Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

[Vivian Paschal]

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is an author I admire a lot. My sister loves her books but has one problem. She says Chimamanda pays little regard to African culture in her books. For example, she doesn't like that Obinze cheated on his wife and left his family for Ifemelu in Americanah. As far as she is concerned, that's a slap on African culture. I think it's good that she writes that way. It may not be an accepted African culture, but these things do happen in Africa. She just writes realistic stories. I like that she rebels against the system and how society kills the real people within people. However, I think she goes a little too far with feminism, but that's just my opinion. What do you think about her and her books?

[Ashley Simon]

I’m three-quarters of the way through Half of a Yellow Sun. It's my first encounter with Adichie, and quite a bit of the cultural/political commentary went over my head, but her skill in creating a compelling cast of characters kept me turning the pages. My knowledge of African culture is very limited, so I won't pretend to have an opinion on that question, but I'm interested to read what other people think. I especially loved the relationship she developed between Olanna and her twin sister Kainene. The chronology of the book threw me at first (she goes back and forth between early and late 60s) - still not sure what I think about that. What are your favorite books by Adichie?

[KlareAllison]

I have read Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's first novel, Purple Hibiscus. I think she fairly represents the socio-cultural realities which shape and order the typical Nigerian family within the period the narrative was set.

[Vivian Paschal]

I’m three-quarters of the way through Half of a Yellow Sun. It's my first encounter with Adichie, and quite a bit of the cultural/political commentary went over my head, but her skill in creating a compelling cast of characters kept me turning the pages. My knowledge of African culture is very limited, so I won't pretend to have an opinion on that question, but I'm interested to read what other people think. I especially loved the relationship she developed between Olanna and her twin sister Kainene. The chronology of the book threw me at first (she goes back and forth between early and late 60s) - still not sure what I think about that. What are your favorite books by Adichie?

My favourite is Purple Hibiscus. It was her first novel and we had to read it in school. She is a woman of strong opinions and it shows in her books. I think she has a thing for throwing people off a bit I saw the movie of Half of a Yellow Sun. My parents have told me a lot about the war so I could relate to an extent. I hope you enjoy and appreciate the story.

[Ashley Simon]

I’m three-quarters of the way through Half of a Yellow Sun. It's my first encounter with Adichie, and quite a bit of the cultural/political commentary went over my head, but her skill in creating a compelling cast of characters kept me turning the pages. My knowledge of African culture is very limited, so I won't pretend to have an opinion on that question, but I'm interested to read what other people think. I especially loved the relationship she developed between Olanna and her twin sister Kainene. The chronology of the book threw me at first (she goes back and forth between early and late 60s) - still not sure what I think about that. What are your favorite books by Adichie?

My favourite is Purple Hibiscus. It was her first novel and we had to read it in school. She is a woman of strong opinions and it shows in her books. I think she has a thing for throwing people off a bit I saw the movie of Half of a Yellow Sun. My parents have told me a lot about the war so I could relate to an extent. I hope you enjoy and appreciate the story.

I've wanted to read Purple Hibiscus for a while. I'll have to check it out!

[Damilola Oyebanji]

I actually admire Chimamanda's contribution to Literature. Her Purple Hibiscus ridiculed religious hypocrisy and fanaticism. Some Africans embraced the foreign religions and western values blindly. Eugene condemns bowing for the traditional rulers, yet he bows to the Pope and kisses his ring.
However, I find fault with Half of a Yellow Sun and Americana. In as much as I condemn the genocide on the Igbos, I feel that the Author is biased. Literature should be didactic. At least, I expected her to reveal, in the exposition, what the Igbos did to ignite that inferno and at the end of it all, proffer suggestions to avert such treatment in future. Olanna's refusal to get married to her partner before moving in with him is a slap on the Igbo culture. She defies the tradition she claims to be defending. Thus, feminism is taken to the extreme.
She committed the same cultural assault in Americana. Sleeping around with men overseas, cutting connection with Obinze, encouraging a married man in committing adultery and at the end of the day, hijacks the man from his wife and family. To me, that's feminism taken too far.

[qsusan]

I liked Purple Hibiscus and a lot more than Half of a Yellow Sun.
This was probably because Purple Hibiscus follows the thoughts of a single character. Following a single character, generally pulls me deeper into the story and prevents any disturbances as I immerse myself in the world of the novel.
Also and more importantly, Kambili was a character that made you feel, with the things she said and even more with the things she did not say. The feeling of a voice suppressed was given voice this way.

[Lovely359]

I really enjoyed reading Americanah, because the characters in y opinion were meant to be flawed. Adichie does a great job at showing more than one side of a person, which I believe is what literature should do. I remember in school they would teach the different ways to learn about a character 1. What the character does/says about themselves 2. What others say or do about the character 3. What the narrator says about a character and 4. What the author implies about a character. Adichie does a great job of creating dimensional characters.

[Amanda Nixon]

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a fabulous writer. I love Americanah

[Nikolas Farmakis]

I know Adichie from school when we read one of her TED speeches. However, I do not know any of her books in detail.

[_Bokeh]

I would say she is a prolific writer. I also love how she packages African history, culture and politics in her books and how she generally addresses contemporary issues like feminism. I feel that her books are so similar.

[Michael Adam Glidden Forteski]

I am incapable of judging her based on the question. Ive read Americanah and I thought it could have more representation, but perhaps that didn't fit into the narrative well. It would be an excellent question to ask her directly.