Book: The Thing Around Your Neck
Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Pages: 240
How Long it Took to Read: A little over a day. Some of the stories were really intense and I had to pause and think and take it in.
Plot Summary: There isn't one really, this is a collection of short stories based in Nigeria predominantly. The stories cover a vast array of subjects, from the experience of two very different women stuck together in the middle of a bloody riot. In another, a young woman moves to America after an arranged marriage and is figuring out if the man she has been married off to, is indeed the man she thought he was. There is a heart-breaking story of a mother who has lost her son due to the so-called heroics of her journalist husband. There is a coming-of-age story of a spoilt young brother, told through his sister, who sees him grow up and mature during his time in prison. My favourite story in the collection is one with a slight dark twist, about a cold blooded crime committed in childhood and it's life long consequences.
Characters: A wide number of characters live within these pages. Simple rural folks, living a hard life in hard times. Big-men, who marry pretty young girls and have numerous affairs on the side. Strong women who survive and thrive. The book is full of inspiring and real people I loved reading about.
What I Liked: The writing is really great. Simple, moving and powerful. I loved almost every single story in the book, which doesn't always happen in a short story collection. I also loved 'visiting' Nigeria. I love reading about different cultures and people. I hadn't read a book about Nigeria before this and I am so glad I started with this one.
What I didn't: Nothing really.
General Thoughts: I had heard nothing but good things about the author and this book in particular. I had been meaning to read this book for absolutely ages but somehow never got around to it. I started with this book and loved the way the author writes and the stories she tells. I followed this up with The Purple Hibiscus, a full length novel and enjoyed that as well. A review of that will be up shortly.
Will You Like It? Yes, if you like reading about different cultures and countries and wonder how people live in the world, you'll enjoy these stories from Nigeria.
Rating: 5/5
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