ZIKORA - THE BOOK REVIEW OF AN AFRICAN LITERATURE

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Hello, Book club members and all book lovers. It is my pleasure to have found a community of book worms and I look forward to engaging with all of you.

Reading has quite been my hobby over time since I was in the nursery. And while many people might argue that medical students read only medical books, I stand to counter that. As a medical student, I still see myself as an ardent lover of literature. I'm art inclined but then, it is my first time doing a book review.

At first, I was excited about this contest as much as I was curious about what book to review. But I thought, maybe something that I could easily relate to or have a personal experience with would do, and then, I chose the book that I am about to review. It took me a day to read it since I am a fast reader. Well, I'm glad I did, for the values it holds are far much more than I expected.

THE BOOK REVIEW

Link

Subject: Literature

Published: October 27th, 2020

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

Date Read: December 31st, 2020

Pages: 35

Book: Zikora

Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

"Zikora" is a beautifully crafted short story that cuts across the strength and weaknesses of womanhood. The story explores some of the challenges that pregnant women encounter, as well as the complications that come with labor and childbirth. It is a book written in clear prose accompanied by the use of powerful imagery that makes a reader wants to go deeper. The insight the book gives, makes one consider it a great literary work.

Synopsis
It is a fictional story of a young black woman who is faced with the struggles of childbirth. In the earliest reads into the book, one would learn that Zikora had a blissful relationship with Kwame, A highly educated lawyer like herself. Not until she tells him about their unborn child.

After the revelation, he starts refusing all her calls and cuts every possible connection between them, leaving the unexpectedly single mother with the burden of long-suffering.

While she reminisces on the past, Zikora thinks about her cousin Mmiliaku in Nigeria, whose case is no less different from her's except for the crazy man she lives with as a husband.

And one of the most significant truths Zikora learned lies in the statement her cousin had made a certain time
"It is possible for men not to have an idea about the workings of the female body…"

She also reflects on her mother's disconnected marriage with her father whom she barely lived with. Her mother being unfriendly during labor, Zikora wonders if she was being treated harshly for not keeping her dignity as well. The short story drives with diverse emotions from the immense pains Zikora feels at the final stages of her labor, to the longing for the father of her child.

The whole book is permeated with love, the mother-daughter relationship, and the irresponsibilities of men. The book accurately emphasizes that not all mothers would sit sweetly to their daughters during childbirth and not all boyfriends would accept a baby when it's about to be brought forth.

Evaluation:
Reading Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche's book reminds me of some African literature centered on the struggles of a black woman. Setting up the main character in a tight situation where she reflects on her past, while she gets to understand her mother and the life in her, I must say that the conclusion is satisfying. I can picture Zikora, whining painfully in the labor room, mumbling " Nature must not want humans to reproduce,” and her mother giving a stern look as though her daughter was meant to conquer it all without a sigh.

Recommendations:
Yes, I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone. To every book worm who is in love with literature and every person who seeks to read more about the life of an African woman. Maybe, to someone who wants to read something that connects with the dealings of the present-day society.

Thank you for reading this far. Do share your thoughts about my book review in the comment section. Have a lovely evening.