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pronolagus's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not sure what I can add to the mountains of (deserved) praise and analysis of Achebe's debut. So. Some things I love about it: it's told in a lyrical, fable-like style, there are layers of meaning that are easy to see but simultaneously deep, the characters are richly drawn and compelling, and, as a tragedy (which is hardly a spoiler, given its title), it's heartbreakingly real and affecting. If there's any hesitation about reading it, TFA is quite short, and can be read in chunks in a day or two. Its spirit will be felt long after.
rkroothoep's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
jenmangler's review
2.0
I struggled with this one. I did really enjoy learning about Igbo culture. As I read, I found myself doing research on things mentioned in the book. It was fascinating. But the misogyny was too much for me. It turned Okonkwo into a character I didn't like and couldn't root for. I couldn't get past it. He may have been a "strong man" in his tribe, but his reliance on violence, his arrogance, and his refusal to consider any other opinions makes him pretty weak in my book. And because I never felt like I knew any of the other characters, Okonkwo's awfulness is what I'm left with. I wish Achebe had spent more time with his wives or his friend Obierika.
I read this as part of the Great American Reads challenge.
I read this as part of the Great American Reads challenge.
digiomar's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
fast-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
4.25
jimins's review against another edition
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
read for book club
feralwraith's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
karenluvstoread's review against another edition
4.5
There is so much that could be said about this book; but I will just mention a few in this review.
Things Fall Apart is very deep and layered; and there's quite a bit of things that could be discussed with this story. It is a very powerful read!
One of the things I appreciated about this book was how it gives the power of representation. Achebe said:
"The popularity of Things Fall Apart in my own society can be explained simply ... this was the first time we were seeing ourselves, as autonomous individuals, rather than half-people, or as Conrad would say, 'rudimentary souls'."
And the Nigerian Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka described the novel as "the first novel in English which spoke from the interior of the African character, rather than portraying the African as an exotic, as the white man would see him."
In addition, the way Achebe structured this novel is so effective. The first part of the book is meant to immerse the reader in the village life of the tribe - its customs, government, community, etc. This part shows the holistic life of the village. That then gets contrasted against the Western culture that comes up later on in the book.
As far as the writing itself, sometimes it did feel a bit stilted or stiff so to speak. But this doesn't detract from the story as a whole. In fact, while there may be parts that feel a bit stilted, it also has a poetic aspect to it as well. In addition, some of the native language is included which allows readers to encounter the culture even more.
Here's an example of what I felt was more of the poetic writing:
"Among the Ibo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.” (p. 7)
Overall, this is a very powerful and moving story and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.
Things Fall Apart is very deep and layered; and there's quite a bit of things that could be discussed with this story. It is a very powerful read!
One of the things I appreciated about this book was how it gives the power of representation. Achebe said:
"The popularity of Things Fall Apart in my own society can be explained simply ... this was the first time we were seeing ourselves, as autonomous individuals, rather than half-people, or as Conrad would say, 'rudimentary souls'."
And the Nigerian Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka described the novel as "the first novel in English which spoke from the interior of the African character, rather than portraying the African as an exotic, as the white man would see him."
In addition, the way Achebe structured this novel is so effective. The first part of the book is meant to immerse the reader in the village life of the tribe - its customs, government, community, etc. This part shows the holistic life of the village. That then gets contrasted against the Western culture that comes up later on in the book.
As far as the writing itself, sometimes it did feel a bit stilted or stiff so to speak. But this doesn't detract from the story as a whole. In fact, while there may be parts that feel a bit stilted, it also has a poetic aspect to it as well. In addition, some of the native language is included which allows readers to encounter the culture even more.
Here's an example of what I felt was more of the poetic writing:
"Among the Ibo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.” (p. 7)
Overall, this is a very powerful and moving story and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.
momo99's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25