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I Saw the Sky Catch Fire
As young Ajuzia prepares to leave for America, his grandmother, Nne-nne, recreates the history of their country, Nigeria, through a series of powerful tales, tales he will fully understand only when he returns
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
About the author
T. Obinkaram Echewa
8 books3 followersThomas Obinkaram Echewa is an Igbo Nigerian author of literary and children's fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 25, 2020
A certified hidden gem.
This book was like nothing I’ve read before. It is stunningly original, uproariously wild, profound and opens the door to an Africa that I have not encountered in literature before. It is impossible not to compare this novel to Things Fall Apart – also set in Nigeria, also about the White Man’s arrival in Africa – but the latter pales alarmingly in comparison with this one. After reading I Saw the Sky Catch Fire, Things Fall Apart seems to be mild and written with a Western readership in mind. Echewa does not pander or hold anything back. The lives, tragedies, mythologies and the culture of a Nigerian village are gloriously sketched in a magnificent canvas with no shade of the Personal or the Political left unused. It does not lack emotional depth which is usually the first sacrifice in any ambitious novel that is mounted at a scale similar to this one. Multiple readings are surely required to take in the complete grandeur in display here, but the first experience was breathtaking. I didn’t go in expecting anything and it ended up as one of the biggest surprises and best experiences of this year.
The oral tradition of storytelling is the most primal form of literature, and it is put to great use by Echewa here. It does not seem gimmicky or used flashily as some tool. It seems like the most natural choice to render the story of the Ndom. Ndom is a fierce, hierarchy-less, wild and unique women’s collective that rebels against any injustice against women. Even in a deeply patriarchal society existing in the villages, their power is astounding and they dole out instant justice.
This story is mainly about women – their lives, their griefs and their wars. It is divided into two parts. Part One is narrated by the male protagonist’s grandmother and it is about the Women’s War waged by Ndom against the British colonial government that sought to impose tax on women by conducting a census. In a non-linear, meandering way common to oral storytelling, it recounts the history of the villages, women, Ndom and the arrival of colonialism. It is a very colorful rendition of the history, populated with interesting proverbs, side stories and even an English woman’s journals that provide the western perception of the village for the reader’s benefit. Women are constantly beaten by their husbands, men marrying multiple women seem to be the norm, women are not allowed to make their own money – the system is wired against women in myriad ways, but whenever Ndom is provoked, they are unstoppable. It is curious to observe the general helplessness of women alongside the might of Ndom’s power, and it is impossible not to wonder why the power of Ndom was not used to fight for greater gender equality in everyday life. Was that notion too western? As Ndom seems to operate within the prejudices of patriarchy, is it just a unique outlet for the general anger and frustration felt by women? Whatever it might be, the Ndom is unlike anything I have encountered so far, and I would like to read more about them. Also, I was alarmed by the blind adherence to female circumcision and the justification behind it in the Nigerian culture.
Part Two is set in more recent times – after Nigeria’s independence and it is the story of a couple evolving through a long-distance relationship. The different set of expectations society places on men and women post marriage, effect of teenage pregnancy, new families formed in the absence of family members and the common reality of long-distance relationships are intimately explored here. It is a very realistic portrait of the phases of a relationship, infidelity and the ensuing confrontations – all depicted with the honest layer of sexism coating heterosexual romantic relationships. The man, though an infidel himself, is offended by his wife whom he ignored for a large part of 5 years after marrying her due to her pregnancy. The woman repeatedly tries to talk some sense into him and gives her version of the story, but he refuses to look beyond his hurt and anger. It comes close to a satisfying end but I expected a better resolution of their central issues.
The two parts could have been entire novels themselves, and I believed that the second part could not live up to the spectacular Part One. I was proved wrong by its quiet power and acuity. The material and psychological scars left behind by colonialism are very evident in the lives of the characters. Among many noteworthy subjects in the story, the absence of political hierarchy in some villages is especially intriguing as a form of governance. The sense of moral decline and cultural doom seems to have been around forever in all the countries, and it is very palpable in the story of Ndom.
Few novels are as flawlessly executed as I Saw the Sky Catch Fire and it should be much more popular for all its wit, humor and warmth. It is a very effective chronicle of the lives of Nigerian women in different epochs, and when compassion meets a brilliant storytelling prowess the result is beautiful to behold. I have been looking to divert my gaze away from British and American novels, and this was a great place to start. I wonder how many such truly marvelous novels escaped widespread attention and it inspires great sorrow.
This book was like nothing I’ve read before. It is stunningly original, uproariously wild, profound and opens the door to an Africa that I have not encountered in literature before. It is impossible not to compare this novel to Things Fall Apart – also set in Nigeria, also about the White Man’s arrival in Africa – but the latter pales alarmingly in comparison with this one. After reading I Saw the Sky Catch Fire, Things Fall Apart seems to be mild and written with a Western readership in mind. Echewa does not pander or hold anything back. The lives, tragedies, mythologies and the culture of a Nigerian village are gloriously sketched in a magnificent canvas with no shade of the Personal or the Political left unused. It does not lack emotional depth which is usually the first sacrifice in any ambitious novel that is mounted at a scale similar to this one. Multiple readings are surely required to take in the complete grandeur in display here, but the first experience was breathtaking. I didn’t go in expecting anything and it ended up as one of the biggest surprises and best experiences of this year.
The oral tradition of storytelling is the most primal form of literature, and it is put to great use by Echewa here. It does not seem gimmicky or used flashily as some tool. It seems like the most natural choice to render the story of the Ndom. Ndom is a fierce, hierarchy-less, wild and unique women’s collective that rebels against any injustice against women. Even in a deeply patriarchal society existing in the villages, their power is astounding and they dole out instant justice.
This story is mainly about women – their lives, their griefs and their wars. It is divided into two parts. Part One is narrated by the male protagonist’s grandmother and it is about the Women’s War waged by Ndom against the British colonial government that sought to impose tax on women by conducting a census. In a non-linear, meandering way common to oral storytelling, it recounts the history of the villages, women, Ndom and the arrival of colonialism. It is a very colorful rendition of the history, populated with interesting proverbs, side stories and even an English woman’s journals that provide the western perception of the village for the reader’s benefit. Women are constantly beaten by their husbands, men marrying multiple women seem to be the norm, women are not allowed to make their own money – the system is wired against women in myriad ways, but whenever Ndom is provoked, they are unstoppable. It is curious to observe the general helplessness of women alongside the might of Ndom’s power, and it is impossible not to wonder why the power of Ndom was not used to fight for greater gender equality in everyday life. Was that notion too western? As Ndom seems to operate within the prejudices of patriarchy, is it just a unique outlet for the general anger and frustration felt by women? Whatever it might be, the Ndom is unlike anything I have encountered so far, and I would like to read more about them. Also, I was alarmed by the blind adherence to female circumcision and the justification behind it in the Nigerian culture.
Part Two is set in more recent times – after Nigeria’s independence and it is the story of a couple evolving through a long-distance relationship. The different set of expectations society places on men and women post marriage, effect of teenage pregnancy, new families formed in the absence of family members and the common reality of long-distance relationships are intimately explored here. It is a very realistic portrait of the phases of a relationship, infidelity and the ensuing confrontations – all depicted with the honest layer of sexism coating heterosexual romantic relationships. The man, though an infidel himself, is offended by his wife whom he ignored for a large part of 5 years after marrying her due to her pregnancy. The woman repeatedly tries to talk some sense into him and gives her version of the story, but he refuses to look beyond his hurt and anger. It comes close to a satisfying end but I expected a better resolution of their central issues.
The two parts could have been entire novels themselves, and I believed that the second part could not live up to the spectacular Part One. I was proved wrong by its quiet power and acuity. The material and psychological scars left behind by colonialism are very evident in the lives of the characters. Among many noteworthy subjects in the story, the absence of political hierarchy in some villages is especially intriguing as a form of governance. The sense of moral decline and cultural doom seems to have been around forever in all the countries, and it is very palpable in the story of Ndom.
Few novels are as flawlessly executed as I Saw the Sky Catch Fire and it should be much more popular for all its wit, humor and warmth. It is a very effective chronicle of the lives of Nigerian women in different epochs, and when compassion meets a brilliant storytelling prowess the result is beautiful to behold. I have been looking to divert my gaze away from British and American novels, and this was a great place to start. I wonder how many such truly marvelous novels escaped widespread attention and it inspires great sorrow.
November 30, 2020
I was a little apprehensive when I started this book. It seemed to be all about women in Nigeria but it's written by a man. So perhaps I thought the voices would be coming through a distorted prism. And that may still be the case, but Obinkaram still manages to capture us with the rich tapestry he weaves.
The story starts with recollections by Nne-nne, the protagonist Ajuzia's grandma. Most of these revolve around the Woman's War that happened under the colonial rule in Nigeria. Through these memories, we get a glimpse of the society of Nigeria, the role of women and the loose structure that was in place is most villages of those times. This was one of the most intriguing aspects, the idea that we don't need a formal, rigid government in order to have a functional society. Even in the absence of such a structure, early Nigerians seems to have been thriving, and perhaps we need to return to this sort of diffuse distribution of responsibilities to resolve many of our ongoing problems in democracy.
Part two of the story gets more grounded and gets into the protagonist's own story. This is where the book really bloomed for me. Ajuzia has to leave to America for his studies, leaving his newly married wife Stella, and new-born child W'orima. The changes this separation causes and the complications that arise are wonderfully explored. Through this simple premise, Obinkaram questions what love and marriage mean and what the role of two people in a relationship together is. There is a beautiful arc in the two main characters of this part, Stella and Ajuzia, and it follows such a natural flow. Each of these characters come into their own and the background that was established through Nne-nne's stories before and through the story of Stella's mom in this part adds texture and enriches the overall narrative.
A problematic idea that repeats throughout the book though is the idea that a woman is defined through her biological parts. This of course, ignores the existence of trans people. It also seems to deny womanhood to anyone who might have developmental problems. This was one aspect of the book that did trouble me. This might still be reflective of the society in Nigeria and it has made me curious about trans narratives in Nigeria. Perhaps reading more 0f those would help clarify how trans people are perceived there culturally.
Overall though, this book is very well written and definitely deserves a read.
The story starts with recollections by Nne-nne, the protagonist Ajuzia's grandma. Most of these revolve around the Woman's War that happened under the colonial rule in Nigeria. Through these memories, we get a glimpse of the society of Nigeria, the role of women and the loose structure that was in place is most villages of those times. This was one of the most intriguing aspects, the idea that we don't need a formal, rigid government in order to have a functional society. Even in the absence of such a structure, early Nigerians seems to have been thriving, and perhaps we need to return to this sort of diffuse distribution of responsibilities to resolve many of our ongoing problems in democracy.
Part two of the story gets more grounded and gets into the protagonist's own story. This is where the book really bloomed for me. Ajuzia has to leave to America for his studies, leaving his newly married wife Stella, and new-born child W'orima. The changes this separation causes and the complications that arise are wonderfully explored. Through this simple premise, Obinkaram questions what love and marriage mean and what the role of two people in a relationship together is. There is a beautiful arc in the two main characters of this part, Stella and Ajuzia, and it follows such a natural flow. Each of these characters come into their own and the background that was established through Nne-nne's stories before and through the story of Stella's mom in this part adds texture and enriches the overall narrative.
A problematic idea that repeats throughout the book though is the idea that a woman is defined through her biological parts. This of course, ignores the existence of trans people. It also seems to deny womanhood to anyone who might have developmental problems. This was one aspect of the book that did trouble me. This might still be reflective of the society in Nigeria and it has made me curious about trans narratives in Nigeria. Perhaps reading more 0f those would help clarify how trans people are perceived there culturally.
Overall though, this book is very well written and definitely deserves a read.
May 27, 2016
I really liked Part 1, but Aju was such an asshole in Part 2 that it made the book as a whole less enjoyable for me. Having a male protagonist seemed pointless; I would have rather seen the relationship between Nne-nne and Stella (or W'Orima). BUT the narrative of the Women's War was great and made me want to read more about it, and I liked how that part of the story kind of circled back around on itself. I would like to read other books narrated by Nne-nne, especially if Aju was not in them.
July 4, 2025
I thought Part 1 was interesting but a slog to read in terms of narrative momentum and Part 2 was easier to read but the threads from part 1 woven in at end didn't work for me and the story, also was not that interesting and repetitive. The Nigerian culture and resistance to colonialism were very gripping nevertheless, and the white womans POV helped to drive these points home.
March 10, 2024
This was really challenging to read and took me some time to finish. But it really tells an amazing story of the power of women in resisting colonization, and the ways that communities of women truly carry these societies.
June 24, 2020
A beautifully written story about women in Africa. Loved it.
March 15, 2011
This book really became something very special to me after I had the good fortune to meet the author.
One of the things I loved about this book was that it really came alive - it wasn't easy to read, but that was because it was, as he described it, "a style contrived to be almost an...anti-novel, if you will".
This style of writing, which brought in a lot of very interesting techniques and integrated them incredibly well, surprised me. It stood alone. In other words, I was simply blown away by the vivid depictions of life that were so real to me... it didn't feel like a book so much as an oral narrative.
Dr. Echewa has written an incredible book; he is also quite a nice man, and an entertaining speaker. I had the pleasure of meeting him during a guest lecture/Q&A session he had with my class at West Chester University, which made the experience of "I saw the sky catch fire" even more enjoyable.
One of the things I loved about this book was that it really came alive - it wasn't easy to read, but that was because it was, as he described it, "a style contrived to be almost an...anti-novel, if you will".
This style of writing, which brought in a lot of very interesting techniques and integrated them incredibly well, surprised me. It stood alone. In other words, I was simply blown away by the vivid depictions of life that were so real to me... it didn't feel like a book so much as an oral narrative.
Dr. Echewa has written an incredible book; he is also quite a nice man, and an entertaining speaker. I had the pleasure of meeting him during a guest lecture/Q&A session he had with my class at West Chester University, which made the experience of "I saw the sky catch fire" even more enjoyable.
November 20, 2022
A terrific book! At first I found it very hard to get into. The African names, all the untranslated Igbo words, the somewhat rambling nature of the storytelling, and the insertion of some “magical realism” made it hard for me to fall into a reading rhythm and flow. But once I let myself be captivated by the stories and the fantastic characters, I came to appreciate how much exactly those aspects of the book I had been struggling with contributed to the spellbinding quality of Part One. I thought the more prosaic Part Two would not live up to its antecedent, but actually found it really wonderful as well; I loved the characters of Aju’s grandmother and mother-in-law and how they were ultimately able to open his heart and change his perspective, and I found his interactions with Stella often had a wonderful tenderness. A marvelous read.
July 8, 2014
This is not only one of the few novels that depicts the Igbo Women's War of 1929 in Nigeria, but it is narratively interesting with most of the story coming from memories of the first person narrator's grandmother. Bluntly dealing with a litany of women's pain (political, romantically, physical), this book would be interesting for a women literature class and is paced with enough humor and banter for pleasure reading, even though it draws from and depicts weighty topics. If you like female rebellion, this is an excellent choice.
April 3, 2016
Parts of this book were very interesting and I really enjoyed the ndom language and translations, but I kept finding myself checking how many pages left until I was finished which is not a great sign. Parts 1 & 2 of the book seemed really disjointed even though I know the author tried to relay what was going on five years later. Overall, very interesting and will make for a good book club discussion.
July 16, 2008
Don't be misguided by the synopsis of the story when you begin reading the book and get three quarters of the way into it waiting for story to take place of what the synopsis states. You will miss out on a beautiful piece of the book. Definately one I will read again. This book leaves you with a very fulfilling ending. I strongly recommend this read!
November 15, 2008
Excellent. The author is a Professor at West Chester University.
April 27, 2009
Nice look into African Culture. I enjoyed the storyteller type dialogue.
April 4, 2016
Just wasn't for me. I appreciated reading stories from a different culture but I never found myself invested in the characters or the stories really.
March 9, 2019
Tradition, myth, and magic in a Nigerian village.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews