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apollonium's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
stephlovesreading's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ije's review against another edition
4.0
I think the first few stories lacked resolution. They felt incomplete (those were probably the ones Chinua Achebe wrote when he was much younger). Girls at war was a powerful, amazing tale though. It is definitely one of the best short stories that I have ever read.
2nd read: The progression of this short story collection displays Achebe's development as a writer and growth in experience. We see a shift from stories that discuss clashes between traditional Igbo culture and 'modernity' to stories about inequality, poor governance, and the civil war. I found 'Girls at War' particularly moving and tragic because of its realistic portrayal (albeit through the perspective of a man) of a young woman's journey of patriotism and survival during the civil war. Some of the other short stories cast women in passive, superficial, stereotypical roles such as loving mother, love interest, overprivileged guardian etc, so this character was refreshing in its earnestness, strength, and depth. I also appreciate the realistic glimpse into the societal containment of women's offered skills during the Biafran war, as well as the steep differences in the way the poor and the rich/powerful experienced the war, even in the Eastern region. 'Civil Peace', 'Sugar Baby', and 'Vengeful Creditor' were other standout stories.
2nd read: The progression of this short story collection displays Achebe's development as a writer and growth in experience. We see a shift from stories that discuss clashes between traditional Igbo culture and 'modernity' to stories about inequality, poor governance, and the civil war. I found 'Girls at War' particularly moving and tragic because of its realistic portrayal (albeit through the perspective of a man) of a young woman's journey of patriotism and survival during the civil war. Some of the other short stories cast women in passive, superficial, stereotypical roles such as loving mother, love interest, overprivileged guardian etc, so this character was refreshing in its earnestness, strength, and depth. I also appreciate the realistic glimpse into the societal containment of women's offered skills during the Biafran war, as well as the steep differences in the way the poor and the rich/powerful experienced the war, even in the Eastern region. 'Civil Peace', 'Sugar Baby', and 'Vengeful Creditor' were other standout stories.
sumlittlebee's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
seraaruuddd's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.0
ricksilva's review
4.0
Collection of short stories from throughout the career of Chinua Achebe, including some of his earliest work, written for student publications.
The stories are rich in detail of life in Nigeria, covering periods of peace and war, of the spread of missionaries and colonialism, and of the politics of Nigerian independence.
Achebe gets a lot of character development into some very short pieces, and the dialogue flows naturally. The endings of many of the stories feel abrupt, which works well in some cases, but in others left me wanting to learn more about the lives of the characters.
The stories are rich in detail of life in Nigeria, covering periods of peace and war, of the spread of missionaries and colonialism, and of the politics of Nigerian independence.
Achebe gets a lot of character development into some very short pieces, and the dialogue flows naturally. The endings of many of the stories feel abrupt, which works well in some cases, but in others left me wanting to learn more about the lives of the characters.
mselaceyenglish's review
4.0
As is the case with the vast majority of short story collections written by authors of usually much longer prose fiction, there are some stories that are much more gripping than others. The titular story Girls at War and two others set during the Nigerian-Biafran War - Civil Peace and Sugar Baby - are by far the most successful in the collection as they examine the triumphs and the detriments of the human condition under the strain of horrific civil warfare in convincing detail.
leahkrason's review
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0