I’d vaguely heard of ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ but did not really know what to expect when I was lent it. The narrative unfolds in Nigeria across the 1960s, when the country was split by a civil war that I’m ashamed to say I'd barely heard of. Events are brilliantly dramatised through the lives of several people and their families: Ugwu the houseboy, Olanna the rich academic, and Richard the British writer. The characters are evoked with great sensitivity and richness, both on their own and in their relationships with one another. As their circumstances become parlous after the secession of Biafra, the bonds between some are strained and others strengthened. The pace is beautifully judged to develop the characters while conveying the momentum of political events. The descent of the new state of Biafra into starvation is absolutely heart-rending and depicted so powerfully. Food is significant throughout, making the shift from varied menus to acute shortages all the more notable. As the whole book is very moving, it’s difficult for me to review. I find it much harder to write about fiction I have more of an emotional than an intellectual response to. ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ is a singularly intelligent, humane, and beautifully written novel. I was blown away by it. ( )

Great novel. Almost couldn't put it down. Like Achebe, the characters almost have a life independant of the author's control, unlike Achebe, Adichie's prose is much more florid and romantic. Living with these immensely likeable characters in the first act is anxiety inducing with the knowledge that they will be in the middle of one of the worst civil wars of the 20th century. Clearly this work was extensively researched to be able to breathe this level of authenticity and reality. Combined with her easy-reading, flowing prose it does make it an excellent read. Umberto Eco took one year of research before he started writing his In the Name of The Rose. Similar to him she took a real place and time but injected geographical and economic inventions as suited her novel.

Within the novel's characters there are a few major themes: the failure of the middle class Nigerian to construct a postcolonial future, the failure of male mind, and within that the solely female ability to think outside the ethnic bonds of Nigeria. This was examined by Mohammed Ghazi Alghamdi. I took issue with some of these supposed themes, explicated by Chigbo Anyaduba, who saw in the denouncement of the Igbo man the blaming of the Igbo for their own genocide. In Nigeria then and now there is a general opinion that the Igbo need to essentially get over this monumental catastrophe which was followed by humiliation and a pittance of reconciliation from the federal government. I don't neccesarily think those themes were all entirely intentional or that they need to be brought to the full extent of their conclusion. Ultimately, the characters of Odenigbo and Ugwu are compeltely powerless to the events around them, and while Odenigbo is portrayed as stubborn and masculine. He is able to develop his ideas flexibly as events are happening. As the genocide has not been able to be properly come to terms with on a national scale, it is the task of books and literature to be able to deal with what happened, and Adiche's book being the most popular representation of this tragedy it comes under fair criticism.

Such a heavy book to read! I feel like my emotions have been churned inside out and I'm just mentally drained. ( )

One of the best books I have read in quite some time! ( )

Set in the 1960’s this book follows 5 intertwined characters in the midst of the Biafra revolution. Ugwu, a teenage houseboy, serves Odenigbo, a university professor with a passion for revolution. Olanna, the professor’s love, is a twin to Kainene, who is loved by Richard, an English transplant.

The characters throughout this novel were dynamic and well rounded. The story itself felt slow paced, it seemed to take a long time to build up the plot. The war itself was heartbreaking and horrible. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars. ( )

This is a beautiful and difficult book. Difficult because of the painful narratives of the Biafran War, but beautiful in the characters who are so vivid and real in their flaws, their hopes, and their lived existence. We meet Ugwu, a thirteen year old boy from a small village who works as a servant for Odenigbo, Professor of Mathematics at Nsukka University. Odenigbo's girlfriend, then wife, is Olanna, daughter of the influential Chief Ozobia, and more significantly, twin sister to Kainene, who was one of my favorite characters in the book. Not blessed with Olanna's commonly-accepted beauty, Kainene is fearless, acerbic, and honest (especially in the latter half of the book when war reaches her heart). Kaynene takes up with Richard, an English writer who comes to Nigeria to write a book about the art. Adichie artfully uses Richard to express the more subtle racism (whereas his ex-girlfriend is outright and obviously racist). For example, in Chapter 6, Kainene says to Richard: "...it's wrong of you to think that love leaves room for nothing else. It's possible to love something, and still condescend to it." This powerful statement is made after Richard is called out at a party for going on and on about the amazing details and complexity of some African bronzes, not realizing the implication of his surprise--why would they NOT be amazing and complex? Richard is one of the three main narrative voices and the way he grows, partially due to his love for and relationship with Kainene, is really thoughtful and not a single narrative. None of the main characters are unidimensional. Odenigbo moves from idealist to grieving son. Ugwu moves from innocent to war-worn and morally compromised. But perhaps it is mostly the story of the two sisters, Olanna and Kainene where this book touched me most. The horrors of war have their own narratives, but Adichie does not lose sight of the human story that perseveres -- love, betrayal, friendship, enmity--everyone with a heart that has to question some of the time.

Adichie does not sidestep some of the particulars of the Biafran War, however. The book is an opportunity to understand better (particularly for those of us who were not taught about the Igbo and the Hausa) the complex politics, racism, and global manipulations/voyeurism that brought about between 500,000 and two million Biafran civilians dying of starvation. ( )

Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun is set in Nigeria during the Biafran War at the end of the 1960s and sheds light onto the life in Nigeria at the time from the very personal perspectives of the characters. Protagonists Odenigbo and Olanna live in the university city of Nsukka and lead a rather quiet life before the war. There are frequent gatherings at their home where politics in the country are discussed and there is a very theoretical side to these discussions that permeates the beginning of the novel. When war breaks out, the protagonists' lives are thrown into turmoil and time and again lower and lower living standards and an increasing fear of death become the new normal. Through a variety of characters from different parts of society Adichie manages to portray the consequences of war through a multitude of lenses, each with a different focus. What it comes down to in the end - no matter what the characters' social background was - is friendships, relationships and love. Will I be able to see my mother, my sister, my beloved one again? When will this war be over? Will my child survive?

I found Adichie's novel a very enlightening read that really gripped me at times, but I also had to put it away every now and then. The suffering and the constant fear of loss in every possible sense of the word was put into words so well that it made me really sad. Living in a western country that is safe, I think it is important to read novels like Half of a Yellow Sun as they hold up the mirror to one's own life and make you question if not more could be done to help those in need when it might just be the coincidence of birth that put you into the life you are leading. 4 stars. ( )

This was a very interesting read. The story is set during the Biafran War, which, I am ashamed to say, I knew very little about, so this was a good opportunity to find out a little bit more about the whole event. And obviously, being I as curious as I am, prompted some independent research into the history of Nigeria and the tragedy of this war. We witness history unfold through the eyes of three main characters: the beautiful and smart Olanna, who abandons her wealthy family to live with the revolutionary professor Odenigbo; their servant boy Ugwu; and the English writer Richard, who is desperately in love with Olanna's twin sister Kainene.

I loved how the author managed to show the way in which war affected the characters, and brought out the best and the worst in all of them as they were forced to face unimaginable difficulties, poverty, hunger and tragedy. All of the main characters underwent significant change as a result of the war, both in their personalities and responses to the adversities they must face, and in their view of the world, as their ideals and political opinions are ultimately crushed. The author was really good at describing the horrors of the war and, even though some images were slightly too graphic for my taste, it was never overwhelming or distracting from the main point she was trying to make in the specific moment.

Overall, this was a really good book, and I can totally see why it was celebrated as much as it was. The only reason I'm not giving it full marks is because I found the author's prose, while for the most part excellent, was at times slightly too stiff and formal, and some of the characters reacted in way which, to me, seemed somewhat inconsistent with their personality as had been described up to that moment. But that may just be me being too critical, and this is an excellent book nonetheless.

Originally posted on Book for Thought. ( )

An excellent book, with powerful, absorbing writing. The characters are complex, interesting and feel very real. The author explores multiple aspects of society in Nigeria and Biafra, spanning classes, urban/rural divides and gender.

I can't wait to read her other book, Purple Hibscus [b:Purple Hibiscus|126381|Purple Hibiscus|Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171914358s/126381.jpg|1057017] ( )

Here's what I wrote in 2009 about this read: "Fiction describing life in Nigeria before and during the Nigerian Civil War of the late 60's, in which the Igbo people of eastern Nigeria separate to form the Biafra republic following persecution. A good read, and educational & informative!" ( )

Nigerian Igbo twin sisters Olanna and Kainene are as unlike as they can be. Both however, are married/partnered to academics at the Nsukka university; one is an expat Frenchman and the other a Nigerian native, also of the Igbo tribe.

The first part of the book we see lives, plans and relationships unfolding and coming to fruition.

But then there is an outbreak of violence between the northern Nigerian tribes, primarily the Hausa, and the Igbo people. The presidency falls, genocidal massacres occur and suddenly there is no safe place.

The story is told through the lives of the sisters, their partners, a child and a beloved houseboy all who support the secession of the southern part of Nigeria into what they hope will be a new nation of Biafra, where the Igbo can be safe.

But none of the western powers come to the aid of the new nation. The Biafrans fight with homemade weapons and a sense of the justice of their cause. Eventually humanitarian aid is cut off. As well as being killed in constant air raids, the people of Biafra starve.

The end comes with much more bloodshed and there is nothing to do but to be reconstructed back into Nigeria.

This is a truly sweeping searing epic, not only telling the story of the brutalization of war and the failure of what some see as a just cause, but also of the evolution of relationships, and how quickly circumstances can change and lifestyles disappear.

I’ll definitely be reading more of this author, who, in one interview said that Africa’s stories must be told by African authors. ( )

A very detailed look at war in West Africa as seen through the eyes of married academicians, a British ex-pat and his girlfriend, and a houseboy. The book has as much to say about love and loss as it does about war, and it does a good job of interweaving political messages without being overly heavy handed. It's got an epic feel to it so you need to enjoy that type of read. The African names are tough to follow. It probably deserves 5 stars for literary merit, but in terms of enjoyability - - it's more of a 3. ( )

I always have a hard time rating and reviewing books that have important themes or history, but are unsettling to read, or when the characters are realistic and flawed versus idealistic and admirable. This book was both unsettling and had characters who were disappointing. I admit that I started reading this book without looking at the synopsis, so when the book took a 180 from a pleasant story about academic life in Nigeria in the 1960's to civil war I was surprised. I learned some history, the setting of the story is masterfully written, and the narrators in both versions of the audio book I listened to were excellent. ( )

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is an extraordinary novelist, and this is an extraordinary and challenging novel about the Biafra War. She does not flinch from describing atrocities and injustices but she tells her story through the eyes of believable characters, some of whom suffer terribly through the war years. I don't want to spoil the plot so will not say much more other than that after reading this novel, I am convinced its author will one day win the Nobel Prize for Literature. ( )

This book covers the lead-up to and conduct of the Nigerian-Biafran Civil War (1967-1970) by looking closely at its impact on the primary characters. As the story opens, thirteen-year-old Ugwu is starting his job as a houseboy for Odenigbo, a professor at the University of Nsukka who hosts intellectual discussions at his home. Olanna and Kainene are fraternal twin daughters of an eminent Lagos businessman. Richard is a British citizen who has come to Nigeria to write about its art. The title refers to the Biafran flag, with its half-sun emblem in the center.

The narrative is split into four parts. Two are focused on the early 60’s leading up to the war, showing the comfortable life the characters were leading. Two are focused on the late 60’s where their lives drastically change as they face the privations and brutality of war. It is a complex story, rich in detail, with many ancillary characters.

The plot revolves around Biafra’s struggle for independence. Within this historical context, the interactions among the characters provide emotional depth, showing their experiences of hope, love, betrayal, jealousy, compassion, courage, and endurance. Adichie’s book is an excellent example of how fiction can illuminate history. By following the lives of these characters, the reader will gain a sense for what happened in Biafra, why they wanted independence, and the various factors that contributed. At the same time, Adichie vividly describes the physical, psychological, and emotional effects of war on the people.

“Now, in the hospital where they had left him, he no longer wanted to die, but he feared he would; there were so many bodies littered around him, on mats, on mattresses, on the bare floor. There was so much blood everywhere. He heard the sharp screams of men when the doctor examined them and knew that his was not the worst case, even as he felt his own blood seeping out, first warm and then clammy cold against his side. The blood took his will; he was too exhausted to do anything about it and when the nurses hurried past him and left his bandaging unchanged, he did not call out to them.”

It is a slowly developing story, and it would have been helpful to include a map. I am impressed by the writing style and the craftsmanship. I will definitely be reading more of Adichie’s work.
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I have now read several books by this author and I have enjoyed every one of them. She writes a lot about life in her homeland of Nigeria which allows me to delve into the history and culture of another country that I sadly know little about. This book is a prime example of my ignorance as I knew nothing about the Biafran War. The atrocities of the war are told unflinchingly and we viscerally feel the emotional and psychological impact on characters. There are some moments in the story that are short scenes but absolutely horrific. There's a lot that will stay with me from this book and a lot I still have to process and I definitely recommend it. ( )

A moving story about life in the south of Nigeria in the 60s, before, during and after the Nigerian-Biafran war. The war affected everyone, even the upper-middle-classes, but especially the poor, who became refugees when Nigerian soldiers burned them out of their villages. Stark, violent scenes take place in Adichie's book, based on her research and stories taken from her mother and father, who lived through it. Sprinkled throughout the book are references to Nigerian High Life music and musicians, and I thank the author for introducing me to this genre, which I instantly took a liking to. I highly recommend this work. ( )

This is a stirring look at how individual lives shape and are shaped by national events and at what the terms "military coup" and "civil war" mean in everyday life, but I'm afraid that everything that's happened since 2016 has left me leery of reading about government instability and the tyranny of the masses. I'm glad to have learned about this period in history, though, and about how the US in the 60s looked to other parts of the world. ( )

Haunting novel of the Biafran civil war. ( )

This is an important book, because it clarifies for the whole world how the Igbu people in Biafra experience their war for independence. It shows the cruelty and the lack of respect with which the British and Americans terrorized the Biafrans.
On the other hand the characters were stereotypical; a good understanding white man, a beautiful and capable black woman, hard working and hard drinking but privileged activist, friends in high places, etc.
Too much focus on sex damaged the force of the message of the book. Yes, during wars people get into the same stupid stuff they get into in peace time and it should be talked about, but not in excess.
I gave this book three stars.
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Not usually my sort of thing but very good.

I found some of the characters difficult to connect to but enjoyed the subject matter very much. ( )

This was the story of the birth and short-lived country of Biafra told through the lives of five main characters. The title was derived from the emblem of a half-sun on the country of Biafra's flag. This novel had a bit of a slow start, but for the most part was an evocative read. The last part was a bit shocking and disappointing--not the book--the real history. 433 pages .This won the Orange Prize in 2007; now called The Women's Prize for Fiction. ( )

I don’t have adequate words to describe my love for this book. I took a while to finish cause I didn’t want the story to end. The book had so my characters they were all vivid, I felt that if I could be transported to Nigeria/Biafra during that time I would see Ugwu and Baby clinging to him. It was a magical book. I can’t wait to read more of Adichie’s book. ( )

Fundamentally, this novel is a classic historical narrative of political conflict, with all of the emotions that underlie the human condition, ranging from war to love and hate to betrayal, oppression and transcendence. The background is the civil war, which occurred in Nigeria in the late 1960s, recalling the Igbos' vibrant engagement with Nigeria and the subsequent horrific violence that followed: the military intervention in tribal/racial politics, which lead to ethnic cleansing, the massacre of tens of thousands of Igbos, and mass starvation. For anyone who lived through that period, the heart-wrenching photos of Biafrans and their distended bellies will be remembered for life. "Half of a Yellow Sun" refers to the emblem on the national flag of Biafra.

Using this horrific conflict as a canvas, the unabashedly Ibgoan Adichie has written a compelling story around six central characters: 13-year old houseboy Ugwu, Ugwu's Master Professor Odenigbo, Odenigbo's beautiful and privileged mistress Olanna, Olanna's plain, business-minded twin sister Kainene, and lastly, Kainene's paramour, the foreign (English) writer Richard. Each of her characters are iconic, representative, and seen in every day life in Nigeria: ambitious, intelligent houseboys, with feelings of ownership over their charges, various intellectuals, twin sisters, whose relationships with each other and their parents are put at risk during the civil war, the general populace's overarching fear of conscription, the ordinary people who became military or administrative leaders, and even the foreigners, who felt connected to the fate of the Biafrans. Perhaps the most important concept in Adichie's novel is belonging. It is explored via many characters: Ugwu, Olanna, Richard and the Igbo people generally. A popular and timely theme today, as who belongs and who does not, is central in the immigration battles occurring throughout the world. Glad to have read this. 4.5 stars.


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After hearing raves about this book for ages, I'm hoping it was just too-high expectations that made it such a disappointing read for me. Despite its overwhelmingly positive reviews, though, I'm really not sure. The story seemed to drag on and on, with characters who (other than Ugwu) lacked dimension and, in one case (Richard), outright annoyed me, and it was told in an episodic, slightly detached style. I did learn some about the tragic Nigeria-Biafra War, which was part of my aim in reading this, but as a novel, I thought that Half of a Yellow Sun fell terribly flat. ( )