Name: Jade Flynn's review of An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma
Item: An Orchestra of Minorities
Rating: 4
Author: Jade Flynn

Chigozie Obioma

A heart-breaking story about a Nigerian poultry farmer who sacrifices everything to win the woman he loves, by Man Booker Finalist and author of The Fishermen, Chigozie Obioma. Set on the outskirts of Umuahia, Nigeria and narrated by a chi, or guardian spirit, AN ORCHESTRA OF MINORITIES tells the story of Chinonso, a young poultry farmer whose soul is ignited when he sees a woman attempting to jump from a highway bridge. Horrified by her recklessness, Chinonso joins her on the roadside and hurls two of his prized chickens into the water below to express the severity of such a fall. The woman, Ndali, is stopped her in her tracks. Bonded by this night on the bridge, Chinonso and Ndali fall in love. But Ndali is from a wealthy family and struggles to imagine a future near a chicken coop. When her family objects to the union because he is uneducated, Chinonso sells most of his possessions to attend a college in Cyprus. But when he arrives he discovers there is no place at the school for him, and that he has been utterly duped by the young Nigerian who has made the arrangements.. Penniless, homeless, and furious at a world which continues to relegate him to the sidelines, Chinonso gets further away from his dream, from Ndali and the farm he called home. Spanning continents, traversing the earth and cosmic spaces, and told by a narrator who has lived for hundreds of years, the novel is a contemporary twist of Homer's Odyssey. Written in the mythic style of the Igbo literary tradition, Chigozie Obioma weaves a heart-wrenching epic about destiny and determination..

An Orchestra of Minorities

Helena

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2019 From the author of the Booker-shortlisted novel, The Fishermen FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOKS OF 2019 'Obioma is truly the heir to Chinua Achebe' New York Times 'A major new African writer' Salman Rushdie 'A profoundly humane epic love story' Booker Prize Judges 2019 A young farmer named Chinonso prevents a woman from falling to her death. Bonded by this strange night on the bridge, he and Ndali fall in love, but it is a mismatch according to her family who reject him because of his lowly status. Is it love or madness that makes Chinonso think he can change his destiny? Set across Nigeria and Cyprus, An Orchestra of Minorities, written in the mythic style of the Igbo tradition, weaves a heart-wrenching tale about fate versus free will. _______________________________________________________________________________ 'A spectacular artistic leap' Guardian 'Brilliantly original' The Economist 'A remarkable talent' Independent 'Few contemporary novels achieve the seductive panache of Obioma's heightened language, with its mixture of English, Igbo and colourful African-English phrases, and the startling clarity of the dialogue. The story is extreme; yet its theme is a bid for mercy for that most fragile of creatures - a human' Eileen Battersby, Guardian

Jade Flynn

Read for the 'BTS Readathon' prompt - Jin: World Wide Handsome - Book with a stunning cover

Anyaconda

I've read "The Fishermen" and was excited to see Chigozie's new available for request on Netgalley.

This reads a bit different as we're told the story by our main character's "chi", his guardian spirit. 
We follow lonely Chinonso, a poultry farmer, discovering his feelings and need for love after saving a woman from committing suicide.
From here in turns into a heart-breaking drama where in the end he loses everything.
The author's books are hard-hitting and will leave a trace in your thoughts.
Trigger warnings are for suicide, killing of animals and rape.

I found it a bit hard to get into first. After moving my head around the whole idea of "chi" and the Igbo religion, I found this tale absolutely fascinating. It's harsh, it's raw and so different from all the other books. If you need a happy ending, this won't be for you.

Thank you Hachette Australia and Netgalley for providing me with an egalley.

Helena &
An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma

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An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma