Under the Udala Trees, (Paperback)

from LindaLoretz

Under the Udala Trees is a sad, tender story of Ijeoma, a Nigerian girl who is 11 years old during the Nigerian civil war of the 1960s. Her family, part of the Igbo, represented by Biafra, is deeply religious and afraid of enslavement, hides in a bunker while being raided during the war's violenc...

from RidgewayGirl

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta was a delight to read. Telling the story of a girl during Nigeria's Biafra War, whose father is killed and whose mother sends her to live as a housemaid in order for her to be safe and fed. I expected a grim tale, and while Okparanta doesn't gloss over t...

from AltheaAnn

I was inspired to pick this up by the blurb claiming that it was "inspired by Nigeria's folktales." Well, that's not quite true. Certainly, the characters are all Nigerian, and there are a few traditional tales told, over the course of the book - but the story itself is clearly based on true even...

from brangwinn

I love fictional accounts of contemporary Africa. This story in Nigeria is no exception. The destruction left by the war with Biafra led the development of some very strong independent women and as long as they live a conservative life as the wife of a man life is good, but be a woman who questio...

from bookmuse56

Poignant and emotionally rich this story captured my attention and heart in many unexpected ways. The author's storytelling abilities are showcased as she seamlessly weaves together the coming-of-age stories of Nigeria and the main character, Ijeoma. This technique effectively put me into a speci...