Although it fizzled out for me toward the end in more or less anticlimax, the first 95% of the book was excellent. I'd definitely pick up another book by Okparanta.

Ijeoma, is a young girl sent away for her own safety during the Biafran war in Nigeria . While there she meets another girl, and they fall in love. When they are discovered, she learns to hide that crucial part of herself, but at what cost?

This book will make you question the implications of homophobia on love and religion, as well as the importance of familial and self acceptance.

Ijeoma survives the Biafran-Nigerian War, but now she must survive the war inside herself.

This beautifully written account of a young lesbian growing up in Nigeria during 1970s and 80s is a fascinating counterpart to pre- and post-Stonewall narratives in the US at the same time, and tweaks some of the latter's usual cliches. At the same time Okparanta provides powerful insight into the Biafran War and, like her lead Ijeoma, boldly engages directly with the Bible and its use to denigrate same-sex relationships. The writing, organized in many short chapters that make the story pass quickly, is lovely, if not quite as polished as Okparanta's short story collection Happiness, Like Water. A wonderful read.

Interesting and beautifully written account of a young lesbian in Nigeria. Illustrates in a personal way some of the problems we only read short articles about in the west.

Although Ijeoma’s character is narrowly defined, Okparanta writes beautiful descriptive and emotional passages that make her seem fully realized and deeply sympathetic. However, Okparanta’s tale has been structured in such a way as to frequently disrupt and fragment the emotional effects of her well-crafted prose.

Read my full review here: http://shayshortt.com/2015/10/27/under-the-udala-trees/

Beautiful narrative. This is the first Nigerian LGBTQ protagonist I've ever encountered, and I'm so glad that Okparanta has shared this voice with us.