Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2013)
Americanah by
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This
book is an experience and for that reason I am having a really hard time trying
to summarize what I just read. The plot revolves around Ifemulu, a Nigerian
woman returning to Nigeria after living in the United States for over a decade,
and Obinze, the man she loved when she first made the move to the United
States. The narrative changes from the present to the past, from Obinze to
Ifemulu. But this novel is about the experience of living in both Nigeria and
the U.S. It’s about the struggle to form bonds with people in a new world, the
struggle to keep love alive across an ocean and the issue of race in America
and how people are perceived because of their race.
There
was only thing that I didn’t care for in this novel and that was the constant
change in narrative between the past and the present. In my opinion it impacted
the pacing of the plot and interrupted the rhythm of the story. That is
literally my only complaint about this novel. Beyond that I really enjoyed this
novel. Adichie’s character were beautifully sculptured and her world was
incredibly detailed. The love story of Ifemulu and Obinze, their parting and
the continuation of their lives was plausible and heartbreaking at times. There
was so much emotion and so many painful choices.
Adichie
is a great writer and she has an amazing eye for small details in human
interactions which she expresses in her writing. Her observations force you to
be honest in how you view people, race, and relationships. I appreciate that. I
really liked the story. I loved that the dynamic focused on discovering race
and the difference between being an American Black and a Non-American Black. So
many intricacies that people don’t understand and wouldn’t understand unless
they had conversations with those who have these experiences or read books like
this. I give this 4 out of 5 stars.
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