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An Orchestra of Minorities

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An Orchestra of Minorities

By: Chigozie Obioma
Narrated by: Chukwudi Iwuji
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About this listen

 SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2019

From the author of the Booker-shortlisted novel, The Fishermen

'Obioma is truly the heir to Chinua Achebe' New York Times

A young farmer named Chinonso prevents a woman from falling to her death. Bonded by this strange night on the bridge, he and Ndali fall in love, but it is a mismatch according to her family who reject him because of his lowly status. Is it love or madness that makes Chinonso think he can change his destiny?

Set across Nigeria and Cyprus, An Orchestra of Minorities, written in the mythic style of the Igbo tradition, weaves a heart-wrenching tale about fate versus free will.

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'A spectacular artistic leap' Guardian

'Brilliantly original' The Economist

'A remarkable talent' Independent

'Few contemporary novels achieve the seductive panache of Obioma's heightened language, with its mixture of English, Igbo and colourful African-English phrases, and the startling clarity of the dialogue. The story is extreme; yet its theme is a bid for mercy for that most fragile of creatures - a human' Eileen Battersby, Guardian



©2018 Chigozie Obioma (P)2018 Hachette Audio UK Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction World Literature Destiny Tear-jerking Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

A crucial journey into a heartache that is both mythical and real (Booker Prize Judges 2019)
[An] impressive, epic second novel . . . Timely, portentous and powerful, [An Orchestra of Minorities] confirms Chigozie Obioma's remarkable talent (Lucy Scholes)
All stars
Most relevant
A moving and beautifully written tragedy which will remain with me for a long time

Heart wrenching

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intense. tthats the word that perfectly describes this masterpiece. you need to be emotionally prepared before you read it

what a book

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There is so much in this book. The words draw you completely and vividly into the tale. The past week has been very enjoyable! Only some of the pronunciation of the Igbo words and names were not entirely convincing but that took little from the performance and story.

Amazing

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I loved it.
The narrator was engaging.
The accents spot on
The love story was so powerful.
How communication and courage are so important.
I like the 3rd person angle of the storytelling and their own history.

Emotional. Descriptive

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I read Chigozie Obioma’s debut, The Fishermen and was impressed. Now this, his sophomore novel, An Orchestra of Minorities, secures his place in my mind as one of those rare authors, the kind that can conceive a complex narrative, write it with precision and eloquence, and make it seem like magic. So many people can write, but not very many can write like this.

An Orchestra of Minorities is cleverly told from the point of view of the protagonist’s chi, a spirit that lives within him, is a part of him, but still maintains a separate consciousness. Like a thoroughly modern version of a chorus, the chi takes us through the tale of its “host”, fluidly giving us insights that could be told no other way. It’s a masterpiece in story telling.

From the beginning of this book there is an underlying feeling of foreboding, a sense there may be tragedy, but with many moments of gentleness and warmth, it is an incredibly well-balanced and compelling listen. It is primarily set in Nigeria, but it is universal; it is, among other things, a story about love, expectations both personal and cultural, and consequences.

The audiobook was beautifully read by Chukwudi Iwuji. I’d never come across him as a narrator before, but I will certainly look for him again. It was a flawless performance.

I’d recommend An Orchestra of Minorities wholeheartedly if you are interested in literary fiction or in Nigerian culture or fiction. I know I will listen to this again in the future and I plan to buy a hardcopy so I can read it in print as well.

Outstanding

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