Chinua Achebe
I totally understand the importance of this book. It was the first book written by an African author to receive global critical acclaim. It became the foundation for post-colonial literature in Africa. It is now the most widely-read piece of African literature. I get that Things Fall Apart is important.
Given the status accorded to Things Fall Apart in the world's literary pantheon, however, this might be quite inflammatory and controversial to say, but I did not really like it. I found the protagonist unlikable and the story mundane. – When faced with another unlikable protagonist in my United Arab Emirates entry, Noora in The Sand Fish, by Maha Gargash, at least I had an interesting and evocative story to carry me along.
The novel follows the life of a local village leader, Okonkwo, whose world begins to "fall apart" under the influence of British colonialism and intrusive proselytising by Christian missionaries. Again, I understand that the forces of colonialism and missionaries rarely led to happily-ever-after endings for the local people involved. But, as an aggressive mysogenist, it's a bit hard to feel for Okonkwo as things start to go pear-shaped over the course of the story that I found otherwise unremarkable.
Ann Morgan seemed pretty please by her Nigeria selection, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin. So I might have to check that, or another contemporary writer, as I continue forwards with my project to read the world.
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