Title of the Book: Zikora
Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Reviewer: David Medugu and Harris Ifeanyi
Publishers: Amazon Original Stories
Year: 2020
Pages: 35
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
ISBN: 9781542029612
This short story presents womanhood and the intricate struggles for emotional security. This is captured in the short story as a common thread that weaves the woman experience together. The unprecedented events of shock that redefined Zikora’s idea of love, coupled with those of her mother and cousin Mmiliaku, gives the reader a peep into the reality of these struggles. While the disappointment that greeted the expectations of these round characters deepens the readers’ understanding of life’s uncertainties. The fictional piece which drew a portrait of Zikora’s experiences provides a glimpse into some of the gender-based issues that have remained topical among enthusiasts around the world.
Therefore, the story becomes pertinent not only because it mirrors key prevailing gender issues in our societies but because of the relatedness of these issues. Prominent amongst the qualities of this book is the meticulous attempt of the author to capture the impacts of these issues on some of the round characters in the story. Considered to have centered on woman’s perspectives and experiences, the book portrays black men as villain stereotypes as can be seen in the portrayal of Kwame, Emmanuel and Daddy. However, the individualistic approach adopted by the author limits these stereotypes within the confines of Zikora’s experience; hence, a reader cannot generalize regarding these stereotypes based on the impetus which the story provides.
The ingenuity of the author to cultural sensitivities stands out, the fragility of the setting notwithstanding. The nature of the setting suggests that it is a contemporary one; hence, it is commendable to see how the book captures the origin of the characters and the interplay between the American and the Nigerian cultural systems. By retaining the indigenous names of the characters in a setting like America, the author emphasizes the importance of cultural identity, especially for Africans in diaspora. The narrowing of Zikora’s roots to the Igbo clime endows the reader with an insight into some of the peculiarities of the Igbo culture and a perspective on the possible reasons for the existent conflict in Zikora’s family. This excerpt is exemplary in this regard:
“It was after my presentation on traditional Igbo property laws and I’d used my mother’s story: a woman from a wealthy family marries a man from a wealthy family, has one daughter, three miscarriage, and an emergency hysterectomy, after which her husband decides to marry again because he needs to have sons and she agrees, and it’s those sons who will inherit the family property” (pp 22).
As a book that captures stories from both the American and the Igbo cultures, diction becomes one of the elements adopted by the author to highlight the distinctive qualities of both worlds. Consequently, the story adopts colloquial Americanism and some Igbo phrases (like Amuchago m and mama-Nnukwu anwugo) to highlight these distinct qualities. It is seen in the story that Zikora had to play dual roles to fit in both worlds and the author’s expression of these roles are captured in Zikora’s relationship with her American Kwame and her Nigerian immediate and extended families alike.
Akin to some of the elements deployed by the author is suspense which seems to have been successfully maintained throughout the book. Since the book contained a short story, suspense remains a key element that keeps the reader glued until the last page. A key element of suspense in the book remains the intricate relationship between Kwame and Zikora. Also worthy of note is the episodic plot element which makes the story easy to understand especially when one considers how the centrality of Zikora’s experience gives meaning to the rest of the characters and other events in the story. These elements as deployed by the author to enable the reader to appreciate the themes of the book since they are implicit. Prominent among the themes of the book is the ache of loneliness which remains the generic experience of the round characters, especially the female ones. Another theme that seems to be central is abandonment and the evidence of this theme is seen in the round characters. An excerpt from the story concurs thus:
“I think I should leave is that okay?” he asked as though he needed my permission to abandon me. He would kill you, but he would do it courteously” (pp. 14).
Love is another central theme in the book, and it captures the importance of true love as a feeling of responsibility and not the mere feeling of pleasure. The experience of Kwame and Zikora paints a perfect picture of this meaning of love and so does the relationship between her and her father. The story does not fall short of a great piece and I recommend it to the ardent lovers and voracious readers of African literature. However, the end of the book is highly suggestive of a sequel as there are other sides to Zikora’s story that remain untold. Consequently, to Adichie, I recommend a sequel to explain the much which is left unsaid about Kwame.
Reference
Adichie, C.N. (2020), Zikora: A Short Story. Amazon Original Stories, Seattle, USA. eISBN: 9781542029612. www.apub.com.
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David Oyinane Medugu, an M.A Research Student in Development Communication. A Development Communication Consultant and Manager Development Communication Studios, Department of Theatre and Performing Art, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna state.
Harris Ifeanyi, a Doctoral Research Student in Development Communication. Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State.
