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Happiness, Like Water (2013)

by Chinelo Okparanta(Favorite Author)

3.94 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0544003454 (ISBN13: 9780544003453)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Mariner Books

review 1: Okparanta's short stories blew me away. Each of the ten stories relates an issue in the life of a female protagonist. Her writing is so passionate that in each story, I actually felt what the character appeared to be feeling. The book looks at mother/daughter relationships, physical and mental abuse, homosexual relationships, and infidelity. Okparanta, gives great incite into Nigerian women. Although I must admit that these issues are every cultures issues. Wonderful, wonderful read.
review 2: At first I was unsure if I was going to be able to get through this collection of short stories. It seemed that like water, the happiness the character could feel would just run through their hands and spill onto the ground. Never to be captured or cherished. But, I pr... moreessed on and was rewarded as the characters grew to be able to capture their own version of happiness while realizing life is never going to be a s good as they hoped. Set in Africa and America, I got a sense of the character's motivations and rooted for them to overcome their circumstances. Over the stories, the ones that stood out dealt with a daughter gaining the strength to stand up to her abusive father and mother who co-signed his misery as well as a two women choosing to embrace their happiness with each other instead of dwelling in the misery of the boxes life would put them into. I finished the book pleased I had a chance to experience all the different ways happiness is like water. Bracing, unforgiving, and life giving. less

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