Things Fall Apart Book Review

Title: Things Fall Apart
Author: Chinua Achebe
Teen Reviewer: Darlin Samson
Rating: 4/5 Stars 

Things Fall Apart is about the tragic fall of the protagonist, Okonkwo, and the Igbo culture. Okonkwo is a respected and influential leader within the Igbo community of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. He first earns personal fame and distinction, and brings honor to his village, when he defeats Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling contest. Okonkwo determines to gain titles for himself and become a powerful and wealthy man in spite of his father's weaknesses.
Okonkwo's father, Unoka, was a lazy and wasteful man. He often borrowed money and then squandered it on palm-wine and merrymaking with friends. Consequently, his wife and children often went hungry. Within the community, Unoka was considered a failure and a laughingstock. He was referred to as agbala, one who resembles the weakness of a woman and has no property. Unoka died a shameful death and left numerous debts.
 

Okonkwo despises and resents his father's gentle and idle ways. He resolves to overcome the shame that he feels as a result of his father's weaknesses by being what he considers to be "manly"; therefore, he dominates his wives and children by being insensitive and controlling.

Okonkwo is a leader of his community, he is asked to care for a young boy named Ikemefuna, who is given to the village as a peace offering by neighboring Mbaino to avoid war with Umuofia. Ikemefuna befriends Okonkwo's son, Nwoye, and Okonkwo becomes inwardly fond of the boy.

Over the years, Okonkwo becomes an extremely volatile man; he is apt to explode at the slightest provocation. He violates the Week of Peace when he beats his youngest wife, Ojiugo, because she went to braid her hair at a friend's house and forgot to prepare the afternoon meal and feed her children. Later, he severely beats and shoots a gun at his second wife, Ekwefi, because she took leaves from his banana plant to wrap food for the Feast of the New Yam.

After the coming of the locusts, Ogbuefi Ezeudu, the oldest man in the village, relays to Okonkwo a message from the Oracle. The Oracle says that Ikemefuna must be killed as part of the retribution for the Umuofian woman killed three years earlier in Mbaino. He tells Okonkwo not to partake in the murder, but Okonkwo doesn't listen. He feels that not participating would be a sign of weakness. Consequently, Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna with his machete. Nwoye realizes that his father has murdered Ikemefuna and begins to distance himself from his father and the clansmen.

Okonkwo becomes depressed after killing Ikemefuna, so he visits his best friend, Obierika, who disapproves of his role in Ikemefuna's killing. Obierika says that Okonkwo's act will upset the Earth and the earth goddess will seek revenge. After discussing Ikemefuna's death with Obierika, Okonkwo is finally able to sleep restfully, but he is awakened by his wife Ekwefi. Their daughter Ezinma, whom Okonkwo is fond of, is dying. Okonkwo gathers grasses, barks, and leaves to prepare medicine for Ezinma.
  
A public trial is held on the village commons. Nine clan leaders, including Okonkwo, represent the spirits of their ancestors. The nine clan leaders, or egwugwu, also represent the nine villages of Umuofia. Okonkwo does not sit among the other eight leaders, or elders, while they listen to a dispute between an estranged husband and wife. The wife, Mgbafo, had been severely beaten by her husband. Her brother took her back to their family's village, but her husband wanted her back home. The egwugwu tell the husband to take wine to his in-laws and beg his wife to come home. One elder wonders why such a trivial dispute would come before the egwugwu.

In her role as priestess, Chielo tells Ekwefi (Okonkwo's second wife) that Agbala (the Oracle of the Hills and Caves) needs to see Ezinma. Although Okonkwo and Ekwefi protest, Chielo takes a terrified Ezinma on her back and forbids anyone to follow. Chielo carries Ezinma to all nine villages and then enters the Oracle's cave. Ekwefi follows secretly, in spite of Chielo's admonitions, and waits at the entrance of the Oracle. Okonkwo surprises Ekwefi by arriving at the cave, and he also waits with her. The next morning, Chielo takes Ezinma to Ekwefi's hut and puts her to bed.

When Ogbuefi Ezeudu dies, Okonkwo worries because the last time that Ezeudu visited him was when he warned Okonkwo against participating in the killing of Ikemefuna. Ezeudu was an important leader in the village and achieved three titles of the clan's four, a rare accomplishment. During the large funeral, Okonkwo's gun goes off, and Ezeudu's sixteen-year-old son is killed accidentally.

The accidental killing of a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess, Okonkwo and his family must be exiled from Umuofia for seven years. The family moves to Okonkwo's mother's native village, Mbanta. After they depart Umuofia, a group of village men destroy Okonkwo's compound and kill his animals to cleanse the village of Okonkwo's sin. Obierika stores Okonkwo's yams in his barn and wonders about the old traditions of the Igbo culture.

Okonkwo is welcomed to Mbanta by his maternal uncle, Uchendu, a village elder. He gives Okonkwo a plot of land on which to farm and build a compound for his family. But Okonkwo is depressed, and he blames his chi (or personal spirit) for his failure to achieve lasting greatness.

During Okonkwo's second year in exile, he receives a visit from his best friend, Obierika, who recounts sad news about the village of Abame: After a white man rode into the village on a bicycle, the elders of Abame consulted their Oracle, which told them that the white man would destroy their clan and other clans. Consequently, the villagers killed the white man. But weeks later, a large group of men slaughtered the villagers in retribution. The village of Abame is now deserted.

Okonkwo and Uchendu agree that the villagers were foolish to kill a man whom they knew nothing about. Later, Obierika gives Okonkwo money that he received from selling Okonkwo's yams and seed-yams, and he promises to do so until Okonkwo returns to Umuofia.

Six missionaries, including one white man, arrived in Mbanta. The white man speaks to the people about Christianity. Okonkwo believes that the man speaks nonsense, but his son, Nwoye, is captivated and becomes a convert of Christianity.

The Christian missionaries build a church on land given to them by the village leaders. However, the land is a part of the Evil Forest, and according to tradition, the villagers believe that the missionaries will die because they built their church on cursed land. But when nothing happens to the missionaries, the people of Mbanta conclude that the missionaries possess extraordinary power and magic. The first recruits of the missionaries are efulefu, the weak and worthless men of the village. Other villagers, including a woman, soon convert to Christianity. The missionaries then go to Umuofia and start a school. Nwoye leaves his father's hut and moves to Umuofia so he can attend the school.

Okonkwo's exile is over, so his family arranges to return to Umuofia. Before leaving Mbanta, they prepare a huge feast for Okonkwo's mother's kinsmen in appreciation of their gratitude during Okonkwo's seven years of exile.

When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia, he discovers that the village has changed during his absence. Many men have renounced their titles and have converted to Christianity. The white men have built a prison; they have established a government court of law, where people are tried for breaking the white man's laws; and they also employ natives of Umuofia. Okonkwo wonders why the Umuofians have not incited violence to rid the village of the white man's church and oppressive government.

Some members of the Igbo clan like the changes in Umuofia. Mr. Brown, the white missionary, respects the Igbo traditions. He makes an effort to learn about the Igbo culture and becomes friendly with some of the clan leaders. He also encourages Igbo people of all ages to get an education. Mr. Brown tells Okonkwo that Nwoye, who has taken the name Isaac, is attending a teaching college. Nevertheless, Okonkwo is unhappy about the changes in Umuofia.

After Mr. Brown becomes ill and is forced to return to his homeland, Reverend James Smith becomes the new head of the Christian church. But Reverend Smith is nothing like Mr. Brown; he is intolerant of clan customs and is very strict.

Violence arises after Enoch, an overzealous convert to Christianity, unmasks an egwugwu. In retaliation, the egwugwu burn Enoch's compound and then destroy the Christian church because the missionaries have caused the Igbo people many problems.

When the District Commissioner returns to Umuofia, he learns about the destruction of the church and asks six leaders of the village, including Okonkwo, to meet with him. The men are jailed until they pay a fine of two hundred and fifty bags of cowries. The people of Umuofia collect the money and pay the fine, and the men are set free.

The next day at a meeting for clansmen, five court messengers who intend to stop the gathering approach the group. Suddenly, Okonkwo jumps forward and beheads the man in charge of the messengers with his machete. When none of the other clansmen attempt to stop the messengers who escape, Okonkwo realizes that they will never go to war and that Umuofia will surrender. Everything has fallen apart for Okonkwo; he commits suicide by hanging himself.

Book Review: Highly Illogical Behavior

Title: Highly Illogical Behavior
Author: John Corey Whaley
Teen Reviewer: Turner Sykes
Rating: 5/5 Stars

This book was about an agoraphobic kid who had a panic attack at school and decided to stay indoors for three years. The book talks about what happened during that panic attack and what happens next.

 I enjoyed this book. There was never a dull moment and there were a lot of unexpected happenings that kept me eager to keep reading. Anyone could enjoy this hard to put down book. 

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Book Review: Understanding Suicide: A National Epidemic

Title: Understanding Suicide: A National Epidemic
Author: Connie Goldsmith
Teen Reviewer: Turner Sykes
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Synopsis:
This book included details about suicide, including why people do it and how it can be prevented.

Review: This book was excellent! Connie Goldsmith provided great details and factual evidence about suicide. Prior to reading this book, I had little knowledge of why people commit suicide. After reading this book, I feel informed on the epidemic. Anyone reading this book can get something out of it, whether you have had experience with suicide or had no prior information, there is something to be learned.

If you'd like to locate this book in our catalog, click here.

Book Review: The Sun is Also A Star

Title: The Sun Is Also A Star

Author: Nicola Yoon

Rating: 5/5 stars

Teen Reviewer: Nanditha Prashanth

This book revolves around three main narrators/characters. Natasha, a Jamaican girl, who only believes in Science and facts to prove a cause. Not a girl to believe in love and fate. Whose future is being destined in the next 12 hours because of her father. Daniel is a Korean boy who is a good-son, smart, and a good student. But never the poet he wishes to be. Whose future is being destined in the next 6 hours. Lastly the Universe who decides the fate of all including Natasha and Daniel. The fate (Universe) managed to entangle these two people who seem to have come from the absolute opposite ends of life itself, in an arbitrary way of its own. The remaining of the book follows their journey as consecutive events build up to a unimaginable emotion in the entirety of the plot.

If you are a person who has an edge for scientific theory and a little romance, this book is definitely for you. This book showed me different perspectives of life but, the best part is that it taught a lot of valuable aspects in life that are not always appreciated or understood. Like how each person and event that happens in the world impacts you whether you know it or not. I also found the aspects of science in the book to be very informative. It was cool to understand what different people are thinking during a particular event. Overall I loved this book. It was perfect. The only thing is... this book may be hard to follow for some as it skips back and forth between the history, universe, Natasha, Daniel and side characters referring to the books narration. I give it 5/5 stars!

Book Review: Sex and Violence

Book Review: Sex and Violence
Author: Carrie Mesrobian
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Teen Reviewer: Emily St. Louis.

Synopsis: Evan is a guy that gets with a lot of girls, and that's what makes him Evan. After trying to get with one girl at the wrong time, he is brutally beaten in his high school bathroom and left to suffer. His attackers left him with broken bones, lots of blood, and a ruptured spleen. His father, who is always moving around, decides it would be best to pack up and settle down in his old hometown to get Evan away from it all. Evan, who is left unable to even shower, has a hard time with the move, once again being the new kid in a town where everybody knows everyone. Even if the town is friendly, Evan has never been so alone



Book review:
I really loved the book! It was so good, and Carrie really did a great job with all the detail. The book does go into detail with sexual themes, and as a young adult/teen reader, it gave the book some realism that some teen books are lacking. It was a personal favorite of mine,  and I think that it left a lasting impression on me. 

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Hunger Games Book Review

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Teen Reviewer: Tim Bartlett
Rating: 4/5 stars

“May the odds be ever in your favor!” This is the famous quote of the notorious Hunger Games, used as punishment for a revolt of the thirteen districts of Panem, (formerly North America) in which one district was annihilated and the other twelve forced to submit under the iron fist of the Capitol. Existence is bleak, difficult, and dangerous.

This is the place that sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen finds herself in. The book is written in the first person, which is an interesting contrast to the third-person viewpoint of many other books. Katniss is an adventurous, spirited girl who mostly keeps to herself and finds solace in the woods of District 12. She's an excellent hunter and survival skills that won't just be used for food, for as events would turn out—it would be the key to life and death.

The finery and sophistication of the Capitol is a far cry from the hard and bleak existence that Katniss and Peeta find themselves in. If I was in their position, I would almost prefer a hard life rather than a brief time of luxury followed up by almost certain death. As their mentor, Haymitch is a perpetual drunk, but is the only victorious tribute from District 11 many years before. Despite his rather unsavory (and comedic) behaviors, Haymitch teaches the two teenagers how to stay alive in the arena.

After rigorous training with both weapons and survival skills, Katniss and Peeta officially enter the Hunger Games, against twenty-two other tributes. Strong, fast, cunning, and most with an insatiable desire to survive by killing everyone else. Katniss must use everything she's learned in the past several weeks if she's to have any hope of survival.

During the games, there is an announcement—if both the boy and girl from a district survive, they are champions. Katniss immediately starts searching for Peeta, and finds him camouflaged against a log, dying from wounds dealt by one of the Careers, teens who spend their time training for the Hunger Games in order to win honor and glory...by killing everyone else. Katniss nurses Peeta back to health, and the two of them fall in love. As the Games wind down, it's down to Katniss, Peeta, and Cato. Cato is slain, but Katniss and Peeta are champions...or so they thought. Suddenly, an announcement comes over the speakers, and Katniss and Peeta must make a choice, whether to conform to the government, or to defy their wishes.

The book was written by Suzanne Collins (born August 10^th, 1962). She began her professional career in 1991 writing for children's television. Working with Nickelodeon, she helped produce shows such as Clarissa Explains it All and The Mysteries of Shelby Woo. For preschool viewers, she wrote multiple stories for Little Bear and Oswald. More recently, she was Head Writer for Scholastic Entertainment's Clifford Puppy Days, among other projects.

When she met children's author and illustrator James Proimos, he convinced her to give children's books a try. Suzanne thought about Alice and Wonderland one day, and realized how “pastoral” the setting must seem to kids who, like her own, lived in urban areas. For example, if you fell down a manhole in NYC, what would you find? That's the story of Gregor the Overlander, the first book in her five-part fantasy/war series, The Underland Chronicles, which became a New York Times bestseller and has been sold into 21 foreign territories.

Arguably her most famous work, The Hunger Games Trilogy, is an international bestseller and has spent over six years to date on The New York Times bestseller list since publication in 2008. It has been sold into 56 territories in 51 languages. In 2010 Collins was named to the TIME 100 list as well as the Entertainment Weekly Entertainers of the Year list. Lionsgate released a film adapation of The Hunger Games on March 23, 2012, directed by Gary Ross who also shared screenplay with Collins and Billy Ray. Breaking multiple box-office records, It went on the become the 14^th highest-grossing North American release of all time—generating nearly $700 million at the worldwide box office. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 1 have been released on November 22^nd, 2013 and November 21^st 2014 respectively. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 2 set to release on November 20, 2015.

In September 2013, Suzanne released a critically acclaimed autobiographical picture book, Year of the Jungle, illustrated by James Proimos, has been sold into 12 territories and in 11 languages. Overall, her books have sold over 87 million copies worldwide. Collins resides in Sandy Hook, Connecticut within Newtown, Connecticut, with her husband and their two children.

“The Hunger Games: would appeal to a mature teenage and young adult audience. Readers who enjoy action and suspense will appreciate the fast-paced narrative and suspenseful storyline, while those who enjoy romance and drama will enjoy the heartfelt decisions and love between Katniss and other characters in the story.

Personally, I enjoyed the action, and found the first-person narrative extremely interesting; because I'm used to reading books in the third-person. The book had a driving storyline, but was interesting and deep enough to extrapolate meaning from. I didn't particularly enjoy the gladiatorial aspect of the Hunger Games—and I thought the government was far too extreme in their punishment of the districts. However, it was an entertaining read, and I'd definitely recommend it.