This book is, to my shame, the first novel by Adichie that I've ever read. Most people will know her from her TED talk on feminism (as always, don't read the comments) that was then sampled by Beyoncé Knowles, whom I learnt today is trying to buy the rights to the Confederate battle flag.Truly, we live in interesting times.
But what of the book? It's markedly different from my other recent novels; there are no sudden twists and turns, no assassins, no traitors, no magic, and absolutely no mammoth-kilt-wearing-Scotsmen. What we have instead is, on the surface, a story about two people who love each other. The pair come together; fall in love (literally at first sight). They are forced apart by circumstance; find each other again. Do they live happily ever after? Ambiguous. But this story is not just about these star-cross'd lovers - though it would be worth reading it purely for that; so rich and deep are their characters.
It is also about the story of migrants in two countries and offers a glimpse into the multi-faceted complexities of race in the US today. Despite Obinze spending time in Britain, very little of his story is covered - but then, this story is not about Obinze but Ifelema, who moves to the US, and through whom we are bluntly presented with the exhausting nature of micro-aggressions and the endless strength of women.
Indeed, it is women who are at the core of this book. The men are, by turns, cowardly, lazy, out for themselves and cowardly again. Every women is carefully constructed as though in an inverse proportion to women in other media; they have depth and character and personality.
This book is eye-opening. It will certainly not be the last of Adichie's novels that I will read.
No comments:
Post a Comment