Reviews

Lila hibiskus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

miss_sheila_d_w's review against another edition

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5.0

I'm floored by this one. Multiple themes, characters I connected with and a story that sucked me in. I'm still slightly dazed an hour after completing it. Father Amadi was particularly swoonworthy

ibarradas's review against another edition

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3.0

Custa-me horrores “só” dar 3 estrelas a este livro, mas foi de facto a minha experiência de leitura. Durante uma boa parte, brotou em mim um sentimento de fúria… por alguém que - apesar de tanto agradecer, impor e ceder aos desígnios do Senhor - se acha o representante de Deus na Terra. Senti o terror instalado por ele na família (que poderia ter crescido mais em número… esses episódios marcaram-me muito). E empatizei com a narradora, inclusive com aquela sua estagnação… mas essa parte talvez se tenha tornado demasiado lenta para mim. Irritou-me que tenha sido necessária uma experiência de quase morte para se libertar ligeiramente das amarras, e aí tive menos simpatia pela personagem. Não pela sua dor, mas pelo “egoísmo”. Mas se calhar, no fundo, estamos todos só a tentar sobreviver, não é? Depois de uma transformação muito lenta, o final desenrolou-se demasiado rápido para mim. É por tudo isto que dou apenas 3 estrelas, porque a história em si é de facto muito impactante. Gostei muito da forma como conseguimos perceber bastante bem o interior das personagens, só por algumas das suas acções (ou falta delas).

akankshamiddya's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

4.5

lisafox's review against another edition

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5.0

This book was a raw, honest look into a young girl's life. It was heartbreaking at times, and uplifting at others. I couldn't put it down.

cara1993's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

eggcellent_reads's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

kattas's review against another edition

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3.0

While not my favourite of Adichie's works, there is something at once uplifting and enlightening about this book, for all that it deals with a considerable number of unpleasant events and themes.

There is definitely enough here to make it worth rereading at least once.

cmbussmann's review against another edition

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2.0

I finished this in two sittings, partly because Adichie’s descriptive prose is so compelling but also because that same literary power becomes unbelievably uncomfortable to read when put towards descriptions of domestic abuse & religious fanaticism. I found I had to close my eyes at points and even started skimming these sections, they were just too gut wrenching. And I didn’t find the overall plot redemptive enough to warrant the difficulty I found reading it: this is a very typical coming-of-age story wherein two teens grow up in an abusive religious household, taste freedom while boarding with a more liberal, free-spirited aunt, and then return home to confront their family damage. The best parts of the novel were the author’s long digressions into Nigerian food culture and the background sub-plot surrounding Nigeria’s history of military coups.

This is the second time I’ve struggled with Adichie’s novels. I didn’t finish Americanah and I almost didn’t finish this. Her non-fiction is much better, IMO.

syl_lutze's review against another edition

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5.0

4.5 stars

Wonderfully complex characters and narrative. Structure of the book (preview and then flashback) wasn’t needed and the point of “falling apart” seemed way too late for me. Overall great book and had some nuanced, interesting, and life like characters.

amshu's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

the experience of reading this book is difficult to distil into a few words, it was so immaculately written, so oppressively tight and pulled together. each page so vivid i could almost picture myself right there, each character so close that i could practically hear them. adichie's debut truly was a treasure to read, especially at a time when reading was starting to lose its appeal to me.