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What Members Thought
This was an exciting and interesting read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The description of the cultures was very vivid and unflinching in its portrayal of both the good and the bad aspects. It was hard to sympathize with many aspects of the Nigerian culture, particularly the harsh mistreatment of women and children, and also the sheer superstitious nature of the people portrayed them as primitive. At the same time, the novel felt realistic and raw and was easy to get through, with interesting chara
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At first, I was a little taken aback by the writing; it seemed to me that Achebe was using a very stripped down style to evoke the primitiveness of the society he was describing, and indeed this was an element, but then it became obvious to me that just as the society, despite being primitive, was at the same time highly evolved and complex, so Achebe's style was a good deal more subtle than had initially been apparent to me.
Written in the language of the oppressor, but with a rich vocabulary o ...more
Written in the language of the oppressor, but with a rich vocabulary o ...more
This was probably a book best read in my 50s. The recounting of the brutal and violent village life, along with its strong family and religious ties seemed so foreign to our world today and the narrative contrasted so nicely when white missionaries enter the scene and the foreign suddenly becomes familiar, that as I read I quickly realized the violent and superstitious beliefs weren't solely the product of the seemingly more primitive belief system. Even the final act in the book felt to my West
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Good story set in tribal Nigeria at the beginning of the colonial period.
Apr 22, 2008
Kara
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Oct 09, 2009
Sara
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Jan 25, 2013
Stephanie
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Apr 06, 2013
Gary Dale
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Feb 23, 2015
O'Rissa
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Mar 31, 2015
Jen
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Aug 26, 2017
Davida "Davi"
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Mar 28, 2018
Ginger
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Jun 03, 2018
Brenda
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