Make yourself a cup of tea and keep reading this until you reach the end (Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)

Member Name: Starlight81

Product:	Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Date:	26/01/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sensitively written and subtle

Disadvantages: Slightly less well developed than 'Half of a Yellow Sun'

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 her abusive father, yet her character is so sensitively written that in the end it is hard not to empathise with her.

As the book progresses, keeping pace with the turmoil of the unstable political situation within Nigeria, Kambili slowly begins to learn about the values of love and laughter, thanks to a stay with her aunt- a strong, independent woman who is seemingly everything her mother isn't.

Written in part to increase awareness amongst Nigerian women of the need to put an end to the patriarchal system within their country, and of the values of independence of thoughts and deeds, this book certainly achieves its aim.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie received the 2005 Commonwealth Writers Prize First Best Book award for this novel, and rightly so. It could easily be considered a modern classic.

Summary: Increase your knowledge of Nigerian history and culture and have a great read simultaneously