I just finished reading Purple Hibiscus, the first novel by critically acclaimed multiple award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This is the second novel written by her that I've read (after Half of a Yellow Sun) and I must confess this lovely lady is one hell of a writer. We are privileged to have such a great author again in our generation gently following in the footsteps of legends such as Late Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka among others.

The novel tells a moving story about a overly religious, abusive and perfectionist father, a submissive wife, a wise son and a silent daughter. It reminds me of women and children around the globe suffering continuous abuse and emotional neglect from the so-called head and protector of their families. The vast number of ladies living in hells and enduring (not enjoying) marriages. Yes to the outsider, life may be comfortable, the children might have the best goodies but inside Kambili and Jaja's minds, their spirits were being enslaved by their psychotic hypocritical father.

This is why I continue to admonish ladies to be wary of entering marital contracts with men of violent inclinations noticed during courtship. Why should any man slap you for doing some wrong and you swallow it foolishly in name of love?? Like I always say, a marriage is terrible when a husband is a womanizer or drunk but becomes a living hell when he turns wife-beater. Even the poor kids are affected psychologically as they grow up and might lead to some mental health issues in life later on.

Sometimes, continual maltreatment and beatings lead to serious injury or death for the poor woman (Late Titilayo Arowolo, Lagos banker wife case comes to mind). Fortunately in Purple Hibiscus, it's the evil father that dies. However regrettably in reality, that is hardly reproducible. Please let's stop violence against women. It's a terrible and contemptible evil.
#ProtectOurWivesAndMothers

I agree, Adichie is a truly gifted writer. Purple Hibiscus gave an exposé of what goes on in seemingly perfect families that are going through the torture of abuse.
Unfortunately, many women who go through abuse do not leave their partners because of their kids, 'love', or because they just don't have the balls to leave....

That book is overrated jor.. I read and at the end I was like "wtf is this?!" **my opinion though**