Americanah Comments

Hi all

 

Irene - 8/10 - Involved intricate yet elegant yet interspersed with indulgence

AnneMarie - 7/10 - No comment, unfinished

Kaye -  6/10 - Unfinished - not sure where this is leading

Colleen - Read the wrong book but turned up anyway and stole brownies

Tahnee - 8/10 - Worth the read, manage in parts to be both ugly and illuminating

Mel -  6/10 - Gave me a new perspective on race

Emma - 6/10 - I'm engaged but would have to loved to read the end

Trilby - 7/10 - Unsatisfying end but an interesting review of race

Americanah book club questions

Adichie said she thinks there is “a tendency in American fiction to celebrate work that fundamentally keeps people comfortable.” How does Adichie reject or embrace keeping the reader comfortable in Americanah?

Adichie commented on likable characters in fiction, saying, "women writers are expected to make their female characters likeable, as though the full humanity of a female person must in the end meet the careful limitations of likability.” Did you find the characters in Americanah likeable? Why or why not? Are there some characters you liked more than others? If we demand likeable characters, what does this need say about us as readers?

Ifemelu’s experience with the tennis coach is a low point in her life. Why does she avoid being in touch with Obinze afterward (157–58)? Why doesn’t she read his letters? How do you interpret her behavior?

How much does your own race affect the experience of reading this or any novel? Does race affect a reader’s ability to identify or empathize with the struggles of Ifemelu and Obinze?

Why is it important to have the perspective of an African writer on race in America? 

What did the arc of Aunty Uju's character (a strong woman who chooses to rely on, and believe, the promises and financial backing of wealthy men) make you feel? Chimamanda sprinkles versions of this character throughout the story: Aisha at the braiding salon, Rayinudo, etc. What statement do you think Chimamanda is making about these women in comparison to Ifemelu, and do you agree with her? Were they one-dimensional portrayals, or did Chimamanda subtly infuse them with a kind of strength that only came to fullness within female companionships?

 How did you feel about Ifemelu's cutting off of communication with Obinze? Did you feel sympathy for Obinze, empathy for Ifemelu's withdrawal from life, etc?

What did you think of the conclusion - were you sympathetic to Ifemelu and Obinze's love story?



See you at 7.30pm.

Trilby