Jowhor Ile

Paul, the oldest son of a middle class family in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, has disappeared as this book begins. Then we begin to know the family of 2 parents and 3 children as they grow up there and also visit the traditions of their original home village. We see a little of how Nigeria has changed and is changing around them. The body of the book has happened and we have come to share the family’s life before we learn about what happened to Paul This is a sensitive and thoughtful book, written in straightforward prose.… (altro)

I honestly still have only the slightest idea of what this book was about. Told frenetically yet somehow very slowly alternating between the advancing present and the past, this novel had a hard time conveying to me exactly what story is wanted to tell. Was is about sub/urban Nigerian life and the discord sowed between the government and protesting students? Was it about how a family functions when one of their own goes missing and the ensuing blame everyone feels? I'm really not sure. There were no answers to be found. I don't necessarily believe this is purely the writer or editor's fault - perhaps I'm missing some important context. Regardless, it was an unsatisfying read for me.… (altro)

In And After Many Days the story surrounds the event of a boy’s disappearance and how it changes a family’s dynamic. Soon after Paul’s disappearance the family starts to fall apart and readers are instantly transported to the family’s past. Through these series of flashbacks the reader gets to know each family member intimately and are witness to their relationship.

Ajie, the youngest sibling, is the narrator of our tale. We view his family from his very eyes and how significant events throughout his life affect him. Paul is his older brother who is the shining star of all three siblings, Bibi is his older sister that constantly nitpicks at him, and Ajie is stuck as the “kid brother”. His mother and father are a bit stern, but only because they want the best for them. Through this story we learn how strong a family’s bond can be.

Among Ajie’s family background, Ile paints a vivid picture of what of the scenery and life was like in Nigeria at that time. It pulls reader into a new place, but also a different era that had many struggles and was politically charged. The narrative is slow-moving and the plot is mostly character-driven. While the historical events are a part of the story, the plot focuses on the people rather than the action.

Overall, this book failed to grab my attention many times while reading it. While I was enraptured with the first part of the book, but its slow pace made me lost interest later on in the plot. I also would have seen the perspectives from the other family members rather than just Ajie. I did, however, appreciate the way the Ile weaves together one family’s story and it also taught me some new aspects of Nigerian culture.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.… (altro)

So much descriptive text about Nigeria had me really getting a feel, not only for the hardships living in Nigeria, but also for the many wonders of an area like that. Reading this book, to me at least, took some patience on my part. There is no rush in getting to the point. Or, maybe another way to put it is, not getting to the point is exactly the point. Read to understand how things felt there, not what happens there. Get very much inside Ajie's mind to understand the toll that events that take place within the story have on children, brothers, sisters, families and friend, towns and even countries. Quite an accomplishment...… (altro)