Half of a Yellow Sun is the beautifully written second novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who has been hailed by no less a luminary than Chinua Achebe. The book tells the story of Nigeria's civil war in Biafra, from 1967-1970, from the Igbo standpoint. It is poignant, humorous and full of matter-of-fact atrocities. I've read a few books in my time, but this is the first book that I've read, finished and started to read again. The author's usage of the English language is masterful and she manages to convey the rich tapestry of 1960s life in Nigeria to her readers, amidst heartrending tragedy. She accurately portrays the goodness, the badness and the downright ugliness of the African continent.
You can listen to her being interviewed for Africa Today here.
If you only read one book this year, than let it be Half of a Yellow Sun, a literary masterpiece and then some!
People, believe the HYPE!
****UPDATE****
Half of a Yellow Sun has won the Orange prize
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