Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie debuts with this breathtaking novel about the life of 15 year-old Kambili. Born into a family comprising of herself, her brother and their parents; a loving and devoting but uneducated mother and an educated, wealthy Catholic politician father, Kambili grew up in the confines of an upright and holy family. She was raised to be proper and speak the right English so that everyone would recognize her as intelligent. Her father was perfect in every way or so he appeared and he dared his family to portray anything short of perfection. He was politically active in the community, but at home, a complete judgmental fanatic.

Kambili and her brother imagined a life outside of the walls of their home and how much fun it would be to grow up laughing just for the fun of it, playing with the neighbors kids and doing those things that kids love to do. The imagined living in a home where both their parents could agree on something together instead of their mother agreeing to everything that was presented by their father even when she was in complete opposition. Kambili wished that her mother enjoyed her family as opposed to subjecting to it.

At the wake of a political unrest in Nigeria which led to a military coup in which Kambili and her family were unsafe, she and her brother were sent to live with their father’s sister; a lecturer at the university. Kambili’s aunt was the complete opposite of their father. She unlike their repressive father was fun, jovial, not so wealthy but happy and hopeful of life. In this new world, Kambili and her brother discovered the life they had always imagined. Their rebellious and defiant motives were brought to life; they soon found a voice of their own.

Plagued by different natures of domestic abuse, Purple Hibiscus sheds light on family values versus childhood dreams. It reveals the thing line between love and hate, and most importantly reveals the nature of a child’s individual religion as opposed to the Gods’ of their father.

A wonderful story put together by Adichie to successfully carry her reader along to Nigerian community where education, religion, opposition to the belief of “the white man” and his attempt bring civilization to the country as whole were issues that defined its life. She reveals the love for the old gods versus the new. Easy to read, I was able to understand the story but I didn’t expect the end which perhaps even makes it a better read.

Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie is a winner of the Houston/Wright Legacy Award for Purple Hibiscus which is available for purchase on Amazon.com, and at famous book stores. She grew up in Nigeria and completed 2 years of Medical School before coming to the United States. She has appeared in various literary publications, and been shortlisted for different awards. She now spends most of her time between the US and Nigeria.