Americanah
By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Published Year: 2013
Page Count: 477 pages
Medium Used: Paperback
Genre : Identity, Race, Immigration, Nigeria, Blogger, Coming-of-age, Black People, 2024-read.
Rating : 5/5 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🌟
Everyone who regrets not having gone or not able to go to USA or Uk - for education or employment - should read this.
Brilliant. Loved this book. An eye opener on multiple levels. Americanah refers to a person of Nigerian origin who having spent multiple years in USA, returns to their native country, changed in many ways. Having imbibed the American culture and thinking, they are no longer the same. The way they look at the buildings,political scenario, people change. Their perspectives, interests and habits change. They become more posh and snobbish even without really noticing it in themselves. My opinion is this happens not just to Nigerians or Indians, but to everyone who has traveled and experienced things that are far more developed/individualized than their own prior life experiences.
The main character, Ifemelu, has gone to the states for education and comes back to Lagos, Nigeria after staying there for 13 years. She had a successful career as a blogger on race and experiences of American blacks and Non American Blacks in USA. She had a childhood sweetheart, Obinze, who didn't come with her to USA and due to some horrible immigrant experiences of Ifemelu,their communication comes to an abrupt end. They move on and then later meet when she goes back to Nigeria. Their love is full of longing and enduring quality that can't be tarnished by other people or other interests. I felt ifemelu who came back to Nigeria and faced Obinze is a different person from whom he had fallen in love with. The ending showed them making up .. but I wonder if she doesn't ghost him and hurt him again .. like she has once done in the past. Sorry, forgot this is fiction!!
I was an Indian masters student in USA eight years ago and I had a healthy immigration experience thanks to my father back home ,who was funding my education. Ifemelu and obinze, through their horrible experiences finding pay/income while pursuing their educational and economic ends showed and painted a different, challenging situations that i didn't know existed. This book shows a face of London / America that is not beautiful and glossy. Some of its image is actually tawdry. What appears on the surface is not the same inside and the shine is not prevalent every where. Putting into the context the fact that they are Non American blacks, they are situated at the bottom of the people importance ladder. This book has a lot to say and show on the front of discrimination and hypocrisy that is prevalent in the American/English society.
I also thought, she was able to depict the shallowness and conformity she felt forced in her own country, upon her return. Do read this for sure! She has given out information that would be gleaned from reading a much bigger book,so succinctly, through very relatable characters. The pace is medium. The writing is stirring, thought provoking and absorbing!
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