“My most memorable book is ‘Purple Hibiscus’ by Chimamanda Adichie”
By Mercy Shoaga
Ayomide Odunlami is a graduate of Business Administration from Caleb University, Imota, Lagos. She loves books and believes that through reading books she could visit locations across the world, feel other peoples’ experiences and know a lot about people and cultures.
Kindly give a brief introduction of yourself and tell us what your most memorable book is
I am Odunlami Ayomide, a fresh graduate of Business Administration from the Caleb University in Imota, Lagos. “My most Memorable book was and it still is “Purple Hibiscus’ by Chimamanda Adichie.
What is this book about?
This book is about the promise of freedom, about the blurred lines between childhood and adulthood, between love and hatred, between old gods and new. It was published in the year 2003.
What makes this book so memorable for you?
The memories for me are about the nostalgia of being a teenager and spending the holidays away from your home, and being with your cousin.
How did this book impact your life or change your perspective?
The book revealed the fact that even parents can abuse their children when they didn’t mean it that way.
Did any particular character or moment in the book resonate with you?
I will say yes. It was Kambili. She would have been a little more expressive if she hadn’t been abused by her father. She was very anti-social, and for a long time she was seen as weird
Can you describe the emotions or thoughts that this book evoked in you while reading it? I was angry. I felt angry at kambili and Jaja’s father for his extreme believes. Then, I felt some relief, because they had the best Aunt who was there for them in a way that their parents weren’t
Did this book inspire you to take any specific actions or make any changes in your life?
Not really.
Have you recommended this book to others? If so, what have been their reactions to it?
No, not really.
Please share with us any specific quotes or passages from this book that stayed with you long after reading it
Of course, a very memorable quote for me is : “I knew that when the tea burned my tongue, it burned papa’s love into me.”
Did you find yourself discussing or thinking about this book even after you finished reading it, and why?
Yes, because it’s very eye-opening and makes me realize that nobody, no family is perfect.
Has this book influenced your reading preferences or the types of books you seek?
It hasn’t, actually.
If you could sum up the impact of this book in a few words, what would they be?
Very eye-opening and interesting.
