Apart from my favourite genres to read, I seldom read literary fiction but having recently read Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie simply because the author is a fellow Nigerian and a brilliant writer, I might pay more attention to this genre because the genre has a way of making ordinary human experiences feel important. I have read one of her earlier works, Purple Hibiscus and it was a grounding experience for me.
Ms Adichie is a strong example of why the literary fiction genre works so well. This book is about love, migration, race, identity and home, varying subjects that many people can resonate with and yet her writing style never feels like a lecture. Instead it feels like spending time with people whose lives slowly become familiar to you.
Americanah centres around two main characters: Ifemelu and Obinze, two young Nigerians who fall in love while growing up in Nigeria. Their relationship begins at a time when they are still discovering themselves and imagining what their futures might look like. When Nigeria's political and educational situation makes life increasingly difficult, their paths begin to separate. Ifemelu leaves for America to continue her education while Obinze hopes to follow a similar path abroad.
But life doesn't unfold as they both expect. In America, Ifemelu faces the difficult realities of being an immigrant such as loneliness, financial struggles, cultural differences and a new awareness of race. Back home, she had simply been Nigerian but in the US, she discovered what it means to be seen and treated as a Black person within a society where race carries meanings and expectations.
Obinze’s journey takes him in another direction, leading him through his own difficult experiences abroad. Years pass and fate somehow brings them together again. Their lives have changed and both characters become different people from the teenagers they once were. Yet the question of what remains between them quietly stays at the heart of the story.
Genres: Literary Fiction, Romance, Contemporary Publication: May 2013 Pages: 588
My Review And Rating
Did I mention earlier that this story feels like spending time with familiar people? Through this book, Chimamanda Adichie shows her ability to observe people and write stories that feel familiar to her readers. She notices the things many people recognise but rarely say out loud. The awkwardness of trying to fit into a new country, the pressure to change accent so people take a person seriously, the assumptions people make about Africa and the way someone can believe they are open-minded while holding prejudices they refuse to examine are all captured in this book. I haven't enjoyed reading a book this much in a long while.
The plot of this novel is solid and well-written and the author resolves the conflict satisfyingly. There are moments that are uncomfortable because they feel honest. Adichie doesn't soften conversations about race to make them easier to digest but writes them unapologetically. At the same time, she brings humour into many situations. I found myself appreciating how naturally she moved between serious social issues and the ordinary absurdity of human behaviour.
The two lead characters are interesting and the way Adichie portrays them will make you fall in love with them, their imperfections and all. Ifemelu, the FMC, is not written to be likeable. She makes mistakes and hurts people yet that is what makes her feel human. I did not always agree with her but I understood why she became the person she did. Literary fiction often asks us to sit with characters rather than judge them too quickly and this novel does this well.
The love story between Ifemelu and Obinze gives this novel its emotional foundation and I like that the author did not reduce the story to just romance. She made their love matter and also their ambitions, independence, careers, and personal growth. Loving someone does not stop life from becoming complicated and time changes people.
The theme that held my attention in this novel was identity. Moving from one country to another changes a person. The change may be obvious or happen quietly and then the person returns home and realises that the home has changed too. This is where the title of this book becomes meaningful and relatable. The novel captures that uncomfortable space between the two worlds: the past and the present.
Americanah is a long novel and it's pace will not suit every reader. It spends time on conversations, memories, observations and secondary characters. I think that is part of its strength. The story feels full because the world around Ifemelu and Obinze changes and they adjust as best as they can.
Rating this novel, I’d give it 8.5 out of 10 stars. Americanah was an engaging and thoughtful reading experience. Adichie tells a deep Nigerian story while also exploring experiences that reach far behind Nigeria.
Images generated with Chatgpt using the e-book cover
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Rating: 85/100
Originally posted through scrobble.life/books.
