Americanah

     Author                     Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche

     Country                   Nigeria

     Genre                       Fiction

     Publication Date     May 2013

     Pages                        477








I have been looking for a good book to read for a while now. Recommended by a dear friend, this award winning book did meet that basic expectation but didn't go much beyond. An interesting and insightful read, but not one of my best books ever!

Set in Nigeria under military dictatorship, this is the story of a young girl, Ifemelu who falls in love with Obinze, while studying and spending most of their childhood time together. As time passes, their lives choose different paths and Ifemelu finds herself in America while Obinze, desperate to get out of Nigeria and unable to get a visa to his most admired and fantasised country, America, finds himself in London. Through her struggles with racism and her efforts to establish herself successfully in the tough American world, Ifemelu snaps her ties with Obinze and with the rest of her past. As time progresses, both of them once again find themselves in their homeland, faced with one of the toughest decision of their lives. Torn between right and wrong, between passion and commitment, they try to ask the questions and seek the answers.

It would be fair to say that Chimamanda has done a remarkable job at stringing together a passionate story about love, relationships and race in the new globalised world. What have particularly stayed with me are her reflections on racism and the complexity and beauty of human relationships as portrayed through the book.

It would be suffice to say that Americanah has been a welcome entrant into my reading and blogging club and I am happy for it!