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Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the most widely read novels from Nigeria's most famous novelist, Things Fall Apart is a gripping study of the problem of European colonialism in Africa. The story relates the cultural collision that occurs when Christian English missionaries arrive among the Ibos of Nigeria, bringing along their European ways of life and religion. In the novel, the Nigerian Okonkwo recognizes the cultural imperialism of the white men and tries to show his own people how their own society will fall apart if they exchange their own cultural core for that of the English.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'The first novel in English which spoke from the interior of an African character, rather than portraying the African as exotic, as the white man would see him' Wole Soyinka "The Founding Father of the African novel in English" - The Guardian
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
53 of 57 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ironically, I got turned on to this book by a piece of music. For years I'd marvelled at The Roots' album whose name, I recently found out, was taken from the title of this book. Having a degree in English Literature dominated by DWEM (dead white european males), Achebe's name had never even surfaced on my radar. What a travesty. Things fall apart is the perfect account of a dead civilisation, following a man, Okinkwo, as he battles with his culture, only to see it destroyed from both within and without by European colonialism. In contradiction to other accounts of Africa (such as Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness'), Achebe's account is beautiful for its lack of Orientalist language and allusions, treating the complexities of indiginous Africa as both beautiful and, above all, natural. Neither the Africans, nor the collonialists, are treated as unusual oddities, instead the author manages to impartially portray people, events and traditions with astounding pragmatism, the simple, often abrupt language only reinforcing the novel's lack of sentimentality. A miraculous novel, Things Fall Apart not only paints a picture of Africa during its golden-age, but also demonstrates the ignorance and orientalism which led to its destruction. A true masterpiece.
67 of 73 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There was unanimous agreement in our Book Group that we had all enjoyed this book. We mostly came to it not knowing what to expect, and enjoyed the perspective it gave us into a completely different society and way of life.
The way in which the first part of the book was written helped us to see how the tribal system worked and what the old beliefs were, it made us a part of the village and you saw life through their eyes and their values. It enabled you to accept, for instance, the polygamy, the treatment of women, and the killing of twin children without condemnation. It was this description of the tribal life that helped us to see, in the second part, what a devastating effect the arrival of the missionaries had on the tribe and how it gradually divided them and changed their way of life for ever.
Okonkwo makes an unusual 'hero' or main character. We sympathise with his continual fight against his childhood circumstances, but this makes him ignore advice, arrogant, and unnecessarily brutal. He sees himself as cerebral, regarding passion as a weakness, so it is when he does demonstrate love and passion it stands out more starkly.
Chielo the priestess is interesting, both a well-known and loved village member, but also the oracle at the cave. Both with her, and with the egwugwu spirits of the ancestors, the villagers show an amazing ability to suspend disbelief.
We thought that the building of the missionaries' church on the ground of the evil spirits was a clever device which allowed the 'white man' to demonstrate the weakness of the traditional religion. Nevertheless the end took us all by surprise, nothing had prepared you for it, as by this time you had identified with the life of the villagers. It was made even more poignant when you realised that the story would only merit a paragraph in the Commissioner's book.
The way in which the first part of the book was written helped us to see how the tribal system worked and what the old beliefs were, it made us a part of the village and you saw life through their eyes and their values. It enabled you to accept, for instance, the polygamy, the treatment of women, and the killing of twin children without condemnation. It was this description of the tribal life that helped us to see, in the second part, what a devastating effect the arrival of the missionaries had on the tribe and how it gradually divided them and changed their way of life for ever.
Okonkwo makes an unusual 'hero' or main character. We sympathise with his continual fight against his childhood circumstances, but this makes him ignore advice, arrogant, and unnecessarily brutal. He sees himself as cerebral, regarding passion as a weakness, so it is when he does demonstrate love and passion it stands out more starkly.
Chielo the priestess is interesting, both a well-known and loved village member, but also the oracle at the cave. Both with her, and with the egwugwu spirits of the ancestors, the villagers show an amazing ability to suspend disbelief.
We thought that the building of the missionaries' church on the ground of the evil spirits was a clever device which allowed the 'white man' to demonstrate the weakness of the traditional religion. Nevertheless the end took us all by surprise, nothing had prepared you for it, as by this time you had identified with the life of the villagers. It was made even more poignant when you realised that the story would only merit a paragraph in the Commissioner's book.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Okonkwo epitomized a die-hard African traditionalist with a firm conviction in the destiny of his people, yet a man who failed to accept the inevitable changes in his world. Things fall apart exposes us to the culture of the Ibo people of Nigeria and brings out the characters to the understandable to the reader. In our own little ways, we are like Okonkwo, caught in a world where we have little influence. The lesson is that No matter how powerful we are, we should not impose our wills on others, especially a will that reflects our egos and not the interest of humanity. Clash of cultures is what this book tells us about. Just as in THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES, NO LONGER AT EASE,THE OLD MAN AND THE MEDAL, TRIPLE AGENT DOUBLE CROSS, one gets a better idea of what Africans and other native peoples went through after being left with no choice but to accept the values and laws of the foreign powers that came into their lives.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Masterpiece
Chinua Achebe, author of 'Things Fall Apart' surmised in his essay 'An Image of Africa' that 'A Heart of Darkness' is deeply racist. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Church
Not for teens!
things fall apart was an unenjoyable and the most run down uninteresting book ive ever read. the use of the afican characters i didnt like especially when achebe talked about how... Read more
Published 3 months ago by book hater
Things Fall Apart
Yep, it arrived in the condition specified: interior annotations (but of course I'm only going to annotate it anyway - it's for my Literature class). Read more
Published 3 months ago by Cassie
things fall apart review by indigo.year 9 pupil.
Book review: things fall apart.
'Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men had'
Further from our culture than possible, Things Fall Apart reproduces the... Read more
'Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men had'
Further from our culture than possible, Things Fall Apart reproduces the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by wayne brazier
Things Fall Apart review
Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart ,first published in 1958, introduces many readers into the world of African tribes and cultures, Things Fall Apart is the first book out of four... Read more
Published 3 months ago by E.Hallett
Year 9 homework by K.Jones
'Chi' means personal God in the Ibo tribe language. This is the language that Okonkwo speaks within his native African tribe. Okonkwo is a man of power and many people respect him. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Katie
Chinua achebes novel: things fall apart
Chinua achebes thought provoking novel things fall apart, explores the indepth lives of african tribes and villages through the life of an late 1800's fellow tribes man, okonkwo. Read more
Published 3 months ago by R.Vinters
Things really do start falling apart when you read this book!
Okonkwo lives in Umofia a small village in Nigeria in the 19th century. At 18 the young Okonkwo beat 'the cat' in a wrestling match. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Spongebob98
Great story, well told
This is a great story, and is told masterfully by a very skilled storyteller. He does a great job of taking us into the corrupt world of Nigeria, helping to shed a light on why... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Shunzi
a classic; a must for people of all kinds
This was on my University course. I loved it because of its easy-to-read style of writing; it was also very rich in cultural history of that area in Africa and I really liked... Read more
Published 7 months ago by D. Mckay
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