Flashing the Darker side of the Dark Continent
Some months back through one of my friend I got to know about this book ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie an African writer.
About the Author:
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born in Nigeria in 1977. She is the author of the novels Purple Hibiscus(2003) and Half of a Yellow Sun(2006), and she has published a collection of short stories titled The Thing around Your Neck(2009). She has received numerous awards and distinctions, including the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction(2007) and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship(2008).
==Introduction: ==*
After getting her opinion about this book, I ensconced myself on reading this ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’. When I rummage few pages here and there I was spell bound to see the author’s skillful narration about the Nigerian History and the lexis involved naturally depicted about author’s proficiency in writing, when I religiously started reading that book I was utterly got sucked into the characters and the situations involved. Author had used few words from their native language called Igbo in order to bring the natural flow of the story.
Baseline of this book is about Nigerian History in 1960’s, when Nigeria against the backdrop of the Nigerian civil war can say story about the Biafrans.
List of major characters:
1.Protagonist Odenigbo, a rebellious stance, works as a professor in Nsukku university .
- Olanna, his wife, friend and philosopher who is very appealing and very human.
3.Lastly there is Kainene, Olanna’s twin, enigmatic, moody and distant.
These three have very complex relationships with each other
4.Richard, Kainene’s boyfriend and a white journalist.
5.Ugwu, household assistance of Odenigbo who has become almost like a member of their family as their son. Author has taken the story through the eyes of Ugwu.
Gist:
The best part of the novel is the revelation of multifaceted facts of humans like how Odenigbo commits injustice unintentionally towards Olanna’s love and like the same how Olanna commits injustice out of anger to Odenigbo involving with Richard, betrayal actions followed with the hurt and then the revenge and finally how both of them getting back with their bonding of love. Complex love story with the complicated situations involved with revolution campaign, on the spot decisions to move and find the way to save their friends, family, last minute preparation for food, and most importantly to save their own Biafra from Africa. Complete blend of human emotions towards their motherland.
Kainene is portrayed as a complicate nut to crack. Her own boyfriend is enchanted but upset by the enigma she is to him and some of her dialogues are tough and thought provoking as well. She is a challenge to people near her and no action of hers in unjustified, but none can be justified either. The bitterness she shares with her twin because she is way prettier than her might remind you of people from you past who made you feel uglier than you really are! She howls over with her courage and frankness. She later mellows down and revives the bond with her sister but before you can rejoice, there comes an important twist in the tale.
Likes:
There is a very subtle humor which runs throughout the book despite the serious milieu and quite a few places make us laugh aloud too! The hypotheses for most of our so-called civil wars are brilliantly explained.The phenomenons of most of the African nations are basic bequest of the British rule and Nigeria civil war is no exception. But what is exceptional is hearing the story and justifications through an insider’s voice.
Troubles that occurs like illness, scarcity for food, shortage of milk for children, abandoned age old people, small children, difficulty they face in commutation, on the spot decisions during war time makes us to think and count each of our countless blessings.
Dislikes:
Author has narrated intensely in black and white about certain relationships through Ugwu’s eyes, may not be suitable for readers who deeply concerned about our authentic way of living.
Conclusion:
It’s a delight for those who like to read and experience the Nigerian way of living, their language, their culture and their history about the so called civilized war with the blend of love story.