Half of a Yellow Sun

This book tells the harrowing story of the Nigerian civil war in the 1960s, or otherwise referred to as the Nigerian/Biafra conflict, through the eyes of a houseboy, two twin sisters, a professor and a British writer. This war is a seminal moment in African history that dwarfs in terms of scale when compared to other wars that the continent has endured in its post-colonial era. However, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, recently hailed by Salon as one of America's most promising young writers (20 under 40), brilliantly retold history that was richly infused with color, character and emotions, taking it out of the Western stereotypes of any African conflict. The story jumps back and forth between the period of the early sixties, which protrays Nigeria in the early days of its independence from British colonial rule, and the late sixties, during which the civil war took place. But inspite of the big socio-political backdrop, this book is more about the relationship of the different characters to each other and how that relationship is affected by the horrors of war than about history or politics. The characters really couldn't have been more different to each other, and their relationship to each other may well represent societal relationships in Nigeria at that time. The book started with Ugwu's story, a village boy employed as a houseboy in the home of an eccentric professor of Nsukka University, the first native university, which predominantly caters to the local Igbo majority. With Odenigbo as his master, Ugwu discovers books, proper use of English and refined tastes. There are the twin sisters Olanna and Kainene, who are offpsprings of a wealthy Igbo businessman, whose dealings with the government is anything but clean. The sisters, despite of their elitist upbringing, have extremely diverging views of life. That difference is also cemented in how little they resemble each other. Olanna is a radiant, full-figured beauty who is full of ideals and resents her parents' way of life, whereas Kainene, is the tall, thin and dark-skinned sister akin to Olanna's shadow, who, despite of her apathy to her father's dealings, is in charge of continue expanding his business. Their fateful choice of lovers, and subsequently, their individual relationships and relationship towards each other, is what drives the story: Olanna found a lover in Odenigbo and settles in remote Nsukka, while Kainene becomes involved with Richard Churchill, an aspiring British writer who travels the country in search of material and inspiration for his first book. Richard is sent to do his work in Nsukka university, in which he becomes witness to, and later, embroils himself fully in the declaration of an independent Biafra. The setting is complex and the story is intricately layered. The plot twists and turns unexpectedly; surprises lurk in every corner. The storytelling may seem ambitious as it jumps between characters and time periods. Yet Adichie couldn't have done a more brilliant job, her prose is simple and effortless but surprisingly it has not reduced or belittled the intensity and impact of the story. War breaks and make people, and this was very much so the case in the book. Relationships break apart and are mended in such strange ways; people change in ways unrecognizable to their loved ones. Adichie has captured the transformation each characters goes through remarkably well. Even though the characters may seem stereotypical at first (the naive houseboy, the eccentric professor, the beautiful idealist, etc), but their transformations is far from stereotypical. For instance, as it turns out, Olanna, despite living to her revolutionary ideals, misses her life in luxury, and Kainene, despite of her sheltered upbringing, proved herself to be a leader and survivor. Again, without revealing too much, this book also tells what people are capable of committing as well as enduring in times of war, and so many of the plot twists are shocking and heart wrenching. Finally, the simplicity of the prose is striking. In simplest way possible, Adichie captures the intricate details of the conflict, the complex social and political backdrop that British colonialism provided to it and the human sufferings compounded by it. Yet the exotic, African-ness quality has not eluded the storytelling; in fact, it grew stronger with every turn of the page. As a reader and a total stranger to Africa, let alone Nigeria and its rich history, Neither did I find myself buried in new terminologies on ethnicity and culture, nor have I become confused in historical details. Yet when I put down the book I felt as if I had experienced both the ancient land infused with mysticism and the modern postcolonial world, later shredded and charred by war. many of the passages were memorable, the characters will stay long with me after I have put the book down. I can't stress enough how good this book is. Highly recommended.

This is quite a book and the last 100 pages or so, are a rough ride. The book is based, largely I believe, on real life characters and follows each of them through the war/massacre/mass starvation that became known as either the Nigerian Civil War, or the lost war for Biafran Independence in the years 1967-1970. What I liked about this book is that the characters are well developed and flawed; therefore, they are believable and you feel empathy for them, even when they act destructively. The writer's prose is simple and straightforward. It is not overly descriptive or flowery. So, in many ways, she is purposely a better story teller than she is a story writer. But that's okay. This is a page turner and a humane telling of a conflict lost to the blind ambitions of the Big Powers and the ego-maniacs that rule the world. The author does not spare her scorn for the Brits and the Americans and their cynical backing of a corrupt Nigerian government. In the end, I felt her main message was a simple yet profound message. No one wins in war. Even, the so called "winners" sacrifice their humanity and their ideals. So, in a strange way it made me reflect on America's present wars. In the end, does anyone really win? I don't give five star ratings unless a book is one of the best I've read in the past several years; but this book comes close. It's easily a 4. Okay, let's give it a 4.5. It's a perfect selection for a book club as much discussion could be made of the various characters and what they represent. But if you buy this book, stick with it for the first, fairly slow, 100 pages as it does build up a story foundation as it progresses to its relatively sad ending. I highly recommend this book.

Half of a Yellow Sun is another one of those books that I had been meaning to read for years. I finally had a chance to experience it. What a great book! The novel takes place in mid-late 1960's Nigeria, during the time the Igbo people attempted to become the independent nation of Biafra. I heard about this civil war, but really did not know much about the horror which resulted. The story is told through the perspectives of (3) main characters (but there are other terrific characters as well). There is Ugwu, a 13 year old house boy for professor Odenigbo who teaches at the university in Nsukka. He is a very observant young boy who notices how well he is treated compared to other house boys. For example, he sleeps in a bed and is given his own books. He tries his best to do everything right, but sometimes he takes things a bit too far like when he ironed his Mr. O's socks and burned a hole in them. He provides much needed humor at just the right times. Ironically, Odenigbo seems nicer to his house boy than most other people he encounters. Olanna and Kainene are twin sisters who come from a wealthy family. Olanna is the beautiful sister, but lacks confidence. She becomes involved with Professor O and later moves into his home and the two eventually marry. At first Ugwu feels threatened by Olanna'a arrival, but then he becomes devoted to pleasing her. Richard is a shy Englishman, a man who is not comfortable in his own skin. He's always felt inferior whether at home or in Nigeria. Richard has come to Nigeria as a expat to write a book about Igbo art. He becomes involved with Kainene, the twin sister of Olanna. Kainene is not considered to be attractive. She's somewhat aloof, very intelligent and financially savvy, and her relationship with Richard is tumultuous at times. This story covers so many topics: war, genocide, relationships - infidelity, personal identity, loyalty, class struggles and more. It is a book that would make a great choice for book groups. It's beautifully written, the characters are fully explored and they are ones that will stick with you. The author knows how to write, and although this is a work of fiction, the information about the civil war was very informative. I found the graphic details of the war tough to read about at times, but because the writing had moments of humor and the characters were so interesting, it helped to take my mind off the horrors of war. READ IT!

This is a fascinating and engaging book that retells the story of the Nigeria-Biafra Civil (un-civil?) War (1967-1970), especially as it altered the vision and lifestyle of everyday families and workers. It is, therefore, not necessarily about the unfolding of the war, but about war as an aberration to human existence and the efforts by major characters to attain normalcy in the face of untold devastation. Sadly, interpretations of Half of a Yellow Sun have often been erroneously reduced to an Igbo struggle for survival and secession. Even the Editorial Review here on Amazon reads: "When the Igbo people of eastern Nigeria seceded in 1967 to form the independent nation of Biafra, a bloody, crippling three-year civil war followed." Imagine how this must sound to the numerous non-Igbos from present Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States who fought fervently for Biafra until the bitter end. Imagine the feelings of those who lost loved ones and property to the carnage. My own Ibibio family produced two soldiers who fought for and remained loyal to Biafra during and well after the war. The Secretary to the Biafran Government, N.U. Akpan was not an Igbo man. Biafra's Ambassador Ignatius Kogbara was not an Igbo man. Biafra's leading propagandist, Okokon Ndem was not an Igbo man. Effiong, Biafra's Chief of General Staff was not an Igbo man. The famed Archibong brothers who lost their lives during the war were not Igbos. In 2014 Akwa Ibom State Government built a cenotaph in memory of those who lost their lives during the war. Why would this non-Igbo State embark on such an initiative except that its people played a significant role and suffered during the war? Granted, the Igbos were the greatest victims of the crisis and suffered the most in terms of loss of lives and property. But even though seven million Jews died during World War II, that historic conflict cannot simply be redefined as a Jewish story or struggle for Jewish survival. Chimamanda Adichie deserves utmost commendation for being a captivating writer and for bringing to life a tragic story that had erstwhile been largely suppressed because those who won the war dominated and influenced the Nigeria socio-political scene for several years following the conflict. One of Adichie's key sources of initial information was most likely her people, the Igbos, since she was born seven years after the war. Notwithstanding these facts, and in order not to lose the human and global significance of the Nigeria-Biafra conflict, it is important to reappraise Adichie's novel more broadly and objectively, and to subsequently capture the causes, consequences and handling of the war as an experience that involved Igbos, several other ethnic groups, indeed all of Nigeria and to an extent Africa and the international community.

I have read many books in my lifetime. Some are memorable because everyone agrees that they are classics and the brouhaha that is created around them makes it hard for the reader to forget them. Others are good because they strike a chord in the reader's mind, evoke strong emotions, or reminds the reader of a lived experience. Others are light and fun, written in such a way that you can only take away a phrase or two. But some, are mirrors held up to our faces and we can't avoid the stark reality that they portray, so we begrudgingly remember them even if we don't want to. This book, "Half of a Yellow Sun" has all the components of a classic. It is a mirror held up to society to reveal the extent of hate we can dispense to each other. Though we aren't inherently evil, sometime the things people do to preserve such "social constructs" as the survival of the State, are absolutely evil. The Biafra war was such an evil unnecessary event that deeply scarred the psyche of a young nation that was emerging from yet another trauma of colonization. I will not go into the events that take place in the book because I am afraid that I will ruin it for everyone. What I will say is, there is a difference, a great difference when an African/ Black Author writes about the Black experience. There is that immediate bond the teller has to the story. It is not a loose translation of what it might mean to be them under a given circumstance. It is not guesswork of the Black experience that the books of the past were often premised on. When Black people write their own stories the language itself is suddenly different. True in context, setting, and usage. Infused in cultural nuances that someone of a different race may not be able to appreciate or be completely oblivious of. This book brings us to the heart of Nigeria at a time when hope in Africa was to collide with the tentacles of ignominy that griped and still grips that content. This evil, though localized, is mostly imported perhaps to prevent Africa from ever being a great power. Who knows. I highly recommend this book. Though intense, it is infused with some romantic entanglements, resentments, confusion, -everything one may expect to experience when a nation is at war with itself. As for me: I will not forget this book because of the "Woman with a Calabash!" That image is forever etched in my memory. Kudos to @Chimamanda

Adeichi is an amazing story teller. The stories within the main story were extremely thought provoking and exhilarating. Before, Half A Yellow Sun, sadly the only Nigerian novel I had ever read was Things Fall A Part. This was also my introduction to the Biafran War. I took a detour from the novel to read about the war and some of the main players so that I would have a context for some of the story. I think that this was very helpful. In fact I really got lost in the politics of the war for a little while. I think that unlike many people who may read this book I find that the lives of the servant class are more interesting then other characters. I am also a die hard romantic. Even though we don't know much about Ikejide, I am heart broken by his death. Why couldn't it have been Harrison with his "Uncle Tom" ways. I love Ugwu. But I wish that he had stayed dead because I am not sure what to do with the lie he told the family regarding the reason for his conscription. And I put the book down for several days when he raped the young girl. I just knew that he was going to stand above the fray. My husband and I talked quiet a bit about this part of the book. I still love Ugwe's intellect, commitment to the family, and his aspiration to be a writer. My reason for giving the book four stars instead of five is because I do like nice tidy endings. I do miss Kainene. Her character was not perfect, but she was strong and the family needs her. Always. No one in the book seems to be interesting without her. Even Baby only has a name if Kainene is in her life. Though the book is finished I could imagine all of the characters going on with their lives as long as Kainene was with them. However, without her, they all cease to be. Anyone else could be missing and I would feel as if that the others existed in Nigeria today. In my mind, since Kainene is missing all of the other characters exist in time only as frozen gray characters.

Compelling and easy to read. We know the world is a hard place, but this book opens your eyes to different perspectives of what a challenge in life means n

A stirring, heartbreaking account of the Nigerian Civil War, as seen through the eyes of three very different characters. The novel starts in the early sixties, not long after the end of British colonial rule, presenting a nation, Nigeria, that did not exist before the British invented it. As the British continue to meddle in the shadows, the disparate peoples of newly independent Nigeria are left to figure out how to coexist. We are introduced to this world by Ugwu, a village boy who has just landed a coveted position as a houseboy for a university professor, Odenigbo. Through the perspectives of Ugwu, Odenigbo’s lover Olanna, and British expat Richard, the story of the rise and horrific fall of the breakaway state of Biafra is told. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie brings this terrible story to life in clear, powerful prose, and creates fully human characters, with all the flaws and internal inconsistencies inherent in the human condition. Ugwu is easy to sympathize with, though he never questions his position, and often has little sympathy for others. Expat Richard is a good man who desperately wants to be seen as different from the other white men in the country, but can not grasp the extent of his privilege. Odenigbo and his band of academics are full of revolutionary zeal, but steadfastly refuse to consider what consequences the realization of their ideals might bring. One of the things I really liked was the dichotomy between twin sisters Olanna and Kainene. Olanna is the more outwardly idealistic of the pair, the one who makes a show of eschewing her family’s status to move in with her academic lover, while fatalistic Kainene takes over aspects of the family’s sprawling business interests. When the war breaks out Olanna suffers much more than her sister, who rides out most of the conflict in relative comfort. But it’s Kainene who sees with clearer eyes and uses her privilege to render aid, while Olanna never manages to rid herself of her bourgeois haughtiness. This is a novel written by an Igbo author about Igbo characters, and the atrocities committed against the majority Igbo Biafrans by the Nigerians are well known and well documented, but Adichie here has the courage not to show the Igbo as entirely blameless. Biafra has its own corruption, and the Igbo commit their own atrocities born out of prejudice. We have a tendency to simplify historic wars, to gloss over complexities and hide from truths that don’t fit easily within the prevailing narrative. In Half of a Yellow Sun Adichie thankfully doesn’t do this.

There has never been a better time to read Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Not only because it has recently been hailed as, 'A benchmark for excellence in fiction writing,' by the Baileys prize judges as they crowned it the ‘best of the best’ of the past decade’s winners. Not only if – like this reader – you were woefully ignorant of the Biafran war, its causes and consequences and your own government’s underhand behaviour throughout the period covered by the novel. Instead, read it because it really is an enlightening tale, far from being a dry history lesson, instead packed with vivid, memorable characters who it is difficult to step away from every evening when it becomes time to put down the book. Twin sisters Olanna and Kainene couldn’t be more different in their approach to life after graduation: Kainene dryly amused by her work in their father’s businesses while Olanna heads off to an unfashionable university in a outlying town to be with her boyfriend Odenigbo (who Kainene dismisses as ‘the revolutionary’). Events leading up to the outbreak of war between Nigeria and Biafra conspire to drive the sisters apart and it is not immediately clear that they will be able to resolve their differences amid the chaos. The stories are also narrated in part by Richard, Kainene’s British boyfriend, who is attempting to write a novel inspired by Igbo-Ukwu art and Ugwu, Odenigbo’s houseboy, whose adolescence, education and journey to maturity are interrupted by the fighting. This is a novel of bold ambition, not only in telling the stories of the war, but in dealing with the themes that engaged and challenged people through the 1960s. Olanna and Odenigbo are both academics, hosting colleagues and visitors at their home each night for lively, wide-ranging and drunken debates on the future of post-colonial Africa. Kainene and Olanna are both modern girls, keen to have careers and not be as dependent on their men as their mother perhaps is. Meanwhile fine distinctions abound – between wealthy Olanna (who after fleeing finds herself missing her tablecloths) and her aunt’s more down-to-earth family, the differences between the sophisticated city dwellers and the superstitions of village life, Richard’s attempts to distinguish himself from the other Westerners – which are often missed when the ill-informed speak of ‘Africa’ as one mass. Although set on a different continent, there is a lot here to inform about current events in Europe and the Middle East. Olanna and Odenigbo's failure to get out of harm's way, not anticipating the need to leave until literally the moment that they can hear shelling. And then, a form of internal exile as they move from one place to another, trying to remain in contact with friends and family who are similarly scattered, while facing starvation and diseases as deadly as the fighting. Ambitious in scope, but that ambition is realised in this wonderful, challenging and vivid story.

During the late 1960s, Nigeria witnessed a gruesome civil war that led to persecution of Igbo people across the state. The demand for an independent Biafra initiated violent altercations amongst the local tribes which had been living peacefully since ages in the area. Like all other civil wars, the worst hit were the local people, women and children including, caught in the state of affairs in which their mere survival was at risk. A lot has been written about one of the bloodiest civil wars in the world history since then. Adichie’s book, Half of a Yellow Sun, first published in 2006 is considered one of the most lucid fictions based on the past that still haunts the people of Nigeria. War knows no religion, race, gender or social status. It destroys everything and everybody with equal tenacity. When Olanna and her sister Kaneine are caught in the war, they find themselves completely helpless. In spite of their sound social and economic status and education, their plight seems no different from the uneducated houseboy Ugwu who has seen nothing but abject poverty all his life. As all of them face the brutalities of war with all their might, they struggle to maintain their sanity despite the gory violence being shed upon their friends, families and community. Odenigbo, Ugwu’s master and Olanna’s life partner, sees Biafra as a new beginning and believes in the future that it promises for the state. However, he fails to fathom the cost of it. They lose their comfortable abode overnight and are forced to live as refugees, running for cover every time an air-bomber shells their neighbourhood. Richard, Kaneine’s English boyfriend, continues to face ridicule and resistance. But he finds himself more connected to the country of his residence than his roots of the past. Adichie’s book is a masterpiece. It takes you along the journey of ups and downs; of pleasures and absolute dejections; of feeing completely helpless to finding the strength within. The transformation of a naïve village boy who found pleasure in cooking for his master to a soldier of the civil war who raped girls and killed people cold heartedly, is heart breaking. The bond between sisters which was lost in the times of abundance revives in tough times and brings them together. Half of a Yellow Sun takes a plunge into emotions, predicaments, redemptions and pain. There is a reasonable yet sensitive human angle to issues, personal and social. Some portions are worth reading twice, just to devour the beauty of writing. This is undoubtedly one of the best books I have ever read.

This is a wonderful book about a time and a tragic war of which I knew almost nothing. I could not put it down. The story is deeply involving and the characters are achingly real. It is one of those books that make you feel as if you are watching the action unfold in an extraordinarily vivid way. I loved it. I thank the author for her wonderful gift to readers.

Une claque. Page turner saisissant autant que sensible et émouvant.

I love the book. Nicely organized to follow the story. This is my first read from Chimamanda and I will surely be reading Americanah. Thanks