Efuru (African Writers) [Paperback]

Flora Nwapa (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0435900269 | ISBN-13: 978-0435900267 | Publication Date: January 1, 1966

Flora Nwapa's first novel plants her story firmly in the world of women, where Efuru, beautiful and respected, is loved and deserted by two ordinary, undistinguished husbands.

Editorial Reviews

Review

It is rare to find a book by a native Nigerian woman in print in the United States. Efuru is even more noteworthy because with this book, in 1966, Flora Nwapa became the first native Nigerian woman to be published in Nigeria and the first non-white African woman to be published in England. Efuru explores Nigerian village life and values, a world where spirits are a part of everyday life - as accepted, respected, and feared as one's own relatives. Efuru, a highly respected woman of her village, carries on the family tradition of treating others well and is successful as a trader. Yet her personal life is mired with tragedy: she has two unsuccessful marriages and her only child dies. In her village, a single, childless woman is a cause for fear, and the villagers begin to gossip, a favorite and powerful pastime. They question her good deeds and wonder what she has done to upset the spirits, whose influence and power are at the center of their lives. In her struggle to understand all that has happened to her Efuru seeks the advice of the dibias, village doctors, and finds her spiritual guide and the path she must follow. -- For great reviews of books for girls, check out Let's Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14. -- From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Holly Smith

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Heinemann (January 1, 1966)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0435900269
• ISBN-13: 978-0435900267
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #404,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The incredible book: Efuru, September 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Efuru (African Writers) (Paperback)

This is one of the best I have ever read. I first read it when I was eight years old (i'm 16 now) and i have read over and over again. This book so accurately details the rural Nigerian village life. I would reccomend this book to anyone who is intrested in African literature.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars EFURU, April 29, 2002

By 

rENa (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Efuru (African Writers) (Paperback)

Flora Nwapa's Efuru is a dynamic story of a woman struggling to achieve in society. Written in 1966 in the midst of the African Civil War, Nwapa tries to portray woman as positive, independent woman who are very productive. From the beginning of her life Efuru faces the harsh reality of growing up without a mother. However, nothing prepares her for the challenges she copes with in marriage and family life. Through her misfortunes Efuru learns that she has been chosen as a follower of Uhamiri the goddess of the lake, giving her back meaning in life. Efuru is a heartfelt story that portrays actual village life in Nigeria along with struggles of women. Once one actually picks up the book, he or she transforms into Efuru as Flora Nwapa gracefully delineates the details in the African woman Efuru's life. Thus I personally found that the story was marvelous and attention grasping, even though one may find some situations in the book to be rather depressing, it was a novel that you really will not be able to set aside. The affect it had on me was that it taught me many new things, about life, about love, about defeat, and last but not least, about triumph.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars In Your Private Collection or the Donation Box?, May 1, 2003

By 

"mysticrebel67" (Bay City, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Efuru (African Writers) (Paperback)

My love of books is limited to non-fiction. I used to remember how some of my high school classmates from my English honors course could easily engage in a literary discussion like members of the Algonquin Table while I struggled, scratching my head to understand a word they were saying. From then on I was hoping I would not have to read another book that would make me spend hours of reading and still not get past the first chapter. When the time came in my literature class to read another book, I did not want to make a choice that would be beyond my reading capabilities, and so I chose Flora Nwapa's Efuru. Efuru, the first book published internationally by an African woman, fitted my description of an easy to understand and entertaining piece of literature. Nwapa's use of everyday, down to earth language makes it appealing to people who want read a book at a quick rate and do not want to face a reading challenge. Her narrative story gives a window into the life and culture of the Igbo people of Nigeria through her detailed description of the story. If the reader wants to explore a different culture where women have a higher status than most parts of the world, Efuru should satisfy that desire. Nwapa shows how a woman can become self-reliant and emotionally and financially independent through her own spirit, the plight of so many women today.
When I read a book I want to peek into the culture, language, history, and religion of people around the world. I had no clear view of what life in Africa was like much less the Igbo way of life. She describes Nigerian village life and values. Spirits play a major part of their lives and are "as accepted, respected, and feared as one's own relatives," as Holly Smith from her book 500 Great Books by Women mentions. Whenever they have problems, the people consult the dibias, or traditional

doctors, for possible answers and solutions. They follow their advice as they see the dibias as the shamans of the community no matter how intricate these rituals may be. When Efuru could not conceive a child when she was married to Adizua, she performed a complex ritual prescribed by the dibia. "She is to sacrifice to the ancestors...Every Afo day, she is to buy uziza, alligator pepper, and kola from the market. Uziza must be bought every Nkwo day from a pregnant woman. Every Afo day before the sun goes down or when the sun is here...she should put these things in a small calabash and go down to the lake; there she will leave the calabash to float away" (25). Before I read Efuru, I had no idea what the food and drink the Ibo ate was like. As I read deeper into the story, I began to lose track of my surroundings and to reach a stage where I was sitting along with Efuru and Nwashike Ogene eating kola, but not drinking gin.
Igbo women can divorce, inherit, and possess occupations outside the household. Although women are also expected to serve their husbands, they have a tremendous power over their relationships. Polygamy is common, but a man has to ask his first wife whether they could have another wife. Efuru's husband, Adizua, wanted to ask Efuru for another wife when she could not get pregnant. Since Adizua was only good at farming, "it was Efuru who was the brain behind the business [trading]" (36). After she turns to the goddess Uhamiri, she realizes that her wealth and respect are her blessings. Despite her tragedies, she stands up, leads an independent life without a man or child, and becomes a successful trader. As Nwapa puts it, "she was a remarkable woman. It was not only that she came from a distinguished family. She was distinguished herself" (7). From chapter one to the end, Nwapa tries to show an example of how women, through Efuru, are human beings that should not be manipulated, but should be respected because of their dignity. It makes me proud how

my mother has managed to raise all of us always making sure we always are well-fed, clothed, and protected by herself. She gave us the attention my father rarely showed to us.
When I first began to read Efuru, I could not put the book down for hours and reached up to page 54 in the middle of chapter four. I lost track of time and awareness as I wanted to know if Efuru would have a child or not after the ritual. There was no need to flip back and forth though the book as the dialog was written in plain English. Nwapa has shown me the plight of women and what they go through in most societies. Efuru is proof that behind a woman's look, there is a person who can accomplish more than a man. Her spiritual quest gave her one gift no husband could ever give her: dignity. So I bought the book. Should I keep it or put it in the donation bin? I think it will be a great addition to my book collection.