Book Review: Things Fall Apart

Title: Things Fall Apart
Author: Chinau Achebe
Published: Anchor Canada 4/21/2009
Series or Standalone: Series (first in the series)
Hardback or paperback: Paperback
Acquired: Bought used with my own money
Pages: 209
Rating: 5 stars





Summary Via Goodreads
Things Fall Apart tells two intertwining stories, both centering on Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first, a powerful fable of the immemorial conflict between the individual and society, traces Okonkwo's fall from grace with the tribal world. The second, as modern as the first is ancient, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world with the arrival of aggressive European missionaries. These perfectly harmonized twin dramas are informed by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul.

Review
I found out about this book when I was doing my thesis for a course that I needed to take in order to graduate with my bachelor's degree. The entire premise for my paper was that the concept of the existence of magic was in integral part of the lives of the people who live in New Guinea. These ancient beliefs, practices, customs, and traditions dictate how they live their daily lives and also how they interact with other natives and with foreign entities. I did research the tribes in Africa but the information was much to vast to be able to dwindle it down for just one single paper. I have always been obsessed with magic (I was a witch for practically every Halloween ever!) so any book that can integrate magic into is a winner in my book. I am not really particular about whether the magic is in fiction form or more of a non-fiction story. I will definitely be reading more about the subject after reading this book.  

As for the actual content of the book, please know that it is quite graphic at times and if this bothers you then you might want to turn away: The writing style was phenomenal and I felt that the plotline really drew me in and kept me engaged throughout the book. While some of the words were certainly new and required me to look up the correct pronunciation I had enough background knowledge on the rituals that took place to be able to get past this minor inconvenience. However, without the native language thrown into the story the entire book would have lost it's sustenance and meaning. For me I enjoyed seeing the multiple similarities in the rituals from what I knew about New Guinea and Africa and being able to compare and contrast the two.

As far as the characters themselves go I had a hard time finding someone to root for. I did not really care for the main character, Okonkwo, though I appreciated having his back story. From his past you can at least understand why he behaves the way that he does and what is influencing his decisions. I think deep down he really does care for his family but he starts out the story a very important man in the village and is therefore bound by certain expectations and rituals. I never condone human sacrifice, cutting off people's heads to then use the skull as a means to drink out of, beating your wife (or wives in this case- polygamy is a natural thing in some cultures) or children however I can at least understand how in his case not doing so would be a sign of weakness due to the culture that he has been raised in. This brings up a whole new slew of questions and ponderings that makes me want to write another paper on that tangent just for fun (I am weird, I know, no need to point it out to me).

The fall from grace of Okonkwo (though undeserved in my very humble opinion) was a necessary part of the book. It kept the main character from being put up on a pedestal by the author to the point that none of their actions have any consequences and they can do no wrong in the eyes of the supporting characters. This is a pet peeve of mine in novels. This also helped to lead into some of the rituals and celebrations that the tribe observes and added a layer of depth to the novel.

Overall, I felt that the author did a really great job with the novel. My only concern was that it was not long enough. I don't often say that but I could have read a couple hundred more pages on the subject matter. More background story, more information about the rituals (though I did like the mystery to them, as they are mysterious and very few know what actually happens at these ceremonies), in general I just want more.

Now for the business of whether or not I would recommend this book. That is a really tough question. I gave the book 5 stars and I think that it is one of the best books that I have ever read however it is a tough read. There is a lot of flipping to the back of the book to look up the meaning of words in the appendix and I can see where it would be a little bit of a culture shock. If you enjoy novels where you get a first hand look at a different culture and set of ideals then go for it, if not then this may not be the book for you. Also if you are squeamish I would just walk away now, trust me on this one.

Excuse me while I run out and go buy the other two books in the series. I think I just found my newest obsession.

Happy Reading!