Set in colonial Nigeria (Igbo land) the novel tells the story of Ezeulu, the chief priest of Ulu (a god) in the village of Umuaro. Ezeulu is a headstrong man whose arrogance eventually leads to his detriment. There were several subplots to the story and it had many characters. Achebe was detailed in explaining pre-colonial Igbo traditions and customs, at times coming across as too deliberate and tedious, sucking the life out of the story. I also found that the plentiful characters crammed the story and it was often difficult keeping track of the crux. The book actually took me a year to finish; I had to keep breaking it up with something more lively and engaging. So far, this is my least favourite Achebe book. I rate it 3 over 10.
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