Long-listed for the 2015 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize One of the Wall Street Journal 's "15 Books to Read This Fall " One of Buzzfeed's "19 New Books You Need to Read This Fall " One of Bustle's "Best Books of September 2015" One of Gawker's "9 Must-Reads" for Fall "Powerful and heartbreaking, Under the Udala Trees is a deeply moving commentary on identity, prejudice, and forbidden love."--Buzzfeed, "19 New Books You Need to Read This Fall" "One of the most talked about debuts this fall."-- The Wall Street Journal , "15 Books to Read This Fall" "[Okparanta] is a natural storyteller, and her words carry a graceful, folkloric quality. Unlike myths, though, this young writer is doing the worthy work of openly revealing the suppression that Nigerian LGBTQ people continue to face daily. Under the Udala Trees is an important and timely read, imbued with both political ferocity and mythic beauty." -- Bustle "If you've ever wondered if love can conquer all, read Ijeoma's story, set in Nigeria--her falling in love with another girl is problematic, if not illegal. The result: a stunning coming-of-age debut."-- Marie Claire , "What We're Reading" "Okparanta [is] a graceful and precise writer.
"-- New York Times Book Review "Gripping.Okparanta deftly negotiates a balance between a love story and a war story. Udala Trees serves as a sobering reminder that despite the legality of gay marriage in much of the western hemisphere and in Europe and the US, not too far away LGBT communities endure government-sanctioned terror and brutality. Okparanta exquisitely captures this disparity through an undaunted Ijeoma, who in pursuit of seeking a fulfilling, joyful life gains an insightful awareness about the relationship between hatred and persecution - one that extends well beyond Nigeria''s borders."-- The Guardian "A real talent. [ Under the Udala Trees is] the kind of book that should have come with a cold compress kit. It''s sad and sensual and full of heat."--John Freeman, Electric Lit "Rich in complexity, compassionate in the treatment of political violence and flagrant oppression.
Okparanta''s prose feels natural, effortless. She renders the Nigerian landscape in lyrical bursts.and, as in her short stories, the rhythms slide seamlessly into intimate, conversational tones, equal parts folk tale and confessional. Throughout the book, many characters pound yams at the kitchen counter, echoing the constantly beating drums in Chinua Achebe''s Things Fall Apart . The hearts of the people beat in unison, the symbol seems to say -- as do the hearts of literary forefathers and descendants."-- Star Tribune Chinelo Okparanta''s stunning debut novel, Under The Udala Trees, is an epic story of love in the face of despair. Set in post-Civil War Nigeria, young Ijeoma comes of age in a country where following her heart may get her killed. Despite this reality, and the confounding religious principals she is raised with, Ijeoma''s story is one of tremendous hope.
- See more at: http://www.lambdaliterary.org/interviews/10/07/chinelo-okparanta-on-her-new-novel-under-the-udala-trees-and-being-a-champion-of-love/?utm_source=Lambda+Literary+Review+October+9th%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Newsletters&utm_medium=email#sthash.df0i3R9E.dpuf "Chinelo Okparanta''s stunning debut novel, Under The Udala Trees , is an epic story of love in the face of despair. Set in post-Civil War Nigeria, young Ijeoma comes of age in a country where following her heart may get her killed. Despite this reality, and the confounding religious principals she is raised with, Ijeoma''s story is one of tremendous hope."--Lambda Literary "Okparanta dexterously layers her story with historical events and Nigerian folktales to give a fuller picture of both the beauty and conflict of the country and its cultures.
[she] manages to leave readers hopeful for a better future through love and courage." -- Shelf Awareness "I have never seen or read anything quite like Under the Udala Trees . Debut novelist Chinelo Okparanta (remember that name) blends traditional storytelling with a knockout plot." -- Essence "Courageous and heartbreaking and multifaceted." -- Refinery 29 "A unique story told in a distinctive, lyrical voice."--Newsday "Elegant and serious prose.Ijeoma is a narrator who reveals herself as the story develops, strong-willed, witty and unforgettable.It''s no small feat that a novel so weighed with heartbreak can end in a place of hope for the future.
" -- Lambda Literary Ijeoma is a narrator who reveals herself as the story develops, strong-willed, witty and unforgettable - See more at: http://www.lambdaliterary.org/reviews/08/29/under-the-udala-trees-by-chinelo-okparanta/#sthash.BxyOkvum.dpuf Ijeoma is a narrator who reveals herself as the story develops, strong-willed, witty and unforgettable - See more at: http://www.lambdaliterary.org/reviews/08/29/under-the-udala-trees-by-chinelo-okparanta/#sthash.BxyOkvum.
dpuf "[A] striking debut novel.The scenes of war are rich in devastating detail, and Ijeoma's relationships with her parents are nuanced and affecting. Amina and Ijeoma's first love is sweetly, heartbreakingly portrayed.[The] novel stands as a necessary and important testament to the fact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people continue to face life-threatening challenges."--Cleveland.com "[Okparanta] is unafraid to write about everything. Her prose is clear and beautifully paced."-- The Recorder , A Staff Pick "Powerful and extremely heartbreaking, this debut novel from Okaparanta explores themes of identity, forbidden love and prejudice and is sure to keep you gripped over the winter.
"--Pop Crunch "Okparanta''s novel is full of heart, and it''s incredibly smart -- Under the Udala Trees is a must-read this fall."--Hello Giggles " Under the Udala Trees is written in a folkloric cadence, a music that echoes the many Nigerian war stories and songs that are woven into the book. [It] is a novel as much about queer experience as it is about origin and incidence, a story of war, of purpose and fate and accident.Clearly in the tradition Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Edwidge Danticat, and others whom Okparanta calls in her acknowledgements 'my predecessors, my guiding lights,' Under the Udala Trees does something further. Here we have a narrative of war, of LGBTQ Nigerians, and of Nigerians of faith. Ijeoma''s faith, her war-torn childhood, and her sexuality are not politized items, but deeply felt.But the power of Under the Udala Trees , a book that is both rich in history and magnificently felt, comes not from its panoramic displays of violence and terror, but from its nuanced refusals of grandiosity, its steady and elegant churn. Under the Udala Trees is unrelentingly a novel of hope.
What is most surprising in this book, which, by description, is a story of LGBTQ rights and experience against the backdrop of Civil War, is that it is not a work of agitation. But this may be Okparanta''s sly shattering, a hopeful fracturing that allows for change."--Literary Hub "Okparanta is masterful at articulating the pressures living through endless violence has on each of her characters' psyches.Here is writing rich in the beautiful intimacies of people who love each other--and wise about the importance of holding onto those precious connections in a world that is, more often than not, dangerous and cold. Written with courage and compassion, this debut novel by Okparanta stunningly captures a young girl's coming of age against the backdrop of a nation at war. "-- Kirkus , starred review "[A] deeply affecting debut novel.This is a remarkable portrait of a young woman''s coming-of-age in a society where rigid interpretations of the Bible label same-sex relationships as an 'abomination,' and where violence is all too often part of the 'solution.' The fact that Nigeria criminalized same-sex marriages in 2014 makes Okparanta''s tale that much more sobering and urgent.
It is especially gratifying that one of the defining tag lines of the feminist movement, 'a woman without a man,' just might be co-opted here in another time and place."-- Booklist "This absorbing story parallels the ongoing struggle for equality in Nigeria and is a powerful contribution to LGBT and African literature. Readers will finish the book hoping that every however-flawed character will find his or her own version of happiness."-- Library Journal "Exceeding the extraordinary promise of Happiness Like Water , her stunning story collection, Chinelo Okparanta has written a remarkable and exquisite first novel about wars--both external and internal--endurance, survival, and love. A coming of age story that demands not just to be not just read, but felt, Under the Udala Trees , wraps us in the spell of an exceptionally talented writer and storyteller." - Edwidge Danticat, author of Claire of the Sea Light and many others "Chinelo Okparanta is major new voice not only because of her mesmerizing storytelling, but for her bravery and originality. She is a truth teller and soothsayer. In this debut novel, she brings us two unforgettable heroines, exposes the past-- with a lens both panoramic and kaleidoscopic-- and predicts a future heavy with struggle yet glowing with hope.
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