Half of a Yellow Sun

The novel’s characters travel between southern and northern Nigeria, navigating the nation’s complex cultural terrain where “shabby hawkers,” the “nouveau riche,” European expatriates, Hausa, and Igbo all brush elbows. Odenigbo’s dinner table debates reveal a country still wrestling with the aftermath of colonialism and struggling for self-determination. The names of political figures—Gowon, Ojwukwu—grace conversations and radio broadcasts. Chief Ozobia’s parties capture the nation’s stark social inequalities, while Ugwu’s visits to his home village point to the conflict between indigenous African traditions and the influences of a globalizing West. Nigeria’s problems seem as diverse as the scenery between Kano and Nsukka.

All of this reaches a breaking point with Major Nzeogwu’s coup. As the strained political and ethnic orders fall into disarray, the characters watch their lives change forever. They also search for answers and try desperately to change their country’s future. As Richard, Olanna, and Ugwu navigate different dialects and scenery, the novel shows how conflict arises from a confluence of different factors. It provides a far-reaching survey of a country stretched to its limits and the conditions that bred war.