I had an illustrated Folio edition of this book sitting on my shelves for nearly a decade. Time and again, I would skip over it, reaching instead for other books. However, a gentle nudge from a Read Harder challenge prompt finally got me to pick it up. And I'm truly glad I did, for I found it to be an amazing read.

This book slots in rather neatly into my reading year. After recently finishing Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah, both of which deal with modern-day Nigeria or the Nigerian diaspora, it was a refreshing counterpoint to read about village life pre-colonisation from the "father of modern African writing". Far from being the dry classic I had feared, I came to understand why this book is so highly revered.

What truly surprised me about this novel was that, despite much of the literary criticism suggesting it's predominantly about the friction between native beliefs and western colonisation, that aspect only really comes to the fore in the last few pages.

The first two parts of the book establish the rhythms of village life, encompassing the gods, birth, death, marriage, yam farming (and there's a LOT of yams in this), as well as introducing the indomitable Okonkwo and his family. The story doesn't unfold at a breakneck pace, nor does it follow a straight line. Often, it feels as if we circle around a plot point without ever quite reaching it. But I didn't mind this leisurely stroll of storytelling. In fact, I think it made the impact of what occurs in the final third all the more powerful.

So many scenes from this book stand out in my mind - the locusts, the Egwugwu with smoke billowing from their heads, and the various sounds of gongs and cries from the spirit world. This was truly a very auditory kind of book.

By the time I closed the book on the final page, I realised just how much Achebe had managed to pack into such a slim novel, and how fitting the title was.

Brilliant.

All things are interconnected – what a profound, meaningful, and harmonious name.

The white man not only brought his religion but also his government.

The novel is divided into three parts. For the first part, which is the largest and most enjoyable, the author presents many aspects of the local people's life and culture, starting from the family and going up to the clan, marriage and death and judgment, festivals and religion, food and drink and women's jewelry, proverbs and rulings, songs and children's stories.

Proverbs:

"If a child washes his hands, he can eat with kings."

"When the moon shines, the priest feels a strong desire to walk."

"When a man is at peace with his ancestors and the gods, his harvest will be good or bad depending on the strength of his support."

"A frog does not jump during the day without a reason."

"An old woman does not feel comfortable when she remembers the dry bones."

"The bird Anke says that since men learned how to shoot without missing the target, he learned to fly without perching on a branch."

"If a man looks into a king's mouth, he thinks he was never breastfed by his mother."

"When the mother cow chews the grass, her calves look at her mouth."

In the burial of the dead:

"If you were poor in your last life, I would ask you to be rich when you come again, but you were rich. If you were a coward, I would ask you to come back brave, but you were a warrior. Don't be afraid. If you died young, I would ask you to come back to life, but you lived a long life. And so I will ask you to come back as you were before. And if your death was natural, then go in peace. But if it was caused by a man, do not give him a moment of rest."

Songs:

"For those for whom things go as they wish, there is no one for whom things go as they wish."

"Who will fight for our village? Okonkwo will fight for our village. Did he give the land to a hundred men? He gave the land to four hundred men. Did he give the land to a hundred goats? He gave the land to four hundred goats. So we ask him to fight for us."

"If you hold her hand, she says don't touch. If you hold her foot, she says don't touch. But if you hold her yam, she pretends not to know."

In the second and third parts, the white man begins to appear, starting with his church and his teachings, followed by his government and his laws and his policies. The world of Okonkwo, which he knows well, is starting to change. It is true that his world is not perfect. There are many superstitions and gods, many children are killed and men are exiled and the sick are abandoned. But the white man also did not bring a perfect world. The white man came with the belief that wisdom and goodness lie in power.

"The white man whom you know well has ordered."

It is true that the world of Okonkwo respects power and desires it, but that power is subject to the inheritance of ancestors and the wisdom of the elders, and the ties of kinship and compassion.

"The man who invites the people to a feast does not do so to save them from hunger, for everyone has food in their houses. When we gather together in the village square which is bathed in the moonlight, we do not gather because of the moon, for each man can see the moon in his own compound. We gather because it is good for the people to gather. I am afraid for you, young men, because you do not understand the power of kinship, you do not know the meaning of speaking with one voice."

The story has a clear documentary character. A skeptical narrator, yet with the license to poeticize, details for us the tribal life in West Africa in the late 19th century, using the life of Okonkwo, a great warrior and prominent man of the tribe, as the "novelizing" element to assist in the breakdown of his life within the context of the total and brutal breakdown of the world in which he lives.

What is most striking first of all is the crude way in which the novel breaks with that somewhat paternalistic vision of the good savage living in paradise, all harmony and happiness. The society described by Achebe has nothing savage about it and has many reasons for its condemnation. Highly hierarchical, the society was subject to strict rites and traditions based on a myriad of superstitions and ancestral customs that were often of dubious efficacy and frequently clearly condemnable. Even the most respectful of cultural differentiation cannot help but scratch their heads in the face of customs such as sacrificing twins at birth or that certain crimes were compensated by the delivery of family members, usually young, to the injured member of the tribe, and that sometimes they ended up being sacrificed for the benefit of the host community, or the state of slavery in which women lived or the transcendental role played by priests, priestesses, sorcerers or diviners in the observance of the strict norms of compliance established almost for every daily act.

Nor did fraternity reign in intertribal relations, with wars not being uncommon in which the best warriors boasted of the severed heads they took home as trophies and which came to be used as containers for their drinks. And yet, the tribes had for centuries maintained a social harmony only disrupted by a few individuals unable to abide by the norms or prosper within them. These marginal members were the weak links in the chain that missionaries and colonizers broke through their evangelization, thus initiating the social breakdown of their tribes.

Although I cannot say that the novel has seduced me from a literary point of view, it is undeniable that it is a very interesting narrative because of its content. Beyond all that has been said about the cultural shock, I want to end by mentioning those small and splendid stories that the author intersperses in the history in the form of moral fables that were orally transmitted from parents to children.

I really enjoyed reading this for the second time.

Okwonkwo is indeed not an easy character to like. However, when an unexpected accident changed his fortunes, I found myself rooting for him.

It's truly remarkable and hard not to admire his heroic nature. While the people around him are ready to let go and give up, he holds firmly onto the life he knows and has built for himself.

Despite being a short novel, it packs a powerful punch. It has a certain charm and appeal that makes it easy to keep coming back to and reading again. It leaves a lasting impression on the reader, making them reflect on the themes and characters long after they have finished the last page.

Overall, it's a great read that I would highly recommend to others.

Africa is a magical continent, artistically and culturally rich. It gives birth to literary works that are among the most beautiful one has ever read. Perhaps what makes Chinua Achebe stand out, placing him at the pinnacle of Nigerian and African writers and among the greats of world literature, is his magical ability to vividly描绘 the Nigerian society and its villages in all their details. This is precisely what the author has achieved here.

The author skillfully uses the village of "Umuofia" as an example to illustrate the overall framework of life in this society, just as Achebe did with the Nigerian village to explain the characteristics of Nigerian society. What makes the picture complete is that he delves into the minutest details of the villagers' lives, from their way of life and dwellings to their funeral rites for the deceased, their religious beliefs, their food and drink, their work and trade. A complete life throbs between the pages of this novel.

The novel tells the tragic story of "Okonkwo", one of the leaders of the "Igbo" tribe in the village of "Umuofia". The author describes Okonkwo's life from his early days, his challenges, and his rise to a prominent position in the tribe in an engaging style. The events unfold, revealing Okonkwo's life with his three wives and children, and the author portrays the full dimensions of Okonkwo's personality through these events. He is the heroic warrior, the fair husband, and the affectionate father, despite the harshness and brutality he often shows towards his wives and children.

As the days pass, Okonkwo becomes involved in a crime that leads to his exile from the tribe for seven years. Then comes the period of punishment, during which many events occur. When he returns to his tribe, he discovers that Christianity has taken hold in the tribe, and he is shocked by the upheaval in the tribe, which is divided between those who support and those who oppose the new religion, which challenges the traditions of the old gods. The events continue to unfold in a conflict between traditions and the new religion, between the priesthood of the old gods and the preachers of Christianity, until the end.

The translator of the novel, with whom I strongly agree, says in the preface that one of the secrets of the novel's beauty is the author's complete objectivity towards the events. As you read, you will wonder what the author's stance is on all these events. This means, of course, that the picture itself is what speaks to the reader, about the harshness and false values in this life, as well as about simplicity, beauty, and poetry.

I mentioned earlier that the most beautiful thing in the novel is the details. If we talk about some of these details, I would say that the author presents almost everything that can be imagined in social life, such as marriage ceremonies, farming rituals, the main foods like "yam", which is the most important food, and "cola nuts", which are offered in the ceremony of welcoming guests. The ceremony of welcoming guests has its own story, as does palm wine, fufu soup, and bitter leaf soup. Then there is the presentation of beliefs and religion, the multiple gods they believe in, such as the god of the earth and farming, the god of rain, the god of hills and mountains, and above all, each person has his own personal god responsible for his fate in life.

We leave aside matters of religion and talk about justice. The tribe turns to a group who claim to be people possessed by the spirits of their wise ancestors and they call themselves the "Agbogho Mmuo". This group consists of nine people who appear in the courts in a terrifying guise to judge between people. They are distinguished from the rest of the people by their appearance, which inspires fear in the hearts of all who see them, with their face paintings, headdresses, and staffs that pound the ground rhythmically.

Then there are the strange customs that the author discusses with complete objectivity, such as the birth of twins, which is considered a curse by the priesthood, and whenever a woman gives birth to twins, they are left in the forest to appease the gods. And if someone kills another person by mistake, he is exiled from the tribe for years. There are many other details and details that描绘 the society in a complete picture, making you feel as if you are living in the novel while reading it. I myself felt as if I was in Africa with full awareness while reading the novel. This is evidence of the novel's magic and the author's ability.

Even African beauty and love are描绘 in the most beautiful way. Men may marry nine wives at once, yet each of them has a love and loyalty like no other. Each wife loves her husband, and loves her husband's children from other wives. And the husband returns this love, so you will find him taking care that each wife prepares a full meal for him at every meal time, and he does not reject the food of any of them, but eats from all the dishes and from the hands of all the wives, causing satisfaction and joy in their hearts and a measure of love for each one, in accordance with fairness and equality between them.

The translation of the novel is one of the most beautiful, although the translator mentioned in the preface that the reason for the world's lack of interest in African literature is that most of what Africans write is in their local languages, which are very many and different from each other and extremely complex. And that the only African literature that has managed to spread is that which is written in English by African immigrants or in other foreign languages, and whatever it may be, they are few compared to the African books that remain in Africa itself.

In conclusion, this novel is magical, full of details and interesting stories. It reveals a world that perhaps you have never read about before, and perhaps you will not read about it much in the future. The novel has managed to reach a certain level of popularity, among thousands of other African works that have struggled to reach the international stage. But it has still managed to attract the attention of the world to the fact that Africa exists on the map of literature, and that Africa deserves more attention from readers and the literary world in general.

“A proud heart can overcome misfortune, for it does not yield its pride. It is harder and more painful to break down on your own.”

This profound statement emphasizes the strength and resilience that a proud heart can possess. It suggests that even in the face of difficulties and hardships, a person with a sense of pride can find the inner strength to persevere. However, it also acknowledges that the process of self-breakdown can be far more arduous and painful.

“- We do not pray for wealth, because whoever has children and is healthy also has wealth. We do not pray to have a lot of money, but to have a large family. We are better than animals because we have a family. An animal rubs its body against a tree, a person asks someone in the family to scratch him.”

This passage presents a different perspective on what is truly valuable in life. It challenges the common notion that wealth is the ultimate goal and instead highlights the importance of family and good health. It implies that the bonds and support within a family are what truly distinguish humans from animals and bring a sense of fulfillment and well-being.

This is by far the worst book I have read in a very long time.

Not only was the story extremely depressing, but it was also poorly written. I can understand an author adding some bleak aspects to a novel, but Achebe really went overboard with this one.

I felt no emotional connection to any of the characters. In fact, I would even say that I despised Okwonkwo. Despite his physical strength, he was emotionally and spiritually very weak. By the end of the novel, it was really annoying.

I understand that Achebe wrote this novel to present their culture in a more positive light, but all I got from it was that they beat their wives, mutilate dead babies, and stab their adopted sons.

I would highly recommend that anyone considering reading this novel should look for another literary option instead.

What I have read in the novels that take minorities as their theme, I have noticed a similar value. The novel begins with a quiet narration and ordinary events about the life of the tribe. Then it reveals a transformation that lies in the external expansion within the tribe and the weakening and transformation of these customs. And the end is the powerful point in the novel.

This statement applies to this novel with excellence, as it is one of the mother novels that played on this value.
Things revolve around the expansion of the white man in Africa and his control over various aspects of religion and politics and his confrontation of the old religion with force and cunning.
The novel begins with a quiet start about the life of an African tribe and revolves around the hero "Okonkwo" and his upbringing and his view of his father, his youth and his strength. In it, we explore the customs of the tribe and its religion from all aspects in a quiet and beautiful way. Then the novel begins to revolt due to an event that changes the course of the novel. From here, the novel begins to accelerate its events and rise and its gentle flow to end with a tragic end that is the peak of this novel.

A very beautiful novel.

A story is never ordinary, never, not at all.

It is a true human epic, with all the struggles, wars, and collapses, with the rise and fall, with the emergence of tribes and clans, and the downfall of others, with religions and gods that crumble and die, and others that stand and fight.

The history of a hero, intertwined with the history of a tribe, a state, and a nation, with all its customs, myths, superstitions, and black magic, with all the remnants of that black civilization of religions and gods.

The story of a hero's life, his life has passed, as has his era and his legends have passed.

A beautiful life story that deserves contemplation, and a story that carries all the hopes, dreams, and even myths in the human soul, the history of the struggle between one religion and another, and between one lord and other lords.

A truly wonderful story, full of magic.

The first thing I read in African literature, and to be honest, I don't think I have read anything like it before, not traditional, wonderful, enjoyable, and attractive.

A human epic that deserves attention.

Okonkwo is perhaps the most unsympathetic character I've ever read.

He is violent, selfish, ambitious, and insular, completely convinced of his own righteousness. I actively disliked him and couldn't fathom Achebe's decision to make his story the core of this tale. The episodic nature of the narrative only deepened my sense of alienation, with glimpses of a world so foreign to my own.

Then the white missionaries come. With their laws, rules, and one true God. Their seemingly superior beliefs and even greater self-interest are supported by their power to take, change, demand, and rule as if it were at their whim, but in reality, it is their greater capacity for violence. Despite seeing them as colonizers, there was a scene that made me think: finally, some civilized justice. And in that very moment, I understood. This culture that I didn't understand didn't owe me an explanation.

Yet, in every digression of the narrative, there is an example of the incredible complexity of Igbo society that I simply hadn't recognized or, more accurately, valued. Even the white 'justice' I thought I saw was illusory, an idealized concept exposed as false by the choices and actions in the final scenes.

At first glance, Okonkwo is the black savage we expect, proof that the white civilizing mission was necessary and just: look, see, these people never learn. Okonkwo is himself above all else, yet still a complex individual who sometimes represents the will, rules, and values of his society, and at other times is in conflict with it. He is unchanging, a necessary illustration of what occurs when life's choice becomes change or die. Not only for him, but for his village and for Igbo culture as a whole.

The relative morality of such change, the ideas of progress versus tradition, underlie the entire novel, but equally, they are made unimportant. Change will happen regardless of its right or wrong. Here, the lack of sympathy for Okonkwo, his own inflexibility and mistakes, make it easy to assign him the blame for the tragic outcome. The ultimate 'he brought it upon himself' cautionary tale. But his domineering personality conceals much, not only his own despised softer side but also the role of other characters, who each have their own agency and provide examples of how some people in Igbo society took advantage of change. On this side, there is much complexity to discover.

For the colonizer and missionary too, Achebe offers no easy answers. Everything about the structure of this book is crafted to make the reader think, yet its true depth and scope are not revealed until the end. It was so revelatory that it changed the way I felt about the whole novel, the people within it, and the thoughts and assumptions I had carried with me. It's difficult to see beyond the ideas that have shaped your life, whether overt or unconscious. Books like this are a means of opening your eyes. Always a worthy task.

"Things Fall Apart" is one of those modern classics that I had long intended to read but simply never got around to it. Finally, I picked it up and now I understand why I was repeatedly urged to do so.

The book is written in a literary style that also mimics the cadence and style of the oral tradition method of storytelling native to the Ibo people of Nigeria, about whom the novel is centered. It takes the reader some time to get accustomed to the Ibo names, terms, and colloquialisms. Fortunately, a short glossary of Ibo terms is included at the back of the text, which is quite useful. However, one can also figure out the meanings of most of the Ibo words from the context.

The protagonist of "Things Fall Apart" is Okonkwo, a rather dislikable, insecure, and mean man. On the surface, he may seem like the archetypal ignorant male head of the household. But this is a lazy interpretation, as Chinua Achebe has crafted a novel that delves much deeper. Although the novel and many of the customs are very dated and specific to the Ibo people in the 1890s, the problems that afflict the characters (though not many of the circumstances) are universal and will always remain so. One should not read this novel with the aim of feeling culturally superior. Instead, read it and accept it on its own terms, and you will gain so much more from it.

There are numerous characters in the text, and it is a testament to Mr. Achebe's skill that they all come across as extremely real. His ability to provide a vivid characterization in just a few sentences is truly astounding at times. One of my favorite characters is Uchendu, Okonkwo's uncle. Although he doesn't appear until halfway through the novel and doesn't speak much, when he does, one should pay close attention. Some of the novel's most powerful moments are his, and much of the thematic wisdom of the text emanates from his words.

This novel is a surprisingly quick read. You are drawn in quite seductively and don't realize it until it's too late. I'm hesitant to say exactly what "Things Fall Apart" is about, but I will say that I think the novel does deal with a man who is ill at ease in the time in which he lives. Okonkwo is a man who perhaps should have been born 100 years earlier. He is strong in the traditional sense but weak in the ways that truly matter. He is a man living in the shadow of his father (who isn't) and an insecure individual who masks his fears with abuse and anger. The novel's ending serves as a chilling warning about where that path leads.

I deeply regret not having read this wonderful novel sooner. Don't make the same mistake!

At the end of the 19th century, in a village of the Ibo tribe in Nigeria, life unfolds in a rather short and 'objective' manner. The main character, Okonkwo, appears to be on the path to achieving respect through his own merits. However, by accident and ultimately with the arrival of the white colonizer, the English, in his region, his world comes crashing down.

Achebe presents a poignant evocation of traditional family life and, above all, a sketch of the far-reaching consequences of the transition to a colonial regime. The detached description is remarkable as it is neither an indictment nor a complaint. Of course, one cannot help but feel a certain sympathy for the tragic Okonkwo and the traditional life that is about to disappear. Yet, Achebe also emphasizes the dark and cruel aspects of that life.

Due to the detached style, this book might seem less captivating at first glance. However, it is definitely a great read that offers a profound exploration of a changing society and the complex characters within it.