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Arrow of God (The African Trilogy, #3)

Chinua Achebe

Start date: July 1, 2023

Finish date: July 31, 2023

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* Go Tell it on a Mountain- Sept BOTM
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What Members Thought

Jul 09, 2023 Kristel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 1001-books, 1001-challenge, africa, nigeria

Reason read: Reading 1001, July botm. ANC - read Chinua Achebe, Nigerian author.

This is the second book of the chronology. Yes, the last written but set in time between the first and last. The main character is Ezeulu, the chief priest of several Igbo villages in colonial Nigeria, who confronts colonial powers and Christian missionaries in the 1920s. The title is fitting as this is a book about a person/event that shows the will of God. The main theme; the conflict between the traditional belief ...more

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Jun 25, 2023 George P. rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1001-books-read, author-not-us-canada-or-uk, set-in-africa-or-asia

On this novel Achebe continues his examination of the changes to Nigerian village life that took place in the early 20th century, when ancient customs persisted but new customs challenged them. It also has themes of greed, pride, family solidarity and the mistakes of British colonialism.

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Mar 01, 2009 Eva rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-09, 1001-books, 1001-books-2008-version, 1001-books-2010-version, africa

Took me awhile to read. Perhaps because it was in English or maybe just because I've been too busy.

A nice perspective on the white man's arrival in the Ezeulu's culture. ...more

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Jul 29, 2019 Jamie Barringer (Ravenmount) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, fiction, 1001-books-challenge

This story continues to follow Ezeulu, the priest of a small village in Nigeria, under British colonial power. His son has returned home after being made a Christian, and his lack of understanding of local customs, along with his intolerance of non-Christian traditions and beliefs that he developed while he was away, lead him to stuff a python in a box, insulting the villagers and bringing scandal on his family. Meanwhile, Ezeulu's 'friend' Mr. Winterbottom has been instructed to assign a local ...more

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Jul 23, 2010 Sara rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1001-books

At it's most base, this is the story of an Ibo tribal priest, Ezeulu and his downfall. However it also about so much more. It is a story of conflict; conflict between old and new traditions, conflict between colonization and African culture, conflict between Christianity and tribal religion.

It was very strongly written and an informative look at African tribal culture. I always enjoy Achebe's books and Arrow of God was no exception. However, perhaps due to cultural differences, I had a hard tim ...more

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