The last time I willingly read a book with a collection of stories was when I was about ten years old. That particular book was a bliss as it had a collection of fairy tales and I remember rereading it every now and then. Ever since then, I never stumbled upon anything like it. Every novel I came across was either straight to the point or a series.
However, courtesy of a friend’s recommendation, I was recently surfing the internet for novels written by African authors and I got lots of suggestions; many with very intriguing titles. Believe me when I say that I felt like a bibliomaniac when I began downloading these e-books.
The first book from the set that I started reading was “The Thing Around Your Neck” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The fact that this book contained a collection of intriguing stories was an encouraging sign. I didn't know what to expect of course, but I'm glad I gave it a chance.
About The Book.
“The Thing Around Your Neck” is a widely praised book due to the author's compelling storytelling approach and her ability to share complex issues and circumstances in a very relatable manner.
The collection comprises twelve well written stories, each unique in its way. The book cuts across various topics like the intricacies of love and relationships, tradition, culture, social issues and even gender dynamics.
The book offers narratives that explore the complexities of life, identity and the “immigrant experience” particularly from the perspectives of Nigerians. So if you're probably wondering how a majority of Nigerians perceive immigration, then a copy of this book would go a long way.
All the stories in this book painted vivid pictures of certain occurrences but a few stood out for me and I would briefly share some of them with you.
Cell One
This particular story tallied so much with the narration a friend told me a few years back. Cell one basically captured the brutality and corruption within Nigerian prisons from the eyes of relatives of the victims.
The author narrates how one could lose their innocence in such a harsh environment. She also threw some light on how only the fittest could survive there.
The Arrangers Of Marriage
This was one story that got me screaming “no way!” In some parts of Nigeria, marrying a man chosen for you by your parents is only ideal. In such marriages, the ladies do not have a say. A majority of the time, the parents only look for outstanding features like how wealthy the man is or where the man works, which was the case in this story.
The guardians here assumed they had hit a jackpot when a Nigerian ‘doctor’ residing in America agreed to marry their ward. Eventually, the ward in question came to realise that all that glitters isn't gold.
The author carefully portrayed the disrespect, the insolence and lack of compassion that usually surrounds such marriages, especially when the men in question feel like the lady cannot survive without them.
Tomorrow is Too Far
This was another story that made me pause and scream before continuing. The story centers around the jealousy that can build up when parents or grandparents have a favorite child, neglecting the emotions of the other children.
This practice is quite rampant and usually occurs when the guardians favour the male kids more than the females because the males supposedly “carry on the family's lineage”.
My Opinion
I was amused at how short stories could make so much sense. These stories were quite straight to the point and the author ensured that each story was properly told.
I also like how the author left some parts of the story to our imagination and common sense. The stories ended in ways that one could easily tell the continuity as these situations are things we see and sometimes experience in everyday life.
The characters in each story were vividly drawn, with their inner emotions and lives portrayed in depth. Again, I am in awe as to how the author did this.
I honestly saw no downsides to this collection of stories because they were vivid, direct, well detailed and unique. I could easily say that some things portrayed in the book never happened but one can never tell as different people have different experiences.
Recommendation.
Without a doubt, I would recommend this piece to everyone, including Nigerians. This is because these collections are eye openers and also confirmation of certain things we may be suspecting.
Generally, it is a great read that captures the multifaceted nature of human experiences.
Images used are screenshots from my e-library except stated otherwise.
Love🤍