Half of A Yellow Sun

Till this day, there are new contemporary scholars and authors that come forth in Nigeria to share their views on the political and social conflicts in the community. At the age of thirty one, Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie already has a following that writers twice her age would envy. Her first novel, Purple Hibiscus, debut to critical acclaim. Her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, quickly established her as one of the leading voices of her generation. She is a renowned author whose work has touched people all over the world, including the great Chinua Achebe. His comment on Adichie’s brilliant ways of conveying African, particularly Nigerian people was, “We do not usually associate wisdom with beginners, but here is a new writer endowed with the gift of ancient story tellers….She is fearless, or she would not have taken on the intimidating horror of Nigeria’s civil war. Adichie came almost fully made.” (1) After a two year hides after her second novel, She returned with The Thing Around Your Neck, which is a collection of twelve short stories about the Nigerian immigrant experience. This book is her first collection of short stories. Unlike her previous works which are set in her homeland of Nigeria, most of these stories take place in America, where Adichie has lived since the late nineties. Many of the book’s main characters are women. Women who are filled with longing, regret and sadness. Women who are disappointed by their husbands, and America is an even bigger one. After reading this book, many may walk away thinking that America is not the best place in the world and that marriage is not necessarily a great institution for women. From the book, she portrays Nigerian immigrants as being stifled and have to make great compromises when they arrive in America. One of the themes in the novel is the realities of leaving home. Achibie’s previous novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, we are brought into the lives of of characters who are