Americanah: A novel

I have become a very skeptical reader, and as such, I was kind of dubious for a large chunk of this book. Mostly I objected to the form of the book because it feels like it's part novel and part essay collection. I wasn't in love with that format. Also, the thing about the essays is that I agree with every word of them- or very nearly every word- but they lack the scholarly historical flavor that both the character Blaine and I prefer in our nonfiction.

But by the end I cared so much about the main characters, I love them so hard, I think Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a genius of fiction writing and if she wants to throw in essays, she can do whatever she wants. A new favorite!

It was an interesting read about the differences between Nigerian and American culture. I did not enjoy the female MC and therefore gets a rating of 6.

Americanah is a fascinating fictional/social commentary of Nigeria and its people’s relationship with America. The story follows Ifemelu, a Nigerian girl who emigrates to America for university, and her studies, career, love life and other life choices through to middle age. I found Ifemelu’s insights into American people, life and culture fascinating. Some were similar to mine (as a white British immigrant living in Maryland) and others were completely different (no real surprise there, unfortunately). Being local to Baltimore, I enjoyed the chapters set in the city. I had also never thought about how being a black African in America would be different from being a black African-American, but it makes complete sense that it is. The book really hits this home. On a lighter note, I had no idea that so much time (and so many products) go into black hair care. It was fascinating! I now know all about the evils (/benefits?) of relaxer! The narrator of this audiobook, Adjoa Andoh, was fantastic. Her various African, American and British accents are all amazing! She also narrates the audiobook for The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abe Daré which is an equally stunning novel set in Nigeria. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie writes to inform, educate and shock her readers about the injustices in the Nigerian class system and also about the continued level of racism still existent in the United States. She also writes, however, to make her readers grow in fondness for the citizens of Nigeria and it’s culture. I think she succeeds in all of these things. P.s. I also now have to read Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama!

The book feels like a memoir of the author's challenges as she leaves Nigeria and tries to integrate into American way of life. It is a disarmingly honest account of her love life and enables the reader not only to hear her voice strongly but to identify with the irritations of a well educated young women being forced to dumb herself down to be a child minder. This generation of young African writers are dealing with a whole new perception of what it is to be an African in America, and on return to the mother land to find that as an 'Americanah,' it is hard to reintegrate. It is 'class' rather than 'race' which is the main barrier. The quality of Adichie's writing is second to none, and I have found a new favourite author.

Chimamanda grew up in Nigeria. This great novel is set both in Nigeria and America and explores race issues, gender roles, of the sense of belonging and home and at the same time a romantic novel.