₦airaland Forum

Despite my crush on the author, I actually don't like the book.

Considering this was meant to be a book about the sixties, it was strangely very modern, like it could have been the nineties. Kaineine is a very modern character and I doubt they would have been many like her in the sixties.

The love story at the centre of the book I found also unconvincing and frankly treading on familiar ground. I know I have definitely heard the story of the modern couple who are haunted by the antagonistic traditionalmo mother in law who gets a local girl to get pregnant by the man bla bla bla.

Why she decided to posit Richard the white man as one of the main voices is also strange and I found him a strange fit throughout the book.

Ugwu the houseboy was very interesting though, and the rape scene at the end was probably the most convincing aspect of the book.

I also feel she should avoid the sexual innuendos especially in a sixties context. There was simply too much sex or sexual references in the book.

I can understand why she got the Orange Prize, especially when the judges are unfamiliar with Naija environment.

But for someone like me who has heard the story many times, it was somewhat boring.

My crush still remains though.