The Memory of Love, 2010, by Aminatta Forna ***

I finished reading this book May 23rd 2012 to be precise. I liked it. As I said earlier in My Authors and their books I hold  Aminatta Forna (British; Sierra Leonean and Scottish heritage). The Memory of Love 2010 awarded the Commonwealth Prize for Best Book in 2011, shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction in the same year. Shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, with the winner to be announced in June 2012.

This book deserves all the awards, Aminatta Forna has got an innate talent to put words together and to tell stories, what a matured mind. She is naturally good. I admire her. There is nothing ordinary in this work.

However, I did not enjoy the novel, I find it difficult to go through, I had to go through 150 pages before I could start to understand. Aminatta's writings sometimes I found tedious. This is not an easy read, and it is a 500+ pages, this is a book for the matured in mind, not every body could sink into this novel.

The story line is really very beautiful, this is the second book about Sierra Leon I've read so far. It tells  (mostly) the story of a group of people (University teachers, doctor...) how they lived and loved before the war in an independent (corrupt) Sierra Leon, How the war changed them and the consequences of the change after the war. The story line is fantastic. The way it was written I consider too sophisticated.

I recommend this book to the matured in mind.

Please click here to read review in Spanish.

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, 2007, Ishmael Beah *****

I read this book April 2012, I loved it and it is my favourite. This novel was a gift. What a book? My heart beat accelerated while I read it.

Ishamael Beah perfectly, simply and easily wrote a very difficult book, a story, uneasy and overwhelming. He is a story teller indeed. An easy, clear and very understandable read. 5 stars book for sure.

How can one go through such terrible experiences even as a child? How can we be able to sleep if atrocities like this happens in some other part of the world in which we exist?

I couldn't keep this book down, it tormented me even when I finished it. God knows, Ishmael Beah is one of the people that inspires me.

Sierra Leon, what a beautiful country, the way nature was described in this book reminds me of paradise. Its richness in animals, trees, streams, rivers.... It is amazing.

I heard about the war sometime in the past, sometimes I saw documentaries, I heard about it, but I had no idea it was as brutal as it was described in this book. This is a first hand story from a young fellow who has lived and survived the war. Fortunately for me, I lived war through this book and now, I get to appreciate my life more. There is nothing good war brings, if not to destroys.

I highly recommend. As I earlier said, Ishmael Beah is my inspirational person. Laura Simms (His mother) I can't stop loving and admiring.

Second-Class Citizen, 1974, Buchi Emecheta *****

I read this book in April 2012 and I officially proclaimed myself a fan of Buchi Emecheta. This is her second book I have read so far, hopefully I will get to read more.

As I reviewed earlier in Joys of Motherhood (my favourite), I love the way she writes, very understandable, simple and structured English.

I read some where that this novel is mostly Emecheta's autobiography, although she later on wrote another book and officially proclaimed it her authobiography (the name isn't on my mind now).

This is a heart touching story full of struggles of a woman who believes in a better future for herself and especially for her kids. She has dreams but would it be possible with the beatings of her jobless self-centred husband? Who constantly tells her she is a second class citizen, and she is made to be pregnant and produce kids just as her "Igbo" culture demands.

This book is full of struggles after struggles of an abused wife, emigrated from a recent independent Nigeria to the UK, she bore 5 children before the age of 20. She has to work to pay her husband's studies who constantly failed exams after exams and refuse to work

I highly recommend this book apart from being entertaining, you'll learn a lot.

I Do Not Come to You by Chance, 2009, Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani ****

A lot of (positive) reviews about this book, at last I laid my hands on it  in April 2012. I really liked it. It is the author's first novel and it was awarded the 2010 Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

I really doubted whether to give it 4 or 5 stars, at last I decided 4 because part one of the novel was kind of slow (according to my point of view), it narrated all I already know about, most probably because I am from the part of Nigeria where the story took place and I am so use to the culture.

This book tells the story line of most LIFE IN NIGERIA; HOPELESSNESS!!! you see a bit of it reflected in each of all of the 350+ pages. First of all you see how well learned people with their university certificate and post grade and masters certificate just lose their job without any coherent explanation, how the parents of 4 put all their hope on their first son to help them with his siblings- who after university couldn't find a job because he doesn't know anyone with a long leg that would fix him. How women leave the (learned and young) boyfriend they love for another with cash, older and unlearned, how people die of curable disease. How people with university degrees are risking their lives going to Europe, America even Bulgaria (I know it is part of Europe...).

This book tells the story line of how most Nigerians are so desperate to leave their hometown and do things they never expect themselves doing. The 419 Scam was just a way to get the news to the world. I felt lots of sympathy for Kingsley (main character).

Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, being her first novel did a wonderful job. This is a book I highly recommend. It was told in an entertaining way of which I enjoyed. I am waiting for more from Miss Nwaubani.

So Long A Letter, 1979, Mariama Bâ ****

I read this book March 2012, I really liked it. The original book was written in French language. In case you prefer to read it in its original version, I found out late.

As it is written on the book, this is an African Literature classic (just like Things Fall Apart), I think if you love African Literature you should start form both of the books I just mentioned. This is a book that would and could be read even 100 years after its first publishing.

I have to confess that I found it difficult to be hooked with this book in the beginning, but at last I did. It is just a 100 pages novel but it was thick to go through but it really worth all the effort.

I learnt a lot about life, love, relationship. How these change from one generation to another. e.g A woman refers to marriage as - An act of faith and of love, the total surrender of oneself to the person one has chosen and who has chosen you-

Woman's Daughter -Marriage is no chain. It is a mutual agreement over a life's program. SO if one of the partners is no longer satisfied with the union, why should he remain? It may be him, it may be me; Why not? The Wife can take the initiative to break-

This is one of African Classics, as I earlier said, story took place during post-colonialism in Senegal. It is your starting point to African Literature. I admire everything about this book.

The Joys of Motherhood, 1979, by Buchi Emecheta *****

I read this book in March 2012, I loved it and it is my favourite. I read a review somewhere and I decided to order it. It is Emecheta's first book I read. I have never really heard about her before.

This book swept  me off my feet that I decided to investigate about the author

I love the way Emecheta writes, she is a very clear story teller, it is impossible for you to be confuse when you read her books, her books (the ones I have read) are divided into chapters with titles. She has this talent of putting words together and clearing the situation for you in a simple way. It is a book any adult can read.

 This is a must read book, after reading it, my body was filled up with goose pimples. I thought twice about tradition, especially the ones in most of African ethnic groups e.g  the Igbo land, where you have to live your life according to others expectations.

I learnt a lot, most especially it reinforces what I already believe in: You give birth to children, but your children do not belong to you, they do not owe you for bringing them up, they are free human beings that when they grow, they take decisions that best suit their living and not that of their parents.

This is a book I highly recommend, especially to all women.

This novel has been reviewed in Spanish in Literafrica by Sonia Fernandez, please click here to read.

 

On Black Sisters' Street, 2009, by Chika Unigwe ***

I read this book February 2012, I liked it. It was an easy read, although at the beginning it was a bit confusing because I didn't know which story belongs to who. There were 4 of the girls.

A friend lent me this book to read, she bought it at the airport on her way to...??? After she read it, she said I would love it and she decided to give it to me to read.

Probably my expectation was so high when I read it, but this is not one of my favourite book at all. The writer telling a very important story in a very fast, shallow and no structural way (maybe she was in a haste to publish).

This novel tells the story of 4 Nigerian (Nigerians allegedly) girls found themselves prostituting in Belgium to be able to pay off their debts. The story narrates their back grounds how they took the decision that killed one of them.

After reading the story of one girl you'll think it is the worst you've read but when you read the story of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th you will be more that amazed and be confused with who to feel sympathy for ( it is fiction).

Chika Unigwe did a good job, I think if she took her time she could have developed her characters a bit more, which was necessary.

Yes, I recommend.

The Space Between Us, 2006, by Thrity Umrigar ****

The title of this book describe its content at its most. This novel tells the story of the relationship between 2 indian families (especially between the women). One is a middle-high class and the other is a low class and she lives in the slum and works as a cleaner for the middle-high class woman.

It tells their story separately and it unite them but still made it clear there was still a space between them.

It is an entertaining story, sometimes slow but worth reading till the end. I recommend it.

The Bitch In The House, 2003, by Cathi Hanauer ***

I read this book early this year, to be precise January 2012. It is a non-fiction, it is a collection of stories from women in different age of their adulthood talking about most especially their sex life.

Most of the stories where entertaining (considering they are non-fiction), those of the women at my age range I love most (between the age of 25 and 35 years old). The story of the women at the age of 60+ I found a bit boring most probably because I am still far off.

Yes, it is a book I recommend especially if you truly want to hear another woman talk about her marriage, sex life, work, motherhood and privacy, it will make you feel and know that you are not alone, what happens to you happens to everyone else.

No Turning Back: A Novel of South Africa 1995, by Beverley Naidoo ***

This book is written by a South African Author. It is a teenage novel (to them I recommend). It is about how a young boy in order to escape the violence of his abusive step father, he has to shelter with other boys on the street.

This novel  is mainly about his life on the street, how he survived and the important decisions he took about his life.

This book deals with one of the main and the most disturbing topic in Africa; Children living on the street. Expose to danger with no one to care for them. They turn the whole situation into a street life style.

This book is mainly for teenagers.

Kabul Beauty School; An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil, 2007, by Deborah Rodriguez ****

A non-fiction novel that narrates the story of a US American hair dresser. Who joined a humanitarian aid fair to help the Afghanistan people after the fall of the "Taliban" (violence was terribly still hitting the country). Not having any medical, engineering or other skills needed at the very moment to build up a country, she decided to be useful by setting up a Beauty School, where a lot of Afghan women meet to be trained as a professional hair dresser (at their possible best). Henceforth, their meeting together evolved a story. Hence, Kabul Beauty School.

I read some where (not sure how trustworthy the source is) that the book was to be converted into a movie in which a famous Hollywood actress would be playing the lead role, though there was inconsistency behind the story.

Any way, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it. If you regularly visit the hairdresser's you would know it isn't a place to go to get only beauty treatment, instead, it is a place to unburden and seek advice.

Lucky, 1999, by Alice Sebold ***

I read this in Spanish, the title is Afortunada. This is a non-fiction, it tells the story of how a young woman had to overcome a tragedy (rape) that happened to her when she was in the university. It is a very difficult and emotional story to read through.

The fact she is able to talk about it in a book means a lot in a positive way, being able to overcome it all and receive the deserved justice.

Verborgen Tralies, 2000, by Hameeda Lakho ***

I read this book around the same time I read Gritos Silenciosos. Verborgen Tralies is the Dutch title, I actually read it in Spanish, its title is Rejas Ocultas.

It tells about changes a young Pakistan girl needs to face when she moved in with her father in Holland. This book is about a cultural clash that produces when very young kids (especially women) immigrate from one culture to another totally different from theirs, in this case Pakistan to Holland. It is a very strong story. There was lawsuits between families. I admire Hameeda Lakho in her struggle to become a free woman.

It is a non-fiction. I recommend especially if you want to know more about cultural clashes and if you are a non-fiction lover.

Gritos silenciosos, 2003, by Paula Zubiaur ***

This book was originally written in Spanish, I do not know if there is an English translation of it. I read this book in the original version; Spanish when I was still in university.

I like it. It is a non-fiction. It is a novel in which an abused wife tells her experience with every single details. Hopefully she survived, most women in similar situation never get to have an opportunity to tell their story. This is a book I highly recommend especially if you are seeking an insight about abused wives.

Gender Violence is our fight. We will always fight against it, any form of violence (especially against women) must be rejected.

Lemonas Tale, 1996, by Ken Saro Wiwa ****

A work colleague lent me this book that was sometime 2 years ago. I really liked it. It is called Lemonas Tale but it could be the tale of any young female Nigerian citizen in Nigeria.

This novel tells the story of the struggles of a young woman in search of a better life, how she ended up in prison.

It is a very easy read. I am so grateful this book came across my way. That was how I actually discovered about Ken Saro Wiwa (his first book I read), how he was detained, jailed, trialled and unfairly executed by hanging by the Nigerian Abacha military regime back then in 1995.

I recommend this book to everyone. Hopefully I will get to read more works from Ken Saro Wiwa.

The Thing Around Your Neck, 2009, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie *****

I read this novel in 2009, I read it after reading Half of a Yellow Sun and Purple Hibiscus all by the same author, I already know most of her works, I was at the wait of any new work so I read this book the same year it was published. I was not disappointed. I loved it and it is my favourite, it is one of those books I would love to repeat.

This novel is a collection of 12 short stories that worth reading. The title of this book is the title of one of her short stories, most probably the most beautiful of them all? Most of the short stories talks about love, the continuous Christian-Muslim riot taking place in Nigeria, immigration, the dilemma faced by many Nigerian in the seek of  a US American visa (or any visa of the developed world), Nigerians in the diaspora, family matters.....

It is an easy read like her previous books.

I love Adichie, even though her books are fictions, they narrate the life of the Nigerian citizens at its most real. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

A Thousand Splendid Suns, 2007, by Khaled Hosseini ****

I read this book on the July of 2009. I ordered it because I loved Kite Runner, 2003, by Khaled Hosseini ***** by the same author. It was a nice read, I really liked it and I was entertained, nevertheless (from my own point of view) Khaled repeated his work here, he just changed the sex of the characters. In his first book the main characters were men and in his second book the main characters were women. I prefer The Kite Runner.

This Novel tells the story of two Afghan women before, during and after the war in Afghanistan.

I will recommend this book if after reading The Kite Runner you liked it and want to try something more from the same author, please read this book

To Kill A Mocking Bird, 1960, by Harper Lee ****

Harper Lee won the 1960 Pulitzer Prize for this book. I read this book the spring of 2009 and I really liked it. It was interesting although it was difficult for me getting through part one of the book because I found it slow. Part 2 was better, it really worth continue reading. It is a classic of the modern American Literature. I think it is now read around schools in most part of the world.

This novel is about racial equality and injustice in the south of the USA. A white lawyer defending an African-American unfairly accused of rape by a young white woman.

I learnt a lot from it. This book has got a lot to teach the world.

The Partner, 1997, by John Grisham ***

I got this book in a book fair. It is an Ok book. It could have been better. It is just a typical US American story line. I have seen a bunch in movies. I did not learn anything from it. I just read it. I do not recommend it.

The Famished Road, 1991, Ben Okri **

Ben Okri is just so talented, I admire the way he manages to put into writings his imaginations.In 1991 he won the Booker Prize for Fiction for this novel, he also won for this book the Italian Premio Grinzane Cavour.

You just can't imagine or read anything excellently written as this book. Ben Okri is just full of imaginations.

This is a fantasy literature. It is a narrative of the spirit world.

I did not enjoy this book at all, I found it difficult to deep through, I almost abandoned but I made it through. I was so exhausted after reading  it that I quit reading for 2 months (literally). This is not made for me.

Nevertheless, I highly recommend you to give it a try, to have a bit of the great talent of Ben Okri.

Angels & Demons, 2000, by Dan Brown ***

I read this novel in Spanish Language, it was enjoyable and entertaining.
I recommend.

The Da Vinci Code, 2003, by Dan Brown ***

Friends always giving me book to read, I really do enjoy reading, it is just so fulfilling, give it a try.

I read this book in Spanish language and I enjoyed it. My house mate was always locked up in her room on her bed with this book, when I call her for a walk she will refuse and say  "OMG this book is so enjoyable, it is so intriguing" and then I'll be ignored. I decided to borrow the book when she was done. And, yes I was stuck with it, I read it in a week or less. It is so entertaining and the story so believable, it is fiction. After reading it I decided to order for Angels and Demons by the same author.
This book is a mystery-thriller, the story is mostly about the reality of the Christian religion.
I will recommend this book, it is entertaining. You get hooked.

The Secret Life of Bee, 2002, by Sue Monk Kidd ***

This book nominated for the Orange Prize in England. A friend borrowed it to me to read, she said she liked it and I decided to give it a try. To be sincere I did not enjoy any bit of this book. I was hoping to see the movie then of which at last I did not see.

The story took place in the USA of the 60s (more or less), when the anti-segregation movement and racism was high. A very young white girl was trying to find out the truth about her mother's death through the African-American nanny that brought her up. I know what a beautiful story you would be thinking but I did not enjoy a bit of it, I did not enjoy the writings and the development.

I would not recommend it, but if it happens to fall into your hands, please read it. It is just amazing all the struggles the Africans-Americans went through in order to achieve their right as equal citizens in the USA society, which is today an example of a society of human rights.

Things Fall Apart, 1958, by Chinua Achebe *****

This is an African Classic, this is your starting point to African Literature. I read this book in 2 different languages; Spanish and English. I loved it. I own it and it is my favourite.
It was written and published before the Nigerian Independence from the British. Below is how I felt when I read it.

"I enjoy every page of this book.. I read it in Spanish and in English, this book is really amazing I learnt a lot.. and would recommend it to everybody."

This book is mostly about post-colonialism, colonialism, the igbo people... I highly recommend it to everybody. I found out this is part 1 of a Trilogy (Things Fall Apart, No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God). I will read the other 2 but before that I will read Things Fall Apart for the 3rd time again.

Not Without My Daughter, 1987, by Betty Mahmoody ******

This book casually fell into my hands in a book fair and I decided to give it a try. It is a non-fiction. It narrates the story of an Iranian Doctor (physician) in the USA who traveled with his US American wife and his daughter from USA to Iran to pay a visit to his family. Once in Iran, he refused to go back to the USA, he also forced his wife and his daughter to remain with him, at the same time forcing them to adapt to the Iranian culture.

He became less westernized and his wife couldn't recognize the man he once fell in love with. This is a story of struggle.

 As I said earlier, I do not want to be a spoiler. I enjoyed every bit of this book, I couldn't keep it down. It is a very easy read. I loved it. I highly recommend, one of my favourite.

My Sister's Keeper, 2004, by Jodi Picoult ***

I read this book long time ago, I decided to read it after reading a review from somewhere or someone, and I ordered it. I liked it. As I always register my reviews below it goes.

"A nice story to be true, but the way it was written made me so confuse, the book was written from different points of view.. I have always read books written from one point of view (the mother telling a story, the baby or who ever... not everybody telling the story.. ) so sometimes it could be confusing.. the story is nice.. but as I earlier said I did not like the way it was written."

The author has a good heart touching story to tell, but, this is not a book I enjoyed, most of the time I read the book I was immerse in confusion. This is not a book I would recommend.

The Bluest Eye, 1970, by Toni Morrison ****

I have really forgotten when I read this book and how it fell into my hands. Yes... it was from a book fair. I decided to read it. My reviews in 2009 were registered and below it goes. I really liked it, not my favourite though.

"a very sad book... tragedy upon tragedy and mixed with tragedy.. just so bitter.. referring to the story.. but to be sincere the languages and the way this lady wrote this book.. just made me so tired reading it.. you can find it slow sometimes.."

As I reviewed years back, the story narrated is just so sad and bitter. The way the story was told , from my point of view is too slow. There was a point I wanted to drop the book I could remember. This is not a book I highly recommend but if it happens to fall into your hands just give it a try. Toni Morrison was the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature 1993.

The Novel narrates the story of a young black girl named Pecola who felt inferior due to her skin complex and the colour of her eyes. She suffered from racism, child molestation and incest. The story took place in Ohio, USA.

Kite Runner, 2003, by Khaled Hosseini *****

I read this book in 2008, I really can't remember how I lay my hands on it, I actually did buy a copy. Most probably I read a review somewhere, I am so satisfied with this book. It is my favourite. Below is my review when I just read it.

"I enjoyed every bit of this novel.. lot of drama so if you like Drama .. here you go.. I bought the movie as well... but it was nothing compared to the book.. please it is a must read book!!!"

Drama upon Drama. The main story took place in Afghanistan, it tells about the life of 2 little boys of different tribe growing up in an Afghanistan of the Taliban (before and during the Taliban, mostly during), how their lives were affected. It also tells about the Afghanistan culture and their way of living before and during the reign of the Taliban.

The story touched my heart, it drew me a step closer to the Afghanistan people. Khaled did an admiring job here. I highly recommend this book.

Purple Hibiscus, 2003, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ***

I read this book after reading Half of a Yellow Sun, Probably my expectation was high. This was my review then:

This book was written from a teenage girl point of view so beware.. if you are not a teenager you might find it boring.... the way she tells the story made it so slow... and I was not a teenager when I read it and I found some of the things she talks about irrelevant to be written down and read by someone else, but on the other hand Half of a Yellow Sun is my favourite of all times!!

I haven't read this book again, but I will abide with my review above. This is more of a teenage novel. It is the story of a girl in her teenage, her abusive religious father and her weak mother.

Half of a yellow sun, 2006, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie *****

I read this book 2 year after it was published, I loved it and it is one of my favourite. This was my review then literally, I was so excited

"it was so entertaining and I learnt a lot.. I learnt too much you must read it."

Chimamanda did a great job I must say. She was awarded the Orange Prize for Fiction for this book. Excellently written, very understandable and an easy read.

It narrates on  a personal story that took place during the Biafran War, story of love, betrayal, desperation and human relationship.

It gave me better understanding of what the war was like and how the Nigerian family of different classes had to deal with it. This is a book I highly recommend to everybody.

This novel has been reviewed in Spanish in Literafrica by Sonia Fernandez, please click here to read.

Click here to buy.

Platinum, 2008, by Jo Rees ****

A friend gave me this book, she said she bought it in the airport on her way to....  this is the second book of Jo Rees I have read so far, the first was Come Again, 2000, by Josie Lloyd & Emilyn Rees ***

(she wrote it with her husband).  I really liked this book. After reading it, I had this feeling you have after watching a James Bond movie, you know what I mean right?? It is entertaining, don't try to find it logic, just enjoy. It is worth making a moving out of it. It is about money, women, power and sex.

I will recommend this book to young adults and above.

Come Again, 2000, by Josie Lloyd & Emilyn Rees ***

I will try as much as possible not to be a spoiler.This book was a Birthday gift given to me when I turned 17, I read it in 2004. Some years later on, I picked it up from my shelf and I decided to read it again, I understood it more. I liked it. It is a book about friendship, changes, ambition, written in a very easy way and fun. It is what happens to all of us. I had a feeling of nostalgia when I finished the book. Any body can read this book but I think it is mostly for teenagers and young adults.

The Authors of this book are now married. Josie Lloyd is now known as Jo Rees, She wrote Platinum, 2008, by Jo Rees **** which I have read, it was also a gift from a friend.