Purple Hibiscus Review

Purple Hibiscus is the story of 15-year old Kambili’s experience & challenge with religion, gender, and family. At the start of the book, we are introduced to a timid and submissive teenage girl, whose actions are motivated by her fear and reverence for her father. Kambili and her brother, Jaja, lead a privileged life in Enugu. Their father, Eugene, owns a factory that produces snacks and is the publisher of a well-regarded newspaper. Eugene is extremely religious and tyrannical at home, though he is generous to others and is a well-respected figure in society.

The discrepancy between Eugene's actions at home and his generosity to others was conflicting to see, as he was such a good man to those in the community while making his family’s life a living hell. “What complicates their relationship, and makes ''Purple Hibiscus'' more than a story of tough love run amok, is the father's generosity to others. He wins a human rights award, he spreads his wealth around and he's the publisher of the only newspaper that stands up to the corrupt government.” (NY Times)

Eugene is extremely violent and abusive, frequently beating Kambili, Jaja and their mother - throughout the story, Beatrice (mother) loses two pregnancies from her husband’s beatings. During the military coup, Jaja and Kambili go to Nsukka to spend time with Aunty Ifeoma, Eugene’s sister, and her kids. This visit to Nsukka changes Kambili and Jaja, as they experience a home where opinions are freely given and laughter is part of the menu at dinner. Their time in Nsukka was quite transformative, as it gave them a new voice and a sense of independence. Kambili also experiences her first love, Father Amadi. Father Amadi and Kambili’s relationship is pivotal to Kambili opening up - it is also beautiful to see how father Amadi maturely manages Kambili’s feelings. He loves her but appropriately manages her expectations as he is a priest and cannot be with her.

The ending is quite the unexpected shocker - Beatrice has been poisoning Eugene’s tea for some time which ultimately leads to his death. Even more shocking, Jaja takes the fall for this crime. While this was undoubtedly a surprise, I couldn’t help but remember how throughout the book Jaja would willingly take the blame for things he didn’t do (especially for Kambili). This is likely a reflection of his perceived responsibility to protect his mother and sister from Eugene’s tyrannical ways.

Aunty Ifeoma and her kids move to America after she is unfairly fired from her job as a professor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. This was such a bittersweet moment because while we know America may offer greener pastures, it is sad to see how even those that are vocal about the absurdities of the Nigerian government can only do so much. As much as Aunty Ifeoma would have probably wanted to contribute to a better future for Nigeria, she has to move to America to be able to provide for her family.

As aptly stated by a Goodreads user, “Purple Hibiscus is an exquisite novel about the emotional turmoil of adolescence, the powerful bonds of family, and the bright promise of freedom.”

Final thoughts:

Overall we thought this was a phenomenal book! I absolutely loved Adichie’s ability to depict themes of family, religion, abuse, and independence in such a relatable, yet amazing way. It is a great debut novel for Adichie. If you’re new to African literature, this book is definitely a great place to start!

Favorite Quotes:

“Being defiant can be a good thing sometimes," Aunty Ifeoma said. "Defiance is like marijuana - it is not a bad thing when it is used right.”

“Papa sat down at the table and poured his tea from the china tea set with pink flowers on the edges. I waited for him to ask Jaja and me to take a sip, as he always did. A love sip, he called it, because you shared the little things you loved with the people you love.”

“We did that often, asking each other questions whose answers we already knew. Perhaps it was so that we would not ask the other questions, the ones whose answers we did not want to know.”

Discussion Questions:

What did you think about the discrepancy between the person Papa portrayed to outsiders and the person he was at home?

What is the emotional atmosphere in Kambili’s home? What effect does this have on Kambili and Jaja? Why is their father so strict?

Why do you think, even though both Catholic, Aunty Ifeoma and Eugene treated their pagan father differently?

How did you react to Jaja going to jail for his father's death?

How do you think Kambili’s relationship with Father Amadi impacted her growth?

This book illustrates religious intolerance that can be quite common within African society. How did Kambili’s relationship with religion change over the course of the story?