Buddy Read Carol, Sofia and Maya - June 5, 2016

[Maya]

[Sofia]

Looking forward to this - my first Adichie

[Sofia]

Irina will be joining us in reading and if she has time in talking as well.

[Sofia]

Good morning girls.

Looking forward to this. Hoping to start soon as outside is calling me as well : D

[Maya]

Morning :)

I'll start later today too, want to read some more from Ariah which I didn't manage to finish yesterday.

[Sofia]

No worries Maya, I got Prosperity on the go as well. I'm getting used to the language so it's more fun now.

[Maya]

Chapter 1
(view spoiler)[ok, I'm hooked, want to know why Ifemelu wants to go back home and how that will work after 13 years of the American experience. I found her voice a bit judgmental though - first towards the man eating ice cream in a cone (what's wrong with that) and then towards Aisha. Gave me the impression that she felt superior to Aisha. It's just kind of weird for someone who writes about races and prejudices. Or maybe it's just Ifemelu being honest. (hide spoiler)]

Back to Ariah now as my thoughts are still there.

[Sofia]

Going to start now.

[Sofia]

Chap 1 (view spoiler)[i like the words and the honesty. Her examination of fat and how it means different things to different people. And there is no globalisation of meaning of words. This is going to be a different perspective than Baldwin. In a way it will be seeing America by an outsider, like I am. Will she be an outsider back home as well?

I smiled when she described the waiting at the hairdresser, one of the things i hate here. It's useless having an appoinment as I go and wait anyway but without an appointment I cannot go :D (hide spoiler)]

Where is Carol?

[Carol]

I thought we would start today. Sorry! Will catch up fast, do not have to work today. :)

[Maya]

Carol wrote: "I thought we would start today. Sorry! Will catch up fast, do not have to work today. :)"

It's my fault. We talked about the beginning of the week but then I said the 5th thinking it's Monday so dates got mixed up.

No worries though, I only read chapter 1 yesterday so I'm only about 20 pages in.

[Sofia]

I'm working today so I read a chap before work.

Chap 2 Ceiling (view spoiler)[I like his voice. I get a feeling this is going to be different which I want. His observations on himself, Ifemlu, his wife and others are so..... his opinion of his wife's modesty I get that, wearing a virtue like a badge of honour.

They are both ripe for something to happen, i hope it will not destroy them. (hide spoiler)]

Good morning girls, I like that I'm going to spend the week with you :-)

[Maya]

me too. hope we'll have lots to talk about :)

[Sofia]

I wonder what connotations she has in her mind about ice cream licking? Puzzling.

[Maya]

Sofia wrote: "I'm working today so I read a chap before work.

Chap 2 Ceiling I like his voice. I get a feeling this is going to be different which I want. His observations on himself, Ifemlu, his wife and other..."

i liked his voice too. Very self-aware and aware of those around him. Also, his thoughts on humility - i thought that was spot on. The less you talk, the more the others will think you have/hide.

(view spoiler)[the story of how he got rich, about Chief - oh, that reminded so much of how things work in my country as well.

I think the story so far is a bit heavy with the foreshadowing - the wife is presented in quite the negative light with her jealousy and fake modesty. But i'm intrigued. (hide spoiler)]

[Maya]

Sofia wrote: "

I wonder what connotations she has in her mind about ice cream licking? Puzzling."

don't know, it was weird that she thought it was irresponsible. Irresponsible how?

[Carol]

Good day, you two. :) My weekend was a little bit crazy, because my sister announced that she is going to marry in two months. no one of my brothers and sisters did that yet, so I am very excited and happy for her. :)

I am also very very happy to spend some time with you again!:)
The first chapter (view spoiler)[ I was also a little bit baffled about Ifemelus judigness, but soon I began to appreciate her honesty.
So far I really liked this, even if it is a more complex read than I am used to these days. I really love how I am beginning to get a bit more perspective on how an African woman coming to America might feel. This is a new experience for me, as I do not know that much about Africa. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Maya]

I felt the same way, Carol - initially I was taken aback by her being so judgmental and superior. But then I warmed up to her. I think she's just extremely confident in herself. we shall see.

And yay for your sister! Will you have to be involved in the wedding planning frenzy?

[Sofia]

That's crazy family time Carol - enjoy :D

[Carol]

thanks, you two! :) this year, it will be only the civil ceremony, so I think the planning will be manageable. next year is the big church wedding, so the big celebration is still some months away.
But it is very exciting! I am already looking for wedding gifts, it is so much fun. :)

chapter two (view spoiler)[ I loved the back story to Obinze's and Ifemelus's romance. So normal and sweet. I also like Obinze a lot. Yes, his wife is not portrayed as a very positive character. But I liked how Obinze tries to understand her/make the reader understand her, even in her extreme jealousy and false modesty. (hide spoiler)]

[Sofia]

Chap 4 (view spoiler)[ salivary fumbling :D. I like these two. Their relationship feels precious. Ifemelu's mum reminded me of Baldwin's high rolkers Maya. (hide spoiler)]

[Carol]

Maya wrote: "Sofia wrote: "

I wonder what connotations she has in her mind about ice cream licking? Puzzling."

don't know, it was weird that she thought it was irresponsible. Irresponsible how?"

I also did not get the part about eating ice-cream being irresponsible. I tried to find some interpretations online.

Some reviewers tried to explain the description as "irresponsible" by remarking that eating too much icecream will lead to those men gaining weight (something which is frowned upon in America,). Others said that Ifemelu was indicating that eating icecream is not very dignified and thus unsuitable for grown men.
Perhaps it is a mixture of both?

But I still do not get why she mentions men and not women.

[Carol]

"He had introduced Ifemelu to Fela at university. She had, before then, thought of Fela as the mad weed-smoker who wore underwear at his concerts, but she had come to love the Afrobeat sound and they would lie on his mattress in Nsukka and listen to it and then she would leap up and make swift, vulgar movements with her hips when the run-run-run chorus came on."

If you want to listen to the song/artist Obinze mentions in chapter two:
Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_ODw...

Pretty interesting! :)

[Sofia]

Thanks Carol, yes I wanted :-)

[Maya]

Carol wrote: "Maya wrote: "Sofia wrote: "

I wonder what connotations she has in her mind about ice cream licking? Puzzling."

don't know, it was weird that she thought it was irresponsible. Irresponsible how?"
..."

hmm, i don't see how it would be related to weight gaining. She specifically said ice cream in a cone not ice-cream in general. Anyway.

[Maya]

Carol wrote: ""He had introduced Ifemelu to Fela at university. She had, before then, thought of Fela as the mad weed-smoker who wore underwear at his concerts, but she had come to love the Afrobeat sound and th..."

i listened last night, thanks Carol

[Maya]

Chapter 3 (view spoiler)[what the hell happened to Ifemelu's mother?
I hope things work out for the father soon. And the Auntie is ... well, she'd doing her best in the situation i suppose. (hide spoiler)]

[Carol]

chapter 3 (view spoiler)[ I was also very concerned about Ifemelu's mother. There are some weird religious groups out there (in Germany, too) that can be incredibly harmful. I have known a few women who jumped from one group to the next, constantly searching for the right faith. And I always felt fascinated by their belief and appalled by some of those teachings/religious practices.

I fear for Ifemelu's family, especially her father. Somehow there is a lot that hints at a potentially tragic fate. I hope I am wrong. (hide spoiler)]

[Sofia]

Maya wrote: "Chapter 3."

(view spoiler)[she got the religion bug.

In a way Uju with the General is like Obinze with the Chief. Tit for tat. Making way wrecks hell on the morals. (hide spoiler)]

[Maya]

Organized religion terrifies me.
Yes, got the same feeling about the father, Carol :(
But i'm also hoping Aunty Uju will help (as the mother sees her a gift from God).

[Maya]

Sofia wrote: "Maya wrote: "Chapter 3."

she got the religion bug.

In a way Uju with the General is like Obinze with the Chief. Tit for tat. Making way wrecks hell on the morals. "

yeah, and apparently the only way to succeed financially.

But as I understood in Chapter 1 Aunty Uju is the States now so she must have left at some point, did i get it wrong?

[Maya]

Chapter 4 - aww, teenage love :)
It's most likely ignorance on my side but i was a bit surprised how influenced they are by the western culture. They are basically the same as American teens (in books, i mean).

[Maya]

chapter 5
(view spoiler)[now i'm very curious why Obinze didn't go to America - he seemed so infatuated with that country. His mother influence or the separation with Ifemelu? (hide spoiler)]

[Sofia]

The effects of media, globalisation are far reaching i guess.

I'm curious too. From this i would have expected him to go. I want to see what happened.

[Sofia]

I was wondering about Americanah before reading chap 5. If I was reading it in Maltese , it would be Amerikana and the h would be a silent one. And it would be either a woman belonging to America or else an adjective describing something to which we attribute the feminine gender. In Maltese nouns are either feminine or masculine.

[Maya]

Isn't the h silent in English? I think it is.

It's the same in Bulgarian as well - nouns are either masculine or feminine and to me Americanah by default attaches to feminine. But i think for them it means any Nigerian who's lived in the US?

[Maya]

Sofia wrote: "The effects of media, globalisation are far reaching i guess.

I'm curious too. From this i would have expected him to go. I want to see what happened."

it's just interesting because i gather the events in Ifemelu and Obinze's teenage years take place in the 90s and democracy in Nigeria came in 1999. In my country we had very limited access to anything western before the democracy. But it's very different i suppose - communism vs military rule since it seems private business was not restricted, and the oil must have brought a lot of foreigners to Nigeria.

[Sofia]

yes that would be different, you had movement restrictions

[Sofia]

She used Americanah when she talked of that girl Besi who came back from a short time away and forget their language :D

[Maya]

Sofia wrote: "She used Americanah when she talked of that girl Besi who came back from a short time away and forget their language :D"

I remember that.
Maybe i didn't get what you mean in message 35?

[Sofia]

You got it right Uju is in America now - and she was the one who wanted to stay and have a private clinic. I guess everyone's plans went topsy turvy

[Sofia]

Maya wrote: "Sofia wrote: "She used Americanah when she talked of that girl Besi who came back from a short time away and forget their language :D"

I remember that.
Maybe i didn't get what you mean in message 35?"


Americanah in Maltese would be refering to something feminine so I was thinking that what she was when she returned home an Americanah

[Carol]

Ah, I did not know Uju in chapter 1, so I overread that she is in America now. Thanks for reminding me, Maya, Sofia!

I am also finished with chapter 5 now. I am currently very interested in Nigerian history, as I also did not know anything about that. I am also very surprised with what a huge influence American culture is.
Perhaps it is also because most of those teenagers are very rich, but it all feels very familiar.

I am also still fascinated by how many cool and strong female characters are in this book. I especially love Obinze's mother, but I also like Uju a lot.

[Sofia]

I liked Obinze's mum as well Carol. Yes the strata we are reading about are rich with the possibility of escaping abroad.

Chap 6. (view spoiler)[i am sorry for Uju. What was supposed to be getting on turned out to be true. She broke the rules. I guess we, know why she left :( (hide spoiler)]

[Carol]

Sofia wrote: "I liked Obinze's mum as well Carol. Yes the strata we are reading about are rich with the possibility of escaping abroad.

Chap 6. [spoilers removed]"

chapter 6 (view spoiler)[ yes, I guess now we know. I was surprised to see hoch much Uju actually loved the General. Initially, I though the arrangement was just out of convenience. (hide spoiler)]

[Sofia]

Good morning girls. I'm sitting out in the courtyard looking at my plants and listening to the birds, instead of leaving for work. Going to be late today which I have to make up for in tbe afternoon.

Chap 9 (view spoiler)[culture shock is coming. So said to see Uju like this. How can you remain yourself when they even change your name? (hide spoiler)]

[Maya]

Chapter 6 - yeah, it was clear this arrangement wouldn't last forever. My guess was that the General would be arrested after the end of the military rule and that would be the reason for Uju's immigration.

Curious if he was murdered. I wish the author gave us more details on the political situation in the country at this time. I'm too lazy to google every time.

It's great that Uju has Dike. She wanted him so much.

[Maya]

Good morning :)
My motivation to go to work this morning reached one of its lowest points. But i am in the office now. It's going to be another wasted day.

[Sofia]

Maya wrote: "Good morning :)
My motivation to go to work this morning reached one of its lowest points. But i am in the office now. It's going to be another wasted day."



I didn't even think of the outcome of having such a relationship with someone high in power and I should have - I hear enough news.


you need lots of hugs :D

[Carol]

good morning. :) I am alone at work, so I have twice the workload. But at least I have the office to myself! that is just so wonderful.

Wishing you both a good day! Think of the weekend, Maya. Only 2 1/2 days left. :)

I hope to get some reading done in my lunch break.