Great African Reads discussion

Chibundu Onuzo is very young! impressive! Has anyone read her novel yet?

Here are some resources for her and her work.

goodreads page is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chibun...

Blog:
http://authorsoundsbetterthanwriter.b...

Telegraph article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/wome...

Interview at Bella Naija:
http://www.bellanaija.com/2012/05/31/...

Wow, I didn't know she is so young. I read The Spider King's Daughter last year. Honestly, I wasn't very satisfied but hope she'll write more interesting stories!

Gosh, she is young. I didn't love The Spider King's Daughter either, but it felt like a promising first book, and I'd happily read more. Huge focus on class and wealth and their implications, and definitely a Romeo-and-Juliet element.

This book has been sitting on my kindle for a little while now. Since this year I am suppose to be reading the books on my "unread" shelf I will give it a try.

Thanks for the comments. I am not necessarily a fan of fable-like stories but will try to read.

I read The Spider King's Daughter last year and actually enjoyed it. I do admit it was a little uneven but it was still a pretty good story. In my view an author to watch.

I will be going to Dakar for a week on March 1 and I will ask my Senegalese colleagues what books they recommend. I will be attending a conference and saying goodbyes. After almost 45 years of living and working on the continent, I plan to relocate to the States in June. This will not be an easy move for me but you can take the man out of Africa, but you cannot take Africa out of the man.

I'm sure you're right, Mark. Good luck with those goodbyes.

Mark good luck with the move! Africa is in you and fortunate are those people that will live it through you in the States!

As for books from/about Senegal, I've been stuck all my adult life with Camara Laye's classic "L'Enfant Noir" published in 1953. To me, he is the Francophone equivalent of the Nigerian, Chinua Achebe, who published "Things Fall Apart" in 1958. Laye is not Sengalese (he's from Guinea) but he did much of his writing in Senegal and lived the last 15 years of his life there. If you don't read French, you miss most of what is coming out of Senegal.

Gentle reminder--this thread is for discussing a specific Nigerian author. Thoughts about Senegalese authors are welcome in our Tour d'Afrique thread for Senegal. I just don't want things to get too disorganized.

Best of luck with your move and transition back to the States, Mark. Hopefully our group can help a tiny bit with Africa-homesickness.

I really enjoyed The Spider King's Daughter. Felt a bit rushed at the end but it generally surprised and entertained me...she was pretty young when she wrote it too.

Okey Ndibe shared this over Facebook:

https://moonchild09.wordpress.com/201...

Marieke, thank you for that link! Nicely sharp. I hope her next book is out (or at least announced) soon.

I have to say that I still really love the cover of The Spider King's Daughter -- for some reason the cover still screams read me!, even though I already did.

yes, i enjoyed that interview too! She is quite funny. :)

I have not read Spider King's Daughter yet, though.