I'll start off by saying this- I cracked open Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie thinking I could never love it more than Americanah. I was wrong! I don’t know if I can pit the two against each other, but they come pretty dang close in a competition of detail, passion, beauty, and tugging on my heartstrings.
I fell in love with Adichie’s characters right away in this story. Ugwu especially stole my heart, a young houseboy in Nigeria before, during, and after the Nigerian Civil War that lasted from 1967-1970. Olanna and Richard are the other two main characters/viewpoints, each lovable in their own way. It was fascinating to watch both the complicated relationships between the characters and the looming war blossom over the course of the book.
A story of passion, desperation, and pride in Nigeria is the result of Adichie’s artful way with words in this story. I’ve never come across an author quite like Adichie. The way she puts human emotions into writing amazes me- it is beautiful and flowing and remarkable. I am itching to get my hands on We Should All be Feminists next.
Although Americanah holds a special place in my heart (and in the top 10 of my favorite books), I kept wishing that Half of a Yellow Heart would never end. It was an incredibly rich and personal story. I would highly recommend it!
Have you read any of Adichie’s work?
xx, Lauren
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