Half of a Yellow Sun

I went in completely blind, knowing that I absolutely loved Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah which, along with Half of a Yellow Sun, recently made the top 20 for BBC Culture's Greatest novels of the 21st century.

It's gut wrenching historical fiction. Outlining the Biafran struggle for independence from Nigeria filtered through the lens of a small affluent Nigerian family. Adichie manages to balance the horrors of war with smaller family dramas without allowing either to become overwrought and melodramatic. Through the course of the book she will somehow manage to touch on colonialism, propaganda, child soldiers, aid efforts, Western media coverage, tribal superstition, famine and grief. It's appears effortless and natural.

What is incredible is the story of Nigeria and how a book can bring that place to life. Well duh, but I've never really considered it before, reading mostly Western works. It's got me thinking of tackling more international writers.