Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1) in Around the World

Aug 07, 2012 Barbarac rated it liked it

Shelves: africa, atw13

My thoughts about this book averaged 3 stars. There’s parts of it I really enjoyed, and others I didn’t care for at all. While reading it, it reminded me of a couple of books I’ve read that were written by 2 people, and the chapters and stories within the book don’t always flow seamlessly.
Okonkwo, is a very strong man, and he works very hard, mostly to overcome his father’s legacy of weakness and failure. He doesn’t tolerate weakness or defiance in those around him. As a powerful character, he l ...more

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Aug 14, 2014 Lilisa rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, nigeria, you-ll-love-this-one, around-the-world-2015, 2015

Set during the 1890s in a fictitious village of Umuofia in Nigeria, the book centers around Okonkwo, of the Igbo or Ibo tribe and his life story. Okonkwo is one of the leaders in the village, he's worked hard to be where he is, a well-known wrestler with three wives and many children. He's the typical male - with no tolerance for weakness, a lover of wine and with his women and children at his beck and call. He's viewed as a leader in the village having secured a fifth human head during the late Set during the 1890s in a fictitious village of Umuofia in Nigeria, the book centers around Okonkwo, of the Igbo or Ibo tribe and his life story. Okonkwo is one of the leaders in the village, he's worked hard to be where he is, a well-known wrestler with three wives and many children. He's the typical male - with no tolerance for weakness, a lover of wine and with his women and children at his beck and call. He's viewed as a leader in the village having secured a fifth human head during the latest war. He is everything is dead father was not. But when he listens to the Oracle and kills a young man who he has raised in his household like his own son, his fortunes change. He is banished from his village for having inadvertently killed another young man and for that he spends seven years in a neighboring village. During this time the white man arrives in his village and we see the gradual erosion of tribal beliefs and customs and the conversion of the villagers to Christianity. On his return to his village Okonkwo is dismayed to find that the villagers don't seem to stand up for their tribal beliefs and when the inevitable confrontation occurs and he kills again, this time he pays the price with devastating results. It was interesting learning about how life existed in Nigeria before colonialism and about its customs and social norms. Coincidentally, I just read land Below the Wind set in the island of Borneo during the 1930s, and headhunters were still prevalent then. It's fascinating that across the world whether in Nigeria or in the Far East customs are very similar as in the case of headhunters in both parts of the world being viewed as the ultimate in prowess, skill and glory. While the book was interesting, the writing didn't captivate me and I wasn't beguiled by a fantastic turn of phrase. The novel felt more like a narration than a storyline neatly woven together. I felt the story ended a bit abruptly but still feel it's definitely a worthwhile book to read as I gained good insight into the life and times in Nigeria prior to colonialism. ...more

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