own voice, yet that
she would also remain safe.
A Christian Perspective: This
book is NOT written from a Christian perspective, but it does bring up
some relevant issues that I feel Christians should consider.
Adichie sensitively points out some of the abuses and prejudices that
are present even within the modern church--issues that Christians
should be aware of (even those who are not Catholic--I mean really,
let's face it, most people do not make a distinction between the
different Christian sects--they see all of us under the umbrella of
Christianity). One of the things I really appreciated in the way
Adichie approached these issues is that she presents a fairly balanced
view while avoiding extreme dichotomy; none of the characters are
perfectly evil or perfectly good.
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