Americanah

AUTHOR: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

PAGES: 477

ÂGE: 16+

NOTE: 4.4/5

Shortlisted for the 2014 Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction!

SUMMARY:

Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love. When their future seems bright and joyful, the unexpected happens. Ifemelu leaves after receiving a scholarship in America! Leaving behind her: her boyfriend, her family and a military-ruled Nigeria. As all Nigerians, America was for Ifemelu the impossible Dream; the symbol of hope, wealth, social and economical stability and success; a place of endless opportunities!

When Ifemelu sets foot on America for the first time, she expects her Dream to come true. No. What she finds is worse than anything she could have imagined. Her bitterness and disillusions are complete, there is only one word to blame it for. Racism. As she comes to understand the significance of it, she starts a blog entitled: Various Observations About American Blacks by a Non-American Black. For her, America is the beginning of a new life, many new challenges and struggles!

Fifteen years later, when she comes back to a democratic Nigeria to find her long lost love Obinze, they will have to make the hardest decisions of their lives.

COMMENT: This is a beautiful story reflecting the current global tensions on blackness in America and the broken dreams of young Nigerians. Adiche opens up a new perspective of the Western world from Ifemelu’s young eyes. It paints a portrait of America, while covering race, gender, politics, love, friendship, communities, religion, language, nationality, identity and privilege. It links current matters such as Barack Obama into the story. Through a love story, we travel from Nigeria to America, England and other places. This book is a revelation and a MUST READ!