Americanah: Why I'm Hooked on Adichie

Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, follows the narrative of a woman who moves from Nigeria to America, and later, back to Nigeria. The protagonist, Ifemelu, never considered herself “black” until her move, when she discovers the cruel reality of race. She documents her observations, shock, and frustration about the topic on her blog. These entries, scattered throughout the narrative, act as catalysts for Ifemelu’s eerily personal character development. 

She had me engrossed from introduction to bitter goodbye. Throughout the long but also not-long-enough narrative, she follows the ebb and flow, as one does, of the whole emotional spectrum. She is euphoric, depressed, and indifferent. She gets angry, sometimes unable to articulate a reason why-- an experience not represented frequently enough in female characters. Americanah reads like a relatable stream of consciousness, one characterized by blunt humor. Adichie’s tone is dry, as if she doesn’t know she is making her reader scoff, laugh out loud, or feel understood. She might not even care-- she is merely speaking her mind. If I met Ifemelu in real life, I would want to be her best friend, but I’d probably be too intimidated by her sharp intellect to pursue such closeness. 

Upset at finishing the book, and mourning at the loss of my Ideal Best Friend, I was overjoyed to spot We Should All Be Feminists in a bookstore. I had heard of the title, but was unaware that the very same author who had me captivated for 588 pages, wrote it. I have never read a book about feminism. Adichie, I am sure, will be a great first guide.