Viviana Costa Costa থেকে Antwadi, Maharashtra, India
For me this book was too parable-esque. It read a lot like Paulo Coehlo's The Alchemist, which I definitely enjoyed when I was like 16, but I'm looking for something a little deeper at this point. Things Fall Apart shows up on so many "modern classics" lists, and its depiction of tribal life and customs in southern Nigeria definitely gives a formidable cultural and anthropological education, but I was a little underwhelmed by the preachy tone. The destruction of the clan at the hands of white European bureaucrats working in concert with Christian missionaries is a sad tale indeed, but the lack of character development and over-simplified moral of hubris prevented it from being gut-wrenchingly moving. I can appreciate a universally sad story that whips up storms of tears and clenches my heart in anger, but I just didn't get it here. Maybe because the main character, Okonkwo, was just not sympathetic enough -- he was the falling Achilles instead of the star-crossed Oedipus.
I never wanted to put this story down. I found myself reading it before work and rushing out the door realizing I was now late. The story is riveting and unpredictable. The characters are intriguing, and you can't help but feel every moment of this book. The writing is fantastic and I would recommend this to anyone.