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missmethven's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Shocked that this was a booker prize nominated book 🥴 I don’t even know where to start! There were real glimmers of potential storylines or places the book could explore but none of them were visited and I was left disappointed page after page. The elementary writing, the unresolved ending - not great
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Racism
amyvl93's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I wanted to love this so much but An Orchestra of Minorities really didn't work for me. The novel follows Nonso, a poultry farmer who one night saves a woman from jumping off a bridge. He and the woman, Ndali, fall in love but her wealthy and educated family do not see him as a suitable husband. The novel than follows his attempts to win their favour.
It is narrated by Nonso's chi, who is defending some terrible action of his to the Gods and this chi was, initially, an interesting narrative device. They were moments of humour and warmth, and insight into human behaviour where the chi draws on his history of accompanying humans over the centuries. However, this narration also occasionally slowed the narrative right down until basically a stop. This meant the pacing just felt off at times - where they'd be moments of intense action and we would then get four pages of description, taking you away from the characters and their story.
What really didn't work for me was the denouement of the novel, where we learn what it was that Nonso did that has put him at the mercy of the gods. I couldn't work out if Obioma wanted us to buy the chi's case that he was somehow justified as a result of his various misfortunes and that did not sit well with me. Relatedly, I found that although Ndali is a fundamental character to the plot we never learn that much about her - men that Nonso spends brief periods with are typically better drawn, including the men in Ndali's family, which I found frustrating.
I think Obioma is undeniably a strong writer but this didn't work for me.
It is narrated by Nonso's chi, who is defending some terrible action of his to the Gods and this chi was, initially, an interesting narrative device. They were moments of humour and warmth, and insight into human behaviour where the chi draws on his history of accompanying humans over the centuries. However, this narration also occasionally slowed the narrative right down until basically a stop. This meant the pacing just felt off at times - where they'd be moments of intense action and we would then get four pages of description, taking you away from the characters and their story.
What really didn't work for me was the denouement of the novel, where we learn what it was that Nonso did that has put him at the mercy of the gods. I couldn't work out if Obioma wanted us to buy the chi's case that he was somehow justified as a result of his various misfortunes and that did not sit well with me. Relatedly, I found that although Ndali is a fundamental character to the plot we never learn that much about her - men that Nonso spends brief periods with are typically better drawn, including the men in Ndali's family, which I found frustrating.
I think Obioma is undeniably a strong writer but this didn't work for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Racism, Xenophobia, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide attempt
withlivjones's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Chinonso was really going through it huh
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
ellekhupe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
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? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Racism
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