Reviews

Oil on Water by Helon Habila

nellasnoremac's review against another edition

adventurous reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

zoe_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced

4.0

I thought this was really good and/but it was primarily interesting. As in, it asks you to take an interest and to invest brain power to piece together the different strands of the narrative and story and characters. Personally, I loved that aspect of the story the best - but I realize that this might be off-putting to some. 

amandajeanne's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

lenoel's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

nicovreeland's review against another edition

1.0

After you get over how disappointing this book is, it can be kind of funny. I mean, Habila compares the plight of Nigerians exploited and ruined by the greed of oil companies to ....... the people looking for dry land in "Waterworld." Seriously? Yes. http://chamberfour.com/2011/06/09/review-oil-on-water/

mereas's review against another edition

dark informative tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

As much as I loved the information on Big Oil, petroculture, and cli-fi at the Niger Delta, I felt that the narrative was rather sexist at times in all of Habila's non-men figures. The protagonist(s), Rufus and Zaq, used women to pursue their career in journalism, but I could not tell if Habila was commenting on the patriarchy or adding to it. Though, Habila did accurately portray the dehumanization and dissociation which comes with journalism and photography.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, and Death

Minor: Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury

jduncan's review against another edition

adventurous dark informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

emybemy's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

karlies's review against another edition

medium-paced

2.0

annmeyer's review against another edition

4.0

a gripping novel surrounding the violence of petrocultures, particularly in the nigerian delta. deals heavily with themes of environmental, individual, and communal trauma, memory, truth, and journalistic integrity and work. incredibly powerful, moving, and educational. you will not think of oil and the oil industry the same after this book.