Book review: Purple Hibiscus by chimamanda Adichie and The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso

When one reads Purple Hibiscus for the first time, one might easily conclude that it's a sad story, but for me it was an experience of story telling heaven. The first thing one notices about Chimamanda Adichie is her style and her language, it's accessible , sophisticated and structure is well executed. The story is told in the fifteen years old voice of Kambili, readers are introduced to her brother jaja, her papa and mama. It is clear from the outset that all is not well in their household. It's a touching and heart rending story about the traumatic moments of a wealthy Nigerian family as it gradually breaks up, the cruel abuses of a father turned callous by a brand of catholicism. The victims survived, however rescued by the love that binds the children to their mother and the mother to her children.

On the other hand, the woman next door is a funny novel by yewande omotoso, it is  about  2 old and very opinionated n eighbours living in katterijn, a wealthy suburb of Cape Town. One is black while the other is white , both are in their 80's,they are successful women with impressive career behind them and  both have been recently widowed. They are sworn enemies, but an unforseen event forces the women together. Transforming their mutual loathing into friendship.
I hope you enjoy reading these two lovely novels as I did, and I look forward to reading more books written by both authors.