Just finished Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe) and I LOVED it

Submitted by SublimeLime1 t3_zbxnpm in books

I flew through this book in only three sittings. Not to give any major spoilers but… the juxtapositions of masculine and feminine, ignorance and pride, tradition and colonialism, and good and evil is just remarkable!

The way Achebe writes is so effortless, not a sight of purple prose. His simple style is very accessible, yet very effective.

Again, I don’t want to give any spoilers away, but it’s probably one of my favourite depictions of colonialism in literature.

And the ending is just so haunting, really emphasises the disregard of humanity from a certain Empire…

I’ve also read and adored Purple Hibiscus by Adichie, any other African book suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

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v1adthe1mpailr t1_iytvsf7 wrote

I read it for highschool and I’ve never been more glad for assigned readings. It was such an amazing read.

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finefrokner t1_iytyx54 wrote

Same, it was by far my favorite thing I was assigned in English class.

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Enoan t1_iyvisdq wrote

Same for me. Definitely felt like one of the most important books we read. Watching the closeted racists squirm during the discussions was also pretty fun.

"I can't keep track of the names. I have no idea what's going on" Every major character's name starts with a different letter.

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per-severance t1_iyv5zqb wrote

Same here. It was especially amazing because I had to read it along with Heart of Darkness, which I found almost completely unpalatable.

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ricewbean t1_iyuiba3 wrote

Same thing here. The way it was the first African book assigned to us finally after being bored to death with Wnglish books.

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allmimsyburogrove t1_iyu2mci wrote

FYI, Things Fall Apart is a direct reaction to Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Achebe called out Conrad as a racist because of his 2-dimensional depictions of the natives of the Congo and felt compelled to tell a story from the perspective of the colonized.

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyuqlr6 wrote

What Achebe managed to do for me, is not simply present the Igbo people as simple innocents living in a happy utopia before the colonialism.

But he presents a complex set of traditions, a culture which is not always right, and sometimes does awful things; much like the British.

His way to see the good and bad in both British and Igbo rulership I think is what made it so fascinating for me.

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Most_Triumphant t1_iyvl5zj wrote

Read them both back in High School. They are a fantastic pairing.

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Resentful_in_Dayton t1_iyu0atb wrote

If you liked it then I recommend Grain of Wheat, A Question of Power, and the Beautiful Ones are Not Yet Born as three other great African novels.

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kimjobil05 t1_iyu4gm9 wrote

The beautiful ones is a superb read.

I'd also recommend peter Abraham's "a wreath for udomo" and ngugi wa thiong'os petals of blood ... Also Achebe's anthills of the savanna is a classic. Chinua is the greatest African go ever pick up a pen, no one comes close in my view 😂 Also, Somehow African lit during the colonial and early post colonial era was simply incredible. I dunno what happened.

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[deleted] t1_iyublhs wrote

Yeah Things Fall Apart was pretty amazing!

I love Chinua Achebe's writing style, at least the way he is committed to giving us, a western audience possible unfamiliar with the setting, a look into the life of Okonkwo's village while staying true to the plot.

I also loved the stories, and the mythical aspects of the people who were in masks that represented the gods, I found that really interesting. It just felt so real, and you could really immersive. The themes of honor and avoiding the mistakes of your father were very much present, and I thought that the last part of the book was really quite sad, and it makes sense for a character like Okonkwo to do something like that after his tribe had forsaken him, a sharp contrast to the earlier scenes where the tribe was one and strong, and now had been divided

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyuqrt3 wrote

I seen a lot of reviewers say that the bulk of the early sections are useless, as the colonialism doesn’t come until the second or third parts.

But it was the life before the white people arrived I found most interesting too! The mythology and ancient rules were so different to anything I had heard and I was so entrenched in the plot. Such a great read.

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OwlOfFortune t1_iyvpicv wrote

People think showing pre-colonialism is worthless? That's crucial to showing Oknokwo's struggles. It also really mirrors the last bit of the book where the officer is thinking about the importance of Okonkwo.

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyvtjrw wrote

I think a few people read books like this with the expectation of gory violence and oppressive colonialism from the offset. This book does take its time to establish the Igboland, before the British arrive later in the book.

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[deleted] t1_iyuqx3x wrote

i love you man, you are beuatiful this site is wonderful, thank god for reddit

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OkBey24 t1_iywmvc8 wrote

Things fall apart is precisely my favorite book because of the precolonialism parts. I’m an African, and in my experience in our history classes at school a majority of what we learned about our country was during and after colonialism. It was nice to read about a precolonial African tribe in detail

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DarkSnowFalling t1_iyulst6 wrote

It’s actually considered to be part of a trilogy. You should read the other 2 books in the African Trilogy by Achebe as they are also phenomenal. The second book is Arrow of God. And the third is No Longer at Ease. I read the whole trilogy in college and each book is haunting in its own way.

Edit: I accidentally mixed up the order of the 2nd & 3rd book. Fixed now.

Edit 2: The African Trilogy is widely accepted as Achebe’s magnum opus on colonialism and Achebe is considered to be the father of modern African literature.

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyuquu6 wrote

I had no idea! I shall definitely check them out. Thanks

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TolaOdejayi t1_iyvllpg wrote

I wouldn't really include 'Arrow of God' in that trilogy. Yes, the events in AoG happen just at the beginning of the British colonization of Nigeria, which is just after the events in Things Fall Apart. But none of the characters in TFA appear in AoG.

No Longer At Ease, though, is more of a continuation of the story in TFA, jumping forward about forty years.

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CaptainObvious t1_iytusim wrote

I have read Things Fall Apart at different stages of life. Each time it hits differently. In 15 years I will probably read it again and gain new reflection and insight.

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SuccotashCareless934 t1_iyuntbz wrote

Half of a Yellow Sun by Adichie is excellent as well; My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite is a short, fun novel set in Lagos. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi starts in Ghana, ends in the USA.

There's also The Memory of Love; This Mournable Body; The Girl With The Louding Voice; Marie Ndiaye's work, and Scholastique Mukasonga too.

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zeroniusrex t1_iyx6kdd wrote

I was also going to suggest Half of a Yellow Sun. Wow, what a book.

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dissy_issy t1_iyufrid wrote

I like the plot and the messages Chinua Achebe conveys, however i could never get my head around the writing style. The diction is quite simple, with exception to the added culturally accurate terms, but i felt like the sentences were a little to spacy. I could not get into the book (finished it though) but i still recommend trying to.

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyuqtv7 wrote

Fair enough. Not every book will gel for everyone.

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SupremeToast t1_iyvlqlv wrote

This might sound stupid but it clicked for me. When I first read Things Fall Apart in high school I had a great English teacher who talked about the importance of literary mediums. While books have long had a place, most stories written down over 150 years ago were originally told orally and so many of those books "feel" better read aloud.

Igbo literature is traditionally oral, as Achebe depicts a few times in Things Fall Apart. Reading the story aloud as if you were telling it over a campfire just makes it feel more engrossing to me. I've reread it twice now and I still prefer reading aloud to myself. It's similar to how most Shakespeare is pretty thick and verbose when you just read words on a page, but his work can be profound when people read those words in character.

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Count_JohnnyJ t1_iywk991 wrote

Spot on. I first read it in college and struggled with it. Then I taught it as part of my curriculum, where I read it out loud with the class and loved it. Not being able to teach TFA is one of the things I miss about teaching high school.

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PM__Me__UR__Dimples t1_iyvtylq wrote

I get the book and it’s significance. I did not like it. And the main character dies “off screen”. Hated it.

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Blankstarehere t1_iyune9o wrote

I read this story in college for my African Studies class. My teacher was from Cameroon, and I'll never forget his big booming voice reading out the first two paragragraphs to us, Okonkwo threw the cat! It helped that my professor came from a colonized country ( Cameroon was colonized by the French) and he was able to give us lots of insight of the loss of culture with the colonization and why the story ended the way it did. I had gotten Chinua Achebe book Called the African Trilogy, which included No Longer at Ease and Arrow of God, along with Things Fall Apart, so check out the other two titles.

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyuqykx wrote

That sounds incredible, must have helped so much to have someone with some much first hand knowledge. I will certainly check out the other two of the trilogy! Thank you

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ohleprocy t1_iyu5rn9 wrote

I have this book but haven't read it yet. Sounds like it's time to pick it up.

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timtamsforbreakfast t1_iyup2ls wrote

If no one else has mentioned it yet, then I suggest The River Between by Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o.

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IndelibleIguana t1_iyuzddr wrote

Tying the bike to the tree so it doesn't run off and tell the other white men.

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remymartinia t1_iyw1h2p wrote

I love the poem the title is from, too:

Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43290/the-second-coming

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BookishBitching t1_iyv3kbu wrote

Legit one of my favorite all-time books. The depth is so soul-wrenching!

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Drunkensteine t1_iyveadj wrote

The author was my instructor during freshman orientation at college. How he spoke was so similar to your description of his writing. Thanks for the wave of memories.

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seranyti t1_iyuaj4i wrote

I read it thr first time my freshman year of college. It is s great novel.

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ruchuu t1_iyussqz wrote

Make sure you read Arrow of God also by Achebe. Another powerful and profound ending.

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The_Friendly_Simp t1_iyuw1is wrote

Oh man I read that book for high school and it’s one of the few books that have found it’s way into the deepest roots of my mind. I can still remember most of the story beats. That’s how impactful it is.

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beyondsteppenwolf t1_iyuz85h wrote

I've had this book on my shelf for more than five years! Thanks for giving me the motivation to remove it and put it on my night stand. It sounds just like the perfect read for me right now.

If you like Adichie, I'd recommend Half of a Yellow Sun.

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyvbng0 wrote

likewise, i think i shall read half of a yellow sun next.

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zizidx98 t1_iyuzcyc wrote

I loved that book also! So simple but profound and moving, it was great. I’m not a fan of a lot of modern ‘african’ literature i.e. home going series, my sister the serial killer (awful), etc. Adichie is one of the only authors where I think her work will be regarded as a classic in years to come in this realm.

I suggest you try Freshwater and the Death of Vivek Oji - those are some of the most imaginative novels I’ve ever read with beautiful prose and vivid characters!

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Nkjudec t1_iyv31dk wrote

He painted the African culture

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WallabyUpstairs1496 t1_iyv3sxq wrote

Really relevant to what's going on today.

Someone who based their entire life to a paradigm of success that no longer exists.

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Pettysouls t1_iyv6cdr wrote

This post is motivating me to finish the book.

I've never read anything by Achebe before so a few days ago I decided to pick up Things Fall Apart. I've been struggling with the novel for days now because it just does not interest me that much. The themes and characters are brilliant, but his writing style bothers me for some reason and I feel like the story is dragging. I don't understand why I feel this way, but I guess I have to give the novel another chance and finish it.

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyvc2xv wrote

I hope you do! But if you don’t enjoy reading, DNF’ing is more than reasonable. Achebe won’t be for everyone, like any author :)

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Pettysouls t1_iyvmttf wrote

Wise words but I think I need to power through. Some other commenters have pointed out that by reading the book multiple times, they have gotten something different out of it every time, so maybe this isn't my time but at least I know what expect if I ever decide to re-read the book.

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Naive_Cube t1_iyvcc1d wrote

I also recommend Half of a Yellow Sun which was in a few other places here.

I haven’t seen Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi mentioned yet but that’s a must read imo.

The Poisonwood Bible is an interesting one too (although written by an American). It’s the story of a Baptist minister and his family living in the Congo at the end and after the dismantling of the Belgian occupation.

Happy reading!

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyvci27 wrote

half of a yellow sun is my next read, but thanks for the others too! i’ll check them out

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Roachmeister t1_iyvjqci wrote

If you enjoy being introduced to other non-Western cultures, I recommend A House For Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipul, about the life of a Hindu Indian man in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 1900s.

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eightch2O t1_iyvws44 wrote

Highly recommend Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga if you haven’t read it!

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AnotherOmnishambles t1_iyvzahj wrote

“Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.” A line that will stay with me for my whole life

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purple_shmurple t1_iyw0zbr wrote

I’m currently reading Half of A Yellow Sun by Adichie too, and it is incredible.

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Strangewhine89 t1_iyv5uag wrote

I had to read Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians as a matriculating college freshman. Following up the same year with Things Fall Apart in Intro to Anthropology was fitting. Definitely went through a phase of colonial conquest and rot in both history and fiction reading, mandatory and for personal interest.

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DonDonStudent t1_iyv828r wrote

Super ducked up book for a high schooler to read

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xeallos t1_iyv9l12 wrote

It really is a beautiful book. I also loved the nested folklore story within a story, that really stuck with me.

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Masterpiece_Born t1_iyvccbg wrote

I read this when I was 14 in school but never understood the deeper meanings. I’d love to give it a reread, thanks for inspiring me

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curiouscnx t1_iyvekzg wrote

Thanks for the rec I’ve always wanted to read this, will add it to my read list for next year.

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nikkiralphmorrison t1_iyvhmbj wrote

Definite classic. As others have said there are parallel narratives that deal with similar themes. Black Boy or Half of a Yellow Sun come to mind. Just read Healer of the Dead. Definitely in a similar vein.

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hornet0123 t1_iyvkemd wrote

Absolutely loved this book! It reminded me of Animal Farm in one way: the story and writing is so simple, almost like it was overtly simple on purpose, but then the "moral" when it comes just sort of punches you in the face. I remember when the British were suddenly in charge at the end of the book, it was just sudden and shocking. There was no war, no declaration, no nothing. It was like the British were living as neighbors and then one day they were just running things and it was mostly just accepted.
Excellent read!

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Critical_Ad_7778 t1_iyvkmw4 wrote

Science teacher here. The most meaningful part of the book for me has been the title. This one statement: "Things fall apart" is one of the most important and fundamental ideas to teach kids in science.

It's the law of entropy.

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D_is_for_Doomsayer t1_iyvoey1 wrote

Great book.

One of my favorite novels, in general and especially among post-colonial lit, is Ngugi wa Thiong'o's A Grain of Wheat.

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sifu_hotman_ t1_iyvqv0c wrote

I don’t think anyone has recommended We Were Beautiful by Imbolo Mbue. I read that last year and still think about it from time to time.

She also wrote Behold the Dreamers, but that’s about an African couple trying to immigrate to the US, though I think the story is well-told. I really like her writing style.

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyvtlfz wrote

Thanks for the recommendations! I’ll check them out

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anthii t1_iyvyg3o wrote

I read the book back in my 10th grade English class, and I loved it. Even with my thoughts on certain characters, I think I ended up being the one person who cried at the end. I hope the book is included in the list for my family's book club, otherwise I'll suggest adding it as an additional read; I'd love to see if I have a different journey during a re-read.

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Sardonic_007 t1_iyvyzk4 wrote

Oh I just read this too! And finished “their eyes were watching god” this morning.

Re things - I actually found this book very analogous to the first part of Roots. It’s very much a story of the idyllic being ruined by colonialism. Even the major conflict where there is an accident is dealt with fairly and in terms of justice. That entire ecosystem is turned with the advent of white mans courts where justice is seemingly absurd and out of sorts with culture and custom. In many ways roots changes how this happens this as KK is simply abducted and foisted into a new world where he has similar experiences. It would be reasonable to success the main character in things took the better way out.

All in all this was an super easy read, but despite the flaws and accusations of roots, it’s the superior book.

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eltigrechino123 t1_iyw0wma wrote

Absolutely!! That ending made me gasp out loud. It hit me like a ton of bricks and knocked all the wind out of me!

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djcocainegoat t1_iyw344s wrote

late to the party. Achebe is unparalleled as a writer. i'd recommended both of Chigozie Obioma's novels 'the fishermen' and 'an orchestra of minorities'

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velociraptorstyle t1_iyw386c wrote

Read Anthills of the Savannah too. Also a great read.

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franknitty69 t1_iyw9rb4 wrote

What’s crazy was yesterday I was just talking about cry the beloved country with someone. Today I’m scrolling Reddit and boom Things Fall Apart. Universe is wild af.

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yuhuh- t1_iywfmto wrote

Adding to my reading list!

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pilesofcleanlaundry t1_iywgmke wrote

I had to read it in high school, it was awesome. “Yam, the king of crops, was a man’s crop.” Achebe wrote two more books that are almost as good, Arrow of God was the second one and I don’t remember the third.

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Taodragons t1_iywxj0z wrote

My friend is an English teacher and is always going on and on about this book. So I finally picked it up, and it's great, but I couldn't tell HIM that, so when he asked I said it was fine, but "Yams and the manly art of wife beating" would have been a better title. I think our friendship almost ended right there, but my poker face slipped because he was SO offended.

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katm34 t1_iyx0d3k wrote

I loved the book, however the ending felt rushed.

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withersnl t1_iyxtb3t wrote

Half of a yellow sun by Chimamanda ngozie adichie is an amazing description of the Nigerian civil war.

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Bugaboney t1_iyy9e71 wrote

Paradise by Abdulrazak Gurnah. Takes place in Tanzania before WWI. Beautiful prose and a period of history and geography that I never really experienced in fiction before. The author also won the Nobel prize in literature in 2021 I think.

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filteringwaterbottle t1_iyyhq58 wrote

ah im so upset i didn’t enjoy this .. i DNF’d it about halfway through. maybe I should give it another try haha

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jacknunn t1_iyysqf8 wrote

The scene with the dad and the flute in the forest stayed with me

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ugagradlady t1_j2bp79x wrote

I loved the story too. Not that the setting was idyllic, but the last sentence was a jarring summary of what's about to take place for the people of Umuofia.

I've also met men like Okonkwo, usually veterans like he was. They fought so hard to defend what they believed in that they can't give it up just like that-what sense would their world make without it?

For a look at how colonialism destroys children's lives, I recommend Ahmadou Kourouma's Allah is Not Obliged, a tragedy with no hint of sentimentality or pajamafication.

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RedditAndPorn t1_j0r8gry wrote

If you enjoyed Things Fall Apart, then you should read "Arrow of God" by the same author. Arguably his best work

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Jmsnwbrd t1_iyvhsph wrote

Spoiler alert - Does this story have a scene where someone is being held hostage and is to be (or is) tortured? I'm trying to remember if I read this book in college.

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TruthOf42 t1_iyu0f77 wrote

It's been some years since I read it, but saying you "Loved" it seems to be a... Interesting take on it.

I found it to be very brutal in many different ways. The main character was brutal physically and emotionally to others, but also to his own self and his own feelings.

It was like a tale of toxic masculinity, but also showing how toxic it is for oneself as well.

So again, what did you "love" about it?

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SublimeLime1 OP t1_iyuqb87 wrote

I loved how Achebe represented the complex character who was driven by fear of femininity, and weakness. I didn’t personally admire the character, as he did some horrific things (spoilers) and is overall unlikeable.

But yes I loved the book, in the same way I love to read and analyse the violent passion between Cathy and Heathcliff or the harrowing dystopia of 1984.

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