Half of a Yellow Sun

A really powerful book about the war in Nigeria in the 60s, with good characterization and realistic description of both the political climate of the time and people's emotions.

We get three narrators, who represent different points of view: an educated woman from a wealthy family, a village boy from a poor family, and a white man who found himself in Nigeria. All three have their strengths and flaws, and all three reveal a different aspect of Nigeria.

I think the strongest side of this book is Adichie's ability to create a lively, believable story with characters you care about. You get to know them before the war, follow them around, see them go through difficulties. By the time the war starts, you already know the characters, which makes the whole portrayal of the horrors of war even more emotionally engaging.

The plot is also well paced and cleverly constructed, with a lot of skillfully placed parallels and allegories, all contributing to quality of the overall story.