An Orchestra of Minorities -- Free Preview

by Chigozie Obioma

A heartbreaking story about a Nigerian poultry farmer who sacrifices everything to win the woman he loves, by Man Booker Finalist and author of The Fishermen, Chigozie Obioma. "It is more than a superb and tragic novel; it's a historical treasure."-Boston Globe Set on the outskirts of Umuahia, Nigeria and narrated by a chi, or guardian spirit, An Orchestra of Minorities tells the story of Chinonso, a young poultry farmer whose soul is ignited when he sees a woman attempting to jump from a highway bridge. Horrified by her recklessness, Chinonso joins her on the roadside and hurls two of his prized chickens into the water below to express the severity of such a fall. The woman, Ndali, is stopped her in her tracks. Bonded by this night on the bridge, Chinonso and Ndali fall in love. But Ndali is from a wealthy family and struggles to imagine a future near a chicken coop. When her family objects to the union because he is uneducated, Chinonso sells most of his possessions to attend a college in Cyprus. But when he arrives he discovers there is no place at the school for him, and that he has been utterly duped by the young Nigerian who has made the arrangements... Penniless, homeless, and furious at a world which continues to relegate him to the sidelines, Chinonso gets further away from his dream, from Ndali and the farm he called home. Spanning continents, traversing the earth and cosmic spaces, and told by a narrator who has lived for hundreds of years, the novel is a contemporary twist of Homer's Odyssey. Written in the mythic style of the Igbo literary tradition, Chigozie Obioma weaves a heart-wrenching epic about destiny and determination.

Genres: Fiction, Nigeria

64 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2018

About the author

Chigozie Obioma was born in Akure, Nigeria. His two novels, The Fishermen (2015) and An Orchestra of Minorities (2019) were shortlisted for The Booker Prize and have been translated into 30 languages. He has an LA Times book prize, the prestigious Internationalerpris, FT/Oppenheimer prize for fiction, an NAACP Image award and has been nominated for two dozen prizes for fiction. He was a judge of the Booker prize in 2021. He is a Distinguished writer in Residence at Wesleyan University, CT, the James E. Ryan Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the program director of the Oxbelly Writers retreat. His third novel, The Road to the Country, will be published in 2024.

Reviews

[Bukola Akinyemi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Orchestra of Minorities by Chigozie Obioma tells the story of Chinonso, a humble chicken farmer, who falls for Ndali, a trainee pharmacist from a wealthy background. Set against the backdrop of Nigeria and Cyprus in the 2000s, the novel is deeply influenced by Igbo culture and cosmology, and it's narrated by Chinonso's Chi, his guiding spirit.

Brimming with translated Igbo proverbs, the novel explores themes of love, loss, social class, immigration, and forgiveness. Chigozie Obioma masterfully weaves these elements together, showcasing his exceptional talent for storytelling.

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a teaser for the full book. I wasn't sure how much of the book I would actually get, but I definitely need to order the full book now!

[Cesar F · Rating 4 out of 5]

A taste of a culture that I did not know before. It managed to keep my attention. A little bit tragic but still a good reading

[Dorte]

Mærkelig men er også afrikansk

[Annaabbrophygmail.Com · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing book. I still remember how numerous it says!

[Madeline taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

What?????