I reserved Americanah from my local library as soon as it was published, so I was thrilled when I got the phone call to say it had arrived.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is amazingly talented, Half of a Yellow Sun is one of those most emotionally turbulent novels I've ever read. She's also a politically activist, a sample of her speech on feminism was used by Beyoncé on her track ***Flawless.
The Plot: Poised to return to Nigeria after living for many years in the United States, Ifemelu reflects on her childhood in Lagos, her time in the States and her first love, Obinze. Themes of identity, nationality, assimilation and racism are explored throughout.
To avoid spoilers my full thoughts are under the cut, but in brief, I found this novel to be insightful, honest and direct. Adichie writes with an agenda, and unflinchingly confronts controversial social and political issues with a deftness that means the novel is never preachy or condescending.