Thursday 29 September 2016

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie


1.Title: Purple Hibiscus
2.Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
3.First Published by: Fourth Estate (2004),An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers.
4.Present Edition: Fourth Estate (2013)
5.Copyright: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2004)
6.ISBN: 978-0-00-727235-8
7.Genre: Fiction/literature
8.Pages: 307
9.Price :Rs.399.
Adichie is   now a known  author from Nigeria and Purple Hibiscus is her first book.It was longlisted for Man Booker Prize 2004 and shortlisted for the Orange Prize 2004.It received the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award 2004.
                     Purple Hibiscus is the story of a young girl Kmbili and her brother Jaja, brought up in a strict religious regimentation by their father  Eugene Achike (Papa).Achike  gave   up and condemned   his past  religion and became Christian.He always tried to prove how  true  Christian he was , and kept  vigil over his children so that they  also remained  strict Christians.But this is not to say that he was a monster.He was kind and thoughtful in his own ways  but when  it came to religion , he did all kinds of  awful and horrible things.He was a strict believer in  religion and  order and  himself makes  a daily schedule  for the children and pastes it  on the wall above.
                     Eugene was the publisher of a a fiercely independent newspaper the Standard.His editor  Ade Choker   was killed by the dictator of Nigeria .Eugene looks after the family of Choker.Eugene is connected  and intelligent enough to  survive  death at the hands of dictator.
           Eugene has a sister whom his children call Aunty Ifoema.They were born and brought up in Abba , but  Eugene , on becoming Christian , breaks contact with his own father (Papa Nnukou).Every year , Eugene visits his home town with his family , but his children are allowed to meet their grand father only for 15 minutes.Eugene humiliates his father as  he thinks his father is a Pagan.
                             Aunty Ifoema is a lecturer in  the University at Nsukka.When Kambili and Jaja meet her , they understand  what freedom and fearlessness means.The three children of Aunty Ifoema also breathe in a free and unregimented environment , unlike  the tight and regimented life of Kambili and Jaja, back at home where their father  beats them violently for any alleged transgression . From Aunty Ifoema’s house , Jaja brings  stalks of Purple Hibiscus and plants these in his own house .Purple Hibiscuses  symbolise  freedom and non-regimentation .Aunty Ifoema  set higher and higher jumps for  her children  in the way she talked to them .Eugene made his children jump higher  by creating terror in their minds.
                    One day , Eugene is found dead in his factory  premises at his table .I will not be spoiler by telling who kills him.But it is important to know .
                           .I recommend you to read this very powerful ,  lyrical  and touching  story by  Adichie.
          

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