Purple Hibiscus (Turtleback)

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Review
'A sensitive and touching story of a child exposed too early to religious intolerance and the uglier side of the Nigerian state.' J. M. Coetzee'Political brutality and domestic violence, religion and witchcraft all merge with subtle force in this memorable novel. Chimammanda Ngozi Adichie uses childhood innocence to write Nigerian history with the eye of a family insider.' Hugo Hamilton'This is the best new novel to have come out of Africa in some years. Like its young protagonist, it is a work of undemonstrative but rare feeling and intelligence; and it gives us one of the most fascinating and perturbing patriarchs of recent literature. But its special magic lies in conveying that, however devastated a childhood might be, it still has an unrepeatable, dream-like quality'. Amit Chaudhuri'Purple Hibiscus is the best debut I've read since Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things.' Jason Cowley, Times journalist, literary editor of the New Statesman'This debut ensnares the reader from the first page and lingers in the memory...in soft, searing voice, Adichie examines the complexities of family, faith and country through the haunted but hopeful eyes of a young girl on the cusp of womanhood.' Publishers Weekly

Earnest debut about a 15-year-old girl's struggle to blossom under the tyranny of her father's-and country's-strong arm. Kambili and her older brother Jaja live a luxurious life in Nigeria as the only children of a powerful man. Their father virtually supports his home village, owns factories, and, most importantly, owns the newspaper that champions free speech and the rights of the people at a time when silence is far safer. Papa is a hero. But at home in their quiet marble palace, Kambili and Jaja live in fear of regular beatings: "lessons" on how to become more pious Catholics. Mama's miscarriages are the result of these, and Jaja has a deformed finger. The three are forever in danger of breaking the rules but are never quite sure what the rules are. Papa begrudgingly allows Kambili and her brother to visit his sister Ifeoma, and the trip, the first time away from their parents, is a revelation to the siblings. Widowed Auntie Ifeoma is a university professor and mother of her own three markedly different children. Though poor, Auntie Ifeoma's house is filled with laughter, discussion, opinions and freedom, so different from the tightly regimented schedule Kambili and Jaja are used to that at first Kambili barely opens her mouth. Slowly (and with the help of young Father Amadi, whom she develops a crush on), Kambili begins to enjoy life a little. Alongside Kambili's narrative is a portrayal of the sad state of contemporary African politics-the poverty-inducing corruption, rioting, and uncertainty of basic needs. Like many first-novelists, Adichie tries for too much; her portrayal of Kambili's home life is striking but provides far too incomplete a depiction of Papa. Her portrait of Nigeria is fascinating but fragmented. Auntie Ifeoma and the cousins are likable enough but not memorable. Nonetheless, with Kambili the author has created a compelling narrative-and a surprising punch at end. A young African voice welcome to American shores. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

The Guardian
"Perceptive characterisation and an evocative portrayal of a fast-changing country, mark this Orange-shortlisted novel out from the crowd." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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First Sentence
Things started to fall apart at home when my brother, Jaja, did not go to communion and Papa flung his heavy missal across the room and broke the figurines on the etagere. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
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46 Reviews 5 star:  (35) 4 star:  (8) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.7 out of 5 stars (46 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   40 of 41 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning 5* read!, 13 Feb 2005 By  dovegreyreader "dovegreyreader" (UK) - See all my reviews    This review is from: Purple Hibiscus (Paperback) I picked this book up intending to read a few pages in just to see what I thought and actually hardly put it down again until I had finished it. It is a fantastic insight into life in Nigeria in unsettled political times with the overarching conflict of the Catholic religion versus indigenous faiths almost subsuming everything else. Kambili and Jaja's father is a prosperous and generous Catholic businessman respected and revered in the wider community for his support of charities yet behind closed doors he is a despotic, controlling and ultimately extremely violent man. Helpless and seemingly powerless, the family can do nothing but tolerate Papa's violence which despite it's brutality still does nothing to affect their love for him until finally and very unexpectedly the power does shift.Adichie creates the family who have everything yet have nothing and then contrasts them powerfully with another branch of the family who seemingly have nothing yet have it all and it works. She delineates fear superbly;the reader really feels and lives what this family are going through.There is a wonderful intermingling of local dialect within the narrative that grounds this book very firmly in Nigeria and much of the beauty and hardship of the country is clearly described in a flowing and atmospheric style. Despite the stomach-churning physical abuse that almost moves you to tears for many reasons ,I found this an ultimately very satisfying read. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   56 of 58 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, heartwrenching, excellent., 16 May 2006 By  MaryAnne "dubai-reader" (Dubai United Arab Emirates) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)       This review is from: Purple Hibiscus (Paperback) Read by our bookclub, this book produced enthusiastic reviews. Teenage Kambili tells her story. Gradually we begin to see the cracks in a family that outwardly appears prosperous and loving. The children are painfully subserviant, less than first place in school provokes serious repercussions. The mother has repeated miscarriages while the father is the village philanthropist. After a visit to her Aunt Ifeoma and her three cousins, Kambili starts to see things as they really are; the life she thought normal starts to become frightening. The threatening thing about the situation is the power of the church and the Catholic religion, used as an excuse to inflict terrible punishment for percieved misdemeanors. Also the power of other people's opinions and maintaining a position within the village. It's a book that you won't want to put down, but some passages are quite distressing. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   17 of 17 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Electrifying read, 16 Aug 2007 By  Sitizi (Raleigh, USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Purple Hibiscus (Paperback) Purple Hibiscus is a beautiful story. The plot is based on a 14 year-old who grew up under the stifling patronage of a stern father. Her domineering father frequently physically abused his family alongside her, creating terror at home and stunting the psychological growth of his children. Against the backdrop of the deterioration of the socio-economic and political life of Nigeria as it undergoes a military coup, the life Kambili knows is shattered and she has to seek for refuge in the home of her aunt. Kambili the sheltered but highly restricted child, who never thought of herself as lucky and who had earlier been absconded by her peers and cousin because of her supposedly privileges, learns to assert herself and becomes a beloved character, a character who easily understood the plight of those around her.. Kambili at first came to terms with her father as someone who regarded himself as a pillar of the community and someone she genuinely loved. Even the emotional and physical pains he inflicted are seen only as a gesture of love for her own good, but later she comes to consider his actions as abnormal. With its vivid portrayal of Nigerian life, and brilliant dissection of the characters , this novel moves at a pace which is electrifying.Also recommended:HALF OF A YELLOW SUN, THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES,that I enjoyed this summer. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 46 customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing This is such an amazing book by such an amazing woman. Anyone who has experienced, or has known someone who has experienced, domestic violence will identify with this. Read more Published 1 day ago by D. Hendy 5.0 out of 5 stars A complex study of domestic violence Apart from the interesting plot and vivid writing which really brings Nigeria alive to the reader, what really moved me about this book was the complex study of abusive... Read more Published 29 days ago by Tamara 5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic! A moving, heart-wrenching story. SOOOO strongly recommended Beautifully written with such insight into a dysfunctional family Do read it if you appreciate... Read more Published 1 month ago by M. Marriott 4.0 out of 5 stars a novel of awakenings... Adichie's debut novel Purple Hibiscus, shortlisted for the 2004 Orange Prize, is a vivid and disturbing portrayal of family life in Nigeria. Read more Published 2 months ago by LittleMoon 4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read I found this book to be an interesting read. It did at times move rather slowly but the book turned out to be an insightful journey. Read more Published 2 months ago by C. M. Reidy 5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Debut - Great read for anyone I absolutely loved it, from the first page. I'd heard all the hype & was a bit sceptic but I loved the book straight away, so much so that I demanded all my book-loving friends... Read more Published 2 months ago by Nefetiti 4.0 out of 5 stars A convincing writing debut. I fall in love with this writer reading "Half of a yellow sun" (which I strongly recommend to everyone, by the way), so I decided to buy straightaway her debut novel. Read more Published 2 months ago by Francesconi Alessandra 5.0 out of 5 stars Underrated but superior debut from a bright young talent. It was so long ago that I read 'Purple Hibiscus' but it still remains one of my favourite reads of the decade. Read more Published 4 months ago by BlestMiss T 5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic I couldn't put this book down, it is a truly wonderful read. It is shorter and easier to read than Half of a Yellow Sun I think but it is just as good. Read more Published 6 months ago by R. Hunter 5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, inspiring, heartbreaking This is just a beautiful read! The writing is as clear as a bell and the characters are heartbreakingly real. Read more Published 8 months ago by Ms. E. Saunders Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 46 customer reviews...

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