A review by dezzella
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I read this book because my best friend's coworker thought I would like it and she was right. This not something I might have picked for myself genre-wise but I really enjoyed it. It reminded me a lot of how I felt reading Michael Ondaatje and Toni Morison in literature classes. The story started out with some interpersonal drama between the characters and took a somber mood toward the end. This does cover events that take place before and during the Nigeria Biafra war. It's an event I didn't know too much about but I felt for the characters during the story. It was a bit emotional hearing about the devastation that was happening but I think it's also very important to be aware and keep learning about these things.

 Overall really well written. I liked how things ended and I am glad I tried a book outside my usual genre. If you're looking for historical fiction that has a more literary feel, I recommend this. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings