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Purple Hibiscus

Purple Hibiscus

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-10-25 08:53:20
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  • ISBN：0007189885
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Summary

Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a privileged life in Enugu， Nigeria。 They live in a beautiful house， with a caring family， and attend an exclusive missionary school。 They're completely shielded from the troubles of the world。 Yet， as Kambili reveals in her tender-voiced account， things are less perfect than they appear。 Although her Papa is generous and well respected， he is fanatically religious and tyrannical at home—a home that is silent and suffocating。

As the country begins to fall apart under a military coup， Kambili and Jaja are sent to their aunt， a university professor outside the city， where they discover a life beyond the confines of their father’s authority。 Books cram the shelves， curry and nutmeg permeate the air， and their cousins’ laughter rings throughout the house。 When they return home， tensions within the family escalate， and Kambili must find the strength to keep her loved ones together。

Purple Hibiscus is an exquisite novel about the emotional turmoil of adolescence， the powerful bonds of family， and the bright promise of freedom。

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Reviews

Claudia Almeida ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Both endearing and horrifying， Purple Hibiscus is a page turner with beautiful multidimensional characters and vivid descriptions。I could live without the romanticization of the attraction between Kambili and Father Amadi （the attraction itself makes sense as escapism and her clinging to the first person that made her feel desirable and worth it）。 But I could do without a narrative that didn't address the power imbalance and age difference when dealing with this relationship。 Both endearing and horrifying， Purple Hibiscus is a page turner with beautiful multidimensional characters and vivid descriptions。I could live without the romanticization of the attraction between Kambili and Father Amadi （the attraction itself makes sense as escapism and her clinging to the first person that made her feel desirable and worth it）。 But I could do without a narrative that didn't address the power imbalance and age difference when dealing with this relationship。 。。。more

Jennifer Michael ，

Content warning: domestic violence Adichie’s prose is achingly beautiful。 I came to know and care deeply about these characters， whose story is specific to Nigeria and at the same time speaks to the tragic complexity felt by survivors of trauma everywhere。 In particular， the paradox of a man who is outwardly devout but a tyrant to his family is made wrenchingly clear。

Achem Deborah Phillips ，

I still think about Kambili。

Amanda ，

Tried and tried but gave up halfway through， just didn’t seem to have a gripping storyline which made me want to read on and found it difficult bond with the characters too

Kellie ，

I enjoyed this coming of age story very much， and think it would make an excellent choice to read with a book club。 4。5 stars

grayson ，

was kinda boring until the end， hated literally every character tbh

Zohal ，

A lot of passive characters。

Maddy webb ，

The begging was really good but the ending was bad。

Larissa ，

There's a lot in chimamanda's themes and her language。 I love how she puts together evil and good， symbols and facts。 There's a lot in chimamanda's themes and her language。 I love how she puts together evil and good， symbols and facts。 。。。more

Sasha ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I found this book to be both interesting and well-written。 My only complaint was about Kambili's 'relationship' with Father Amadi。 In the scene where Father Amadi gets Kambili to attend the soccer match with him （alone）， I was expecting sexual assault due to Kambili's clear fear and defencelessness。 Father Amadi is described as having a boyish face， but as far as I remember his age is never revealed， and the way he acts so mature compared to Kambili makes me picture him as an adult who encourage I found this book to be both interesting and well-written。 My only complaint was about Kambili's 'relationship' with Father Amadi。 In the scene where Father Amadi gets Kambili to attend the soccer match with him （alone）， I was expecting sexual assault due to Kambili's clear fear and defencelessness。 Father Amadi is described as having a boyish face， but as far as I remember his age is never revealed， and the way he acts so mature compared to Kambili makes me picture him as an adult who encourages her to develop feelings for him。 I would have much preferred to have either no love interest in this novel， or for it to be made clear that Father Amadi is merely a boy。 。。。more

Myrto ，

2。5 🌟a good one but it just didn't click with me？ 2。5 🌟a good one but it just didn't click with me？ 。。。more

Ilsa Kelischek ，

39

Gert Boel ，

Even though tender descriptions of the healing powers of domestic rituals and contact with ancestors are generally tropes that repulse me， Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie manages to balance these wonderfully with the vividly claustrophobic inner world of a girl stifled by her father's academic and moral expectations。 The depth of her unwavering loyalty to her abusive father drew me in。 The introduction of tragic elements is never kitschy， always drives forward a revealing tale of personal liberation。 R Even though tender descriptions of the healing powers of domestic rituals and contact with ancestors are generally tropes that repulse me， Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie manages to balance these wonderfully with the vividly claustrophobic inner world of a girl stifled by her father's academic and moral expectations。 The depth of her unwavering loyalty to her abusive father drew me in。 The introduction of tragic elements is never kitschy， always drives forward a revealing tale of personal liberation。 Really good。 。。。more

Yumna ，

What a perfectly written book。 I felt so much of the hardship and pains of the characters。

Christine ，

This was my third try for a book by an author under 30。 I abandoned the others。 I enjoyed her writing style and the story was compelling。

Patricia ，

https://www。instagram。com/p/B2hxFV9Cl。。。 https://www。instagram。com/p/B2hxFV9Cl。。。 。。。more

Frida Lona ，

My favourite to date from Ngozi Adichie。 Beautiful story。

Noelle ，

✨amazing amazing amazing ✨ everything in this book is so beautifully， thoughtfully， and purposefully written， i didn’t even notice i was reading a YA novel。

Eliza ，

Phenomenal， stunning writing （again）。 I’m a super fan of this writer。

Tomás Andrade ，

The start of this book was a little slow。 I was kind of suspicious of the strong topics in this book but I think Adichie handled it like a pro and I loved to finish the book on a good note。*************SPOILERS AHEAD************Thank god that that abusive asshole is dead。 Mama gives me #girlboss vibes and I love it。Father Amadi is a pedophile and you cannot convince me otherwise。 Wtf is all that talk about how he he’s bright-eyed when he sees her and how Obiora thinks they are having sex？ Jesus The start of this book was a little slow。 I was kind of suspicious of the strong topics in this book but I think Adichie handled it like a pro and I loved to finish the book on a good note。*************SPOILERS AHEAD************Thank god that that abusive asshole is dead。 Mama gives me #girlboss vibes and I love it。Father Amadi is a pedophile and you cannot convince me otherwise。 Wtf is all that talk about how he he’s bright-eyed when he sees her and how Obiora thinks they are having sex？ Jesus Christ （pun-intended） 。。。more

Ashli Fox ，

Beautifully written。。。tragic story。 My heartbreak only increased the more I read this one and not because the story is unfamiliar。。。。 The complexities of growing up in a religious family combined with affluence during adolescence！ It's a doozy。 Beautifully written。。。tragic story。 My heartbreak only increased the more I read this one and not because the story is unfamiliar。。。。 The complexities of growing up in a religious family combined with affluence during adolescence！ It's a doozy。 。。。more

Cheap。And。Cheerful ，

Bisher habe ich noch nichts von Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gelesen， das mich nicht umgehauen hat， und so ist es auch mit "Purple Hibiscus"。 Die Protagonistin ist die 15-jährige Kambili， die in einer Familie aufwächst， in der Gewalt， Schuldgefühle und religiöser Fanatismus zur Tagesordnung gehören。 Was mich an der Geschichte besonders fasziniert hat， war， wie die Abhängigkeit des Opfers vom Täter dargestellt wurde。 Obwohl die Gewalt immer brutaler， absurder wurde， will Kambili bis zuletzt von ihrem Bisher habe ich noch nichts von Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gelesen， das mich nicht umgehauen hat， und so ist es auch mit "Purple Hibiscus"。 Die Protagonistin ist die 15-jährige Kambili， die in einer Familie aufwächst， in der Gewalt， Schuldgefühle und religiöser Fanatismus zur Tagesordnung gehören。 Was mich an der Geschichte besonders fasziniert hat， war， wie die Abhängigkeit des Opfers vom Täter dargestellt wurde。 Obwohl die Gewalt immer brutaler， absurder wurde， will Kambili bis zuletzt von ihrem Peiniger geliebt werden。 Kurz: diese Geschichte erzählt， wie Missbrauch funktioniert， zumindest eine bestimmte Form des Missbrauchs。 Und sie erzählt auch， wie unterschiedlich Menschen auf Missbrauch reagieren - sowohl die primär betroffenen， als auch die Unbeteiligten。 Ein ganz großes Werk der Literatur， das sehr zum Nachdenken anregt， sehr einnehmend ist und auf eine traurige Art zeigt， dass Privilegien nicht gleich Privilegien sind。 。。。more

Mary ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I don't remember who recommended this book to me - perhaps someone on Currently Reading？？ I had it on my TBR for awhile and I finally was able to get it from the library。 The first book I've read set in Nigeria in the 2000's I think。 It was written in the voice of Kambili a 15 year old daughter of a rich businessman。 Her family （father Eugene especially） are very strict Roman Catholics。 It took me a bit to get into the story。。。。I found the use of colloquial English and the native Igbo language v I don't remember who recommended this book to me - perhaps someone on Currently Reading？？ I had it on my TBR for awhile and I finally was able to get it from the library。 The first book I've read set in Nigeria in the 2000's I think。 It was written in the voice of Kambili a 15 year old daughter of a rich businessman。 Her family （father Eugene especially） are very strict Roman Catholics。 It took me a bit to get into the story。。。。I found the use of colloquial English and the native Igbo language very difficult to follow， and I ended up having to go back and reread the first section， because I missed the fact that the story went back in time， beginning in the 2nd section。 The biggest disappointment was that the jacket cover info contained almost the whole story。 I kept waiting for Kambili's mother to do something after the many episodes of abuse by Papa， on all the family members。 In fact， her "desperate act" doesn't happen til near the end of the story。 The ending was far from satisfying， with brother Jaja in prison， and the cousins gone to America， but I'm guessing that this a very realistic picture of what life in Nigeria can be like。 。。。more

Waadabrahim ，

It was a good read but also seemed to drag at certain points。 There was a lot of details and focus on characters that weren't revisited。 The writing was elegant and the ending was frustrating。 It was a good read but also seemed to drag at certain points。 There was a lot of details and focus on characters that weren't revisited。 The writing was elegant and the ending was frustrating。 。。。more

Socrate ，

Totul a început să se destrame când fratele meu， Jaja， nu s-a dus la Sfânta Împărtășanie， iar Papa a azvârlit cu cartea grea de rugăciuni după el în cameră spărgând figurinele de pe etajeră。 Tocmai ne întorseserăm de la biserică。 Mama a așezat pe masă frunzele proaspete de palmier， stropite cu apă sfințită și apoi s-a dus sus să se schimbe。 Mai târziu， avea să împletească frunzele de palmier în formă de cruci încovoiate și să le agațe pe perete lângă fotografia de familie în ramă aurită。 Aveau s Totul a început să se destrame când fratele meu， Jaja， nu s-a dus la Sfânta Împărtășanie， iar Papa a azvârlit cu cartea grea de rugăciuni după el în cameră spărgând figurinele de pe etajeră。 Tocmai ne întorseserăm de la biserică。 Mama a așezat pe masă frunzele proaspete de palmier， stropite cu apă sfințită și apoi s-a dus sus să se schimbe。 Mai târziu， avea să împletească frunzele de palmier în formă de cruci încovoiate și să le agațe pe perete lângă fotografia de familie în ramă aurită。 Aveau să stea acolo până la următoarea Miercure a Cenușii， când duceam frunzele la biserică， să le ardem pentru cenușă。 Papa， purtând un veșmânt lung， gri， ca și restul laicilor， ajuta la împărțirea cenușii în fiecare an。 Rândul dinaintea lui avansa cel mai încet， pentru că apăsa tare pe fruntea fiecăruia， cu degetul mare acoperit de cenușă， ca să facă o cruce perfectă， și rostea deslușit fiecare cuvânt din „pământ ești și-n pământ te vei întoarce”。Papa stătea mereu în strana din față la slujbă， în marginea dinspre culoarul de mijloc， cu mama， Jaja și cu mine alături。 Era primul care primea împărtășania。 Cei mai mulți nu îngenuncheau să primească Sfânta Împărtășanie în fața altarului de marmură， alături de care se înălța Fecioara Maria， blondă， în mărime naturală， dar Papa， da。 Își ținea ochii atât de strâns închiși încât fața i se strângea într-o grimasă și apoi își scotea limba cât putea de tare。 După aceea， se așeza înapoi la locul lui și privea cum restul enoriașilor se strângeau la altar， cu palmele împreunate și întinse înainte ca un taler oblic， așa cum îi învățase părintele Benedict。 Chiar dacă părintele Benedict era la St。 Agnes de șapte ani， oamenii încă făceau referire la el ca la „preotul nostru cel nou”。 Poate lucrurile nu ar fi stat astfel dacă el n-ar fi fost alb。 Lor încă le părea nou。 Fața lui， de culorile laptelui condensat și ale pulpei de copac de Annona muricata， nu se bronzase deloc în căldura înfiorătoare a celor șapte harmattane nigeriene[1]。 Iar nasul lui britanic era încă la fel de subțire și de ascuțit cum fusese dintotdeauna， același nas pentru care îmi făcusem griji că nu primește suficient aer când venise prima dată la Enugu。 Părintele Benedict schimbase lucrurile în parohie， cum ar fi recitarea „Crezului” și a rugăciunii „Împărate Ceresc” numai în latină; în limba igbo nu era acceptabil。 Bătutul din palme trebuia și el redus la minimum， ca să nu fie compromisă solemnitatea slujbei。 Dar permitea totuși pricesne în igbo; le numea cântece băștinașe， și când spunea „băștinașe” buzele lui drepte se subțiau în jos， formând un „U” întors。 În timpul predicilor， părintele Benedict de obicei se referea la papă， Papa și Iisus ― în această ordine。 Îl folosea pe Papa pentru a-și ilustra predicile。 。。。more

Nada Tal ，

This novel raised the bar so high for other similar narratives。 It speaks volumes about the African household from different perspectives， different generations and social status。What I liked the most is how Chimamanda described freely the brainwashed abusive father。 I heard his footsteps through the lines。 I feared his voice and his cold heart。 What a character！！ She described the most horrific feelings any child could ever experience。 The choice of words to describe the trauma， fear， curiosity This novel raised the bar so high for other similar narratives。 It speaks volumes about the African household from different perspectives， different generations and social status。What I liked the most is how Chimamanda described freely the brainwashed abusive father。 I heard his footsteps through the lines。 I feared his voice and his cold heart。 What a character！！ She described the most horrific feelings any child could ever experience。 The choice of words to describe the trauma， fear， curiosity， loss and total submission， is so real and accurate。 **Spoiler**。。。。Kambili， the fifteen-year-old daughter， went through a roller coaster of emotions swinging between the normality of fear that she grew up with and the breaking-free of this oppression once she came across other forms of normality （Portrayed throughout the dynamics in her aunt Efeoma's house）。 But what I loved the most is the inexplicable and unconditional love that she has for her abusive father。 The way she cherished the small lovely moments and habits she had with him， is so humanly understandable。 I had a tiny confusion about the mother though， I don't know if the author's intention was to leave the reader imagine different scenarios or she just didn't see the importance in explaining why the mother of Kambili and Jaja was constantly physically abused by her husband to a point where she had miscarriages。 The notion of family and unity is beautifully mentioned through aunt Efeoma， her kids and even the grandfather。 The family bond that goes beyond the religious differences。 。。。more

Victoria ，

Esta es la primera lectura que hago de esta escritora y me a sorprendido porque no esperaba lo que leí。 No esperaba que hablara de una familia que el padre fuera tan fanático religioso y que eso repercutiera en su familia ， lo que mas me gusto fue todo lo que cuenta de los pueblos de Nigeria de su cultura su idioma su comida etc。

Pollo ，

Aunque con un inicio lento， a pesar del in media res del Día de Domingo de Ramos， sentí que era por momentos algo maniquea la caracterización de los dos tipos de crianza que experimentan los hermanos Kambili y Jaja， entre su papá y su tía Ifeoma， entre Enugu y Nsukka， entre el inglés y el igbo， entre el padre Benedict y el padre Amari。 Algunas páginas demás （"son para crear tensión" me dijo una amiga） me hizo pensar que quizás estas debilidades eran comprensibles al ser el debut novelístico de l Aunque con un inicio lento， a pesar del in media res del Día de Domingo de Ramos， sentí que era por momentos algo maniquea la caracterización de los dos tipos de crianza que experimentan los hermanos Kambili y Jaja， entre su papá y su tía Ifeoma， entre Enugu y Nsukka， entre el inglés y el igbo， entre el padre Benedict y el padre Amari。 Algunas páginas demás （"son para crear tensión" me dijo una amiga） me hizo pensar que quizás estas debilidades eran comprensibles al ser el debut novelístico de la autora y estaba seguro de colocar solo tres estrellas。 Sin embargo， en la última parte los acontecimientos se suceden en un in crescendo que concluye en un final explosivo e inesperado。 Mucho de los temas y virtudes de la prosa de la nigeriana se encuentran aquí， aunque en una etapa aún embrionaria， adolescente， como su protagonista que surca este Bildungsroman para transformarse en algo especial como un hibisco púrpura， no solo una simple flor como en la mala traducción del título。 。。。more

Lana Jelić ，

After reading Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah， I was quite thrilled to get my hands on Purple Hibiscus， which was Adichie's first novel。 The pace of the book surprised me。 The two books I've read before， Americanah， and especially Half of a Yellow Sun had a much faster pace， a lot more action， and events， plot twists， and conversations。 Purple Hibiscus is different。 On the surface， the pace is quite slow， the events are observed from a point of a teenager， and a huge portion of the book is d After reading Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah， I was quite thrilled to get my hands on Purple Hibiscus， which was Adichie's first novel。 The pace of the book surprised me。 The two books I've read before， Americanah， and especially Half of a Yellow Sun had a much faster pace， a lot more action， and events， plot twists， and conversations。 Purple Hibiscus is different。 On the surface， the pace is quite slow， the events are observed from a point of a teenager， and a huge portion of the book is dedicated to the thoughts of the main character Kambili。 Adichie does a great job here。 （view spoiler）[The thoughts of an abused teenager seem very genuine， honest。 The observations she makes， her personal development after experiencing a different kind of life。（view spoiler）[ While reading this book， at times I felt anxious for the characters involved and that's the power of Adichie's writting。 She takes you into that world， makes you a part of it。The entire book is an example of fantastic character development。 There's also a different side of the book。 Politics and economy， the turbulent times in Nigeria that are constantly somewhere in the back of the main story， but are a big and important part of the book。 I learned a lot about Nigeria just through Adichie's three books that I've read so far。 And I know I will read everything she writes in the future！ （hide spoiler）] （hide spoiler）] 。。。more

Lisa Andersson ，

Lite seg början， men den blev bättre desto längre in i boken man kom。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Purple Hibiscus

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Purple Hibiscus&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Purple Hibiscus&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0