Blackbird

by Jude Dibia

BLACKBIRD Set at the turn of the apocalyptic Millennium, Blackbird is a captivating story of a world in transition. Through a quartet of characters, the admirable Maya and her devoted husband Omoniyi, the formidable Nduesoh and her philandering husband Edward, the novel depicts how their connected world progresses towards crisis and tragedy. Blackbird is a provocative and evocative novel from start to finish. It lays bare all the fatal flaws of humanityÑ love and jealousy, need and possessiveness, care and self-preservation Ð and does so through a style that is finely judged, literary and accessible. Building on its authorÕs previous ground-breaking novels, this latest follows his interest in how traditional beliefs and personal experiences clash to force explosive changes. Blackbird is an important modern novel by a contemporary writer. It pushes beyond Walking with Shadows and the prize winning Unbridled into new territory.

Genres: Africa

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Jude Dibia (born 5 January 1975 in Lagos, Nigeria)is a Nigerian novelist.

Dibia studied at the University of Ibadan, and earned a B.A in Modern European Languages (German). He is the author of three well received novels: Walking with Shadows (BlackSands Books, 2005), Unbridled (2007), and Blackbird (2011). His novels have been described as daring and controversial by readers and critics in and out of Africa. Walking with Shadows is said to be the first Nigerian novel that has a gay man as its central character and that treats his experience with great insight, inviting a positive response to his situation. Unbridled, too, stirred some controversy on its publication; it is a story that tackles the emancipation of its female protagonist, who had suffered from incest and various abuse from men. Unbridled went on to win the 2007 Ken Saro-Wiwa Prize for Prose (sponsored by NDDC/ANA) and was a finalist in the 2007 Nigeria Prize for Literature (sponsored by NLNG).

Dibia’s short stories have appeared on various online literary sites, including AfricanWriter.com and Halftribe.com. One of his short stories is included in the anthology One World: A global anthology of short stories, alongside stories by such critically acclaimed writers as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Jhumpa Lahiri.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Andrew H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uneven in narrative terms -- some high points and some purple prose.

[Morohunfayo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. The way the characters lives intertwined with the other. I definitely love the book. It's a must read and you won't be bored EVER!!!

[Ivor Hartmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Jude Dibia's third book, and this is evident in the confident manner and style with which he deals with a whole host of not only Nigerian issues but those of the contemporary universal human condition. Blackbird is deeply revealing yet compassionate throughout, well paced, and not without its lighter moments for balance.