alebuu's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kurtwombat's review against another edition
4.0
NO LONGER AT EASE is a beautifully realized tug-of-war with a human being as the rope. Obi Okonkwo returns to Africa after being educated in England thinking that he pretty much knows who he is. The ease with which he defines himself is tested as soon as he gets off the boat and begins his new life. Obi is caught between white and black cultures, European and African mindsets, poverty versus affluence, family versus personal and even how a man deals with women. Author Chinua Achebe does not allow Obi to battle one conflict at a time but instead marvelously shows how there might be multiple issues pulling on either side of the rope at any given time. In the midst of Obi's battles, the novel deftly ribs everyone with a soft touch. Characters cannot help but reveal themselves. As they so often fall back on the clichés of their own cultures and natures, they reveal how limited their understanding of the world around them really is. Obi is blind to some of the things that might make his life easier (for someone facing financial worries, it never occurs to him to dismiss his driver or his houseboy) but the author allows us to see it if we will--nothing is forced at the reader. The world is presented and the reader has to realize what Obi does not on their own. While Achebe's previous book THINGS FALL APART deals with a community and culture being destroyed dramatically by advancing machines spewing black smoke and death, NO LONGER AT EASE shows a slower crumbling destruction without a clue what if anything might rise from the debris. While I liked the previous book better--probably because on a human level it was easier to follow a protagonist who truly knew who he was--I still enjoyed this one though I wish it had more to it. At a light 154 pages, I wished it had a little more heft to it. Would like to have known a little bit more about a lot of other characters and learned more about Obi's culture but it is the rope and what the rope feels like as it gets pulled that is emphasized and not those pulling on the rope.
charlottej's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
schwimfan's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
sorayasklya's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sweetbeetle's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jimbriel's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
amakaazie's review against another edition
5.0
Totally enjoyed this story about a young man Obi Okonkwo who was sent to England to study by his entire village. He comes back trying to reconcile the old way of life with his new found way of thinking.
Well written and enjoyable. I can’t believe how different it is reading a book you read as a child as an adult. I didn’t enjoy this book when I was younger and now, I can’t even remember why🤦🏾♀️... definitely recommend this book.
Well written and enjoyable. I can’t believe how different it is reading a book you read as a child as an adult. I didn’t enjoy this book when I was younger and now, I can’t even remember why🤦🏾♀️... definitely recommend this book.
daisyemmahughes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
facheepoufsouffle's review against another edition
4.0
Really accurate tale of Africa. It's rare to find books as good as this