Book reviews: Things Fall Apart | Disgrace | Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Title: Things Fall Apart

Author: Chinua Achebe
Original title: Things Fall Apart
First published: 1958
Genre: Classic, Historical
Series: The African Trilogy #1
Publisher: Penguin
Format: Paperback
Pages: 152
Finished: 27/08/2020
Summary: Okonkwo is the greatest warrior alive. His fame has spread like a bushfire in West Africa and he is one of the most powerful men of his clan. But he also has a fiery temper. Determined not to be like his father, he refuses to show weakness to anyone - even if the only way he can master his feelings is with his fists. When outsiders threaten the traditions of his clan, Okonkwo takes violent action. Will the great man's dangerous pride eventually destroy him?

My thoughts: This was the first novel that I got to read for the English literature course that was part of my university studies this fall. Out of the five I read for the course, this was one of my two favourites. "Things Fall Apart" follows a character that I both cared for and still frustrated me at times; a combo that is typically good. Okonkwo is incredibly conservative and strongly believes in the values and ways of his clan and its religion. He has very set ideas of what is masculine and does whatever he can to reach his own standards, as well as encourage his eldest son to follow his footsteps. However, despite his successes in early life, Okonkwo lives to face brutal failures and disappointments. One thing that I admired about his character was his persistence to endure the consequences of his actions and resist the changes his community faces when encountering Christian missionaries and colonizers. Achebe skilfully contrasts many aspects of the story; feminine and masculine, strong and weak, Okonkwo's tribe and the colonizers. There is no clear good or bad side. The language used is smooth and simple, but Achebe manages to use English, the language of the colonizer, while also weaving words from Okonkwo's language into the text, creating an accessible piece of literature without abandoning what the story is really about.

I had not read anything similar to this before and I learnt a lot. I'm glad this novel was part of our reading plan in uni, and I will try to continue reading this trilogy in 2021.

Rating: 4/5

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Title: Disgrace
Author: J.M. Coetzee
Original title: Disgrace
First published: 1999
Genre: Literary fiction, Contemporary
Series: --
Publisher: Vintage
Format: Paperback
Pages: 220
Finished: 13/10/2020
Summary: A divorced, middle-aged English professor finds himself increasingly unable to resist affairs with his female students. When discovered by the college authorities, he is expected to apologise and repent in an effort to save his job, but he refuses to become a scapegoat in what he see as as a show trial designed to reinforce a stringent political correctness.

He preempts the authorities and leaves his job, and the city, to spend time with his grown-up lesbian daughter on her remote farm. Things between them are strained - there is much from the past they need to reconcile - and the situation becomes critical when they are the victims of a brutal and horrifying attack.

My thoughts: Another novel from the English literature course that was part of my fall semester at university. Sadly, I did not enjoy this one very much at all. Let's just say that I could not stand David (the protagonist) and the story did not appeal to me. David was snarky and self-centred in a way that was not charming in the least and he did not change. In fact, he kept insisting throughout the novel that he was too old to change, and therefore would make no effort. Despite his misfortunes, I never felt sorry for him and I feel like he kind of got what he deserved. However, neither did I celebrate his misfortunes, because they also affected other characters negatively, and they did not deserve it at all. So did the story incite emotions in me? Yes, but as with other books that sit wrong with me, these feelings added nothing positive to the reading experience. I would not recommend "Disgrace" and I hope to forget it soon.

Rating: 2,75/5

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Title: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Author: Jeanette Winterson

Original title: Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

First published: 1985
Genre: Classic, Contemporary
Series: --
Publisher: Vintage
Format: Paperback
Pages: 224
Finished: 24/11/2020
Summary: Jeanette has issues--"unnatural" ones: her adopted mam thinks she's the Chosen one from God; she's beginning to fancy girls; and an orange demon keeps popping into her psyche. Brought up in a working-class Pentecostal family, up North, Jeanette follows the path her Mam has set for her. This involves Bible quizzes, a stint as a tambourine-playing Sally Army officer and a future as a missionary in Africa, or some other "heathen state". When Jeanette starts going to school and confides in her mother about her feelings for another girl, she's swept up in a feverish frenzy for her tainted soul. Confused, angry and alone, Jeanette strikes out on her own path, that involves a funeral parlour and an ice-cream van. 

My thoughts: Quite a charming novel that I had the pleasure to read for the English literature course at university this fall semester. This novel, while dealing with heavy topics in a time period when they were much more taboo than they are today, manages to keep a light-hearted and humorous atmosphere. Jeanette was a marvellous character to follow, both for her story and her wit. Clearly, this was my favourite out of the five literary works I got to read for university this semester.

Rating: 4,25/5