adperfectamconsilium's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
'Who was Ezeulu to tell his deity how to fight the jealous cult of the sacred python? It was a fight of the gods. He was no more than an arrow in the bow of his god. This thought intoxicated Ezeulu like palm wine.'
Set in Igboland in Nigeria this is a novel of a community and its traditions under threat.
Ezeulu is chief priest of the god Ulu, worshipped by the six villages of Umuaro.
The colonial white government and its influence is encroaching on their way of life as is the introduction of Christianity in the area.
Ezeulu's power and leadership is increasingly being questioned and coming under threat from tribal rivals also within his own family.
When his headstrong nature and unbending belief in Ulu threatens the yam harvest and points to famine will he survive? Is he really untouchable as he believes?
It's a fascinating novel as I'm woefully ignorant about Igbo culture. As such I found it a difficult read despite it being well written.
The six villages had similar names and it wasn't easy remembering which characters were related to other characters or which village they belonged too.
Although it reads well as a standalone novel it also forms part of Achebe's African trilogy and I can't help wondering whether I'd have liked this more and had greater understanding if I'd read Things Fall Apart first.
An important portrayal of faith and tradition but I struggled with this one and I think that's just me rather than the writing so I would still recommend it.
Set in Igboland in Nigeria this is a novel of a community and its traditions under threat.
Ezeulu is chief priest of the god Ulu, worshipped by the six villages of Umuaro.
The colonial white government and its influence is encroaching on their way of life as is the introduction of Christianity in the area.
Ezeulu's power and leadership is increasingly being questioned and coming under threat from tribal rivals also within his own family.
When his headstrong nature and unbending belief in Ulu threatens the yam harvest and points to famine will he survive? Is he really untouchable as he believes?
It's a fascinating novel as I'm woefully ignorant about Igbo culture. As such I found it a difficult read despite it being well written.
The six villages had similar names and it wasn't easy remembering which characters were related to other characters or which village they belonged too.
Although it reads well as a standalone novel it also forms part of Achebe's African trilogy and I can't help wondering whether I'd have liked this more and had greater understanding if I'd read Things Fall Apart first.
An important portrayal of faith and tradition but I struggled with this one and I think that's just me rather than the writing so I would still recommend it.
mikehuffman's review
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
flaudfrawed's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
yasirah's review against another edition
5.0
Achebe creates a fantastic tale of Nigerian history and tradition, mixed with the foreboding of the incoming of white culture and religion
phoebehmcmahon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
afreema3's review against another edition
Read for my History of North and West Africa Class.
What an interesting book. I struggled to get into it, but after maybe the second or third chapter I could hardly put it down. I did wait until the last minute to read this for class, but still I thoroughly enjoyed it. I skimmed through Things Fall Apart in the summer before my sophomore year of high school started, and so I never got to really enjoy Achebe's work before, but now, after getting the chance to read this for a history class instead of English class, and in college. I really did enjoy it. It is a different type of novel, that someone who mainly reads from the Western canon, rarely comes upon. I'd like to read more from Achebe and other Nigerian authors, luckily I will be reading another novel for this class in the coming weeks.
I'm glad I don't rate books I read for school, because I feel like this would be hard to rate, and I'm not sure I would give it the rating it deserves. This was a good book, but I'm coming at this from someone that has never really read African fiction before, and I was reading it for a history class, and so my analysis and view is not one from a typical literature student.
What an interesting book. I struggled to get into it, but after maybe the second or third chapter I could hardly put it down. I did wait until the last minute to read this for class, but still I thoroughly enjoyed it. I skimmed through Things Fall Apart in the summer before my sophomore year of high school started, and so I never got to really enjoy Achebe's work before, but now, after getting the chance to read this for a history class instead of English class, and in college. I really did enjoy it. It is a different type of novel, that someone who mainly reads from the Western canon, rarely comes upon. I'd like to read more from Achebe and other Nigerian authors, luckily I will be reading another novel for this class in the coming weeks.
I'm glad I don't rate books I read for school, because I feel like this would be hard to rate, and I'm not sure I would give it the rating it deserves. This was a good book, but I'm coming at this from someone that has never really read African fiction before, and I was reading it for a history class, and so my analysis and view is not one from a typical literature student.
idenkimifah's review
3.0
3.5
Arrow of God is a novel that follows the life of Ezeulu, the Chief priest of Umuaro, the strange changes the white man brings and major conflicts between towns, priests and gods. Chinua Achebe's writing here is almost flawless, the Igbo proverbs blends so well in the dialogue, there's also a subtle witty dial to it. One thing to also point out was the distinctive switch in the words he chose when he talked about the Europeans. I would have loved this novel a bit more if it didn't end abruptly—felt like it could have gone on for like fifty pages more.
Arrow of God is a novel that follows the life of Ezeulu, the Chief priest of Umuaro, the strange changes the white man brings and major conflicts between towns, priests and gods. Chinua Achebe's writing here is almost flawless, the Igbo proverbs blends so well in the dialogue, there's also a subtle witty dial to it. One thing to also point out was the distinctive switch in the words he chose when he talked about the Europeans. I would have loved this novel a bit more if it didn't end abruptly—felt like it could have gone on for like fifty pages more.
jsmigo3's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
bub_9's review against another edition
3.0
Again, n.b. review of Things Fall Apart. Except, this is surprisingly bulkier and drags more than the other two, and I did think that it was penalised correspondingly, being clumsier and less convincing as a result.
therecoveringbookworm's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5