Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I read this book by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie only after first reading 'Half of a Yellow Sun'. Although this first of her novels lacks some of the maturity of the later book, her characterisation and the subtle manner in which she puts across some quite harrowing subject matter is admirable. The main character, Kambili, is a 15 year old girl living under the suffocating powerr of her father's regime. Although a devout catholic who is admired by the community for his good deeds, her father's iron grip on his family makes him a wholly different type of character once out of the public eye. In parts it is frustrating to read of Kamibili's devotion to ...  Read the complete review

Having already read Half of a Yellow Sun by the same author, which I loved, I snapped this book up when I saw it half price in Sainsburys. It follows the story of Kambili who is brought up in a strict Catholic household in Nigeria. The life she leads in her home town is strongly contrasted with the lives of her aunt and cousins in Nsukka, with whom she stays. At home she is subjected to physical abuse from her father and is regarded by her school friends as a snob. Spending time with her cousins she begins to realise how different other peoples lives are, and slowly begins to break the ties with her tyrannical father. It's a beautifully written book, very vividly drawn, ...  Read the complete review

Purple Hibiscus is a novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a story set in Nigeria, Africa and based on a young fifteen year old girl, Kambili. Kambili lives in the city with her wealthy family, who are strong believers in the Catholic faith. Unfortunately Kambili's father has two sides to him. Firstly he is a strong Catholic, well respected, community member, and secondly, the strict bully at home. He would beat Kambili and her brother Jaja. The father is extremely irrational, he does not understand failure, and the children had to be number one in school. They were always terrified. The novel develops and involves Kambili and her brother being ...  Read the complete review

I had this book bought for me a while ago and at first left it to gather dust thinking it was not my type of book. However once I picked it up and began reading i was hooked! The book is about 15 year old Kambili and her life growing up under the strict regime of her rich catholic father in Nigeria. As Nigeria suffers from a military coup, Kambili is moved to live with her aunt, where she discovers fun and laughter and how to relax as a child. The book flows perfectly and is easy to follow the story. The characters are all unique and completely believable! The story is really gripping and once you get into the book it is really hard ...  Read the complete review