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5.0 out of 5 stars Inner and outer turmoil blend in this complex story
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is actually a young adult fiction title - but it'd be a shame to limit its depth and complexity to teens, so is reviewed here as a recommended pick for adult readers as well. Set in Nigeria, it tells of a privileged teen and her older brother who find themselves increasingly at odds with their father's religious fanatic ways...
Published on April 3 2004 by Midwest Book Review

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2.0 out of 5 stars Dreary dark tale...
I had every intention of wanting to love this book but will alone wouldn't suffice. It is dreary, seemingly long for it's relative size. Until the very end Kambali and her mother come across as weak and needy women enduring endless beatings while continuing to have a twisted reverence for their husband/father. The story has a depressing flatline rhythm. One that would...
Published on Oct 27 2003


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2 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Electrifying read, Jan 26 2005
By 
Siti (Raleigh, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Purple Hibiscus: A Novel (Paperback)
Purple Hibiscus is a beautiful story. The plot is based on a 14 year-old who grew up under the stifling patronage of a stern father. Her domineering father frequently physically abused his family alongside her, creating terror at home and stunting the psychological growth of his children. Against the backdrop of the deterioration of the socio-economic and political life of Nigeria as it undergoes a military coup, the life Kambili knows is shattered and she has to seek for refuge in the home of her aunt. Kambili the sheltered but highly restricted child, who never thought of herself as lucky and who had earlier been absconded by her peers and cousin because of her supposedly privileges, learns to assert herself and becomes a beloved character, a character who easily understood the plight of those around her.. Kambili at first came to terms with her father as someone who regarded himself as a pillar of the community and someone she genuinely loved. Even the emotional and physical pains he inflicted are seen only as a gesture of love for her own good, but later she comes to consider his actions as abnormal. With its vivid portrayal of Nigerian life, and brilliant dissection of the characters , this novel moves at a pace which is electrifying.

Also recommended: DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE,GRACELAND, THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES

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Purple Hibiscus: A Novel
Purple Hibiscus: A Novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Paperback - Sep 14 2004)
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