Review of When a Man Falls From the Sky
 First edition (UK) | |
| Author | Lesley Nneka Arimah |
|---|---|
| Country | Nigeria |
| Language | English |
| Genre | fantasy |
| Publisher | Riverhead Books (US) Tinder Printing (Great britain) |
| Publication engagement | Apr 2017 |
| Media blazon | Print (Hardcover, Paperback), Ebook |
What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky is a drove of short stories past Nigerian writer Lesley Nneka Arimah, initially published in April 2017 by Riverhead Books and Tinder Press (UK),[1] then republished in Nigeria by Farafina Books in November 2017.
The volume won the Kirkus Prize for Fiction,[2] [3] the Minnesota Book Award for Fiction[4] and the New York Public Library's Young Lions Fiction Honor.[5] In January 2018, information technology was shortlisted for the 9mobile Prize for Literature.[6]
Plot summary [edit]
The book centres "on female protagonists exposed to a cruel world that pushes them to accept certain steps to fit in, or brand them realize, they just might not fit in,"[7] offering "a humanizing portrait of both the Nigerian citizen and get-go generation young female immigrant", showcasing "their flaws, their desires, their victories, and their attempts at carving out a identify in a country whose customs and values diverge from that of their heritage.[8]
The short stories also each work in harmonic nature to tell the stories of Nigerian women, life, and how they are raised. The short story in particular that incorporated gender norms of what a daughter is expected to be compared to what she chooses to be is specifically explored in the story "Light" in which the father and mother cannot agree on what beautiful looks similar for their daughter tin connect to what lodge views as the beauty standard for today is and how information technology is evolving. While the mother in this short story wants her daughter to appeal to more than European standards of beauty through perming her hair her father sees that this will in fact dim her calorie-free as a person so ultimately wants her to exist herself and through this she shines on her ain past not living upward to the normal expectations put on her as a person from her female parent and the society'south at large standard of beauty. The short story and championship of the book "When a man falls from the Sky" explores the idea of pain/grief and how much a heavy brunt it tin experience similar but also allows you to empathize with other people'southward pain as well as to learn from it.
Theme [edit]
The drove "explores women's dispossession from many angles, including the fraught relationships between mothers and daughters and the complicated dynamics of female friendship."[nine]
This theme of dealing with grief occurs oft in the drove, and appears in the penultimate story of the collection, entitled: "What is a Volcano". This story takes a folkloric twist, post-obit Gods and Goddesses who are dealing with the grief that comes with losing a child. This cute story explores the fact that immortal beings tin feel very human being emotions, noting that grief is a powerful force that can overwhelm anyone, even Goddesses.
These brusque stories explore the genre of magical realism, where a fantastical element is added to realistic fiction. In many of her stories, Arimah takes a plot that could very well just be realism, and adds a magical twist. By doing this, Arimah is able to put a new lens on important themes throughout the collection, and allow her readers to understand difficult subjects, such as grief and poverty through magical elements.
Reception [edit]
Before publication, What it Means was named one of the most predictable books of 2017 by BuzzFeed, The Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, Electrical Literature, The Millions, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Nylon, and Fourth dimension.[ii]
According to The Atlantic, the collection, "conveys respect for the people who claw their way through relentlessly hard lives."[10] NPR praised the novel, saying, "It'southward a truly wonderful debut by a young author who seems certain to accept a very bright literary futurity ahead of her."[11]
Awards [edit]
| Twelvemonth | Honor | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Kirkus Prize for Fiction | Won | [12] [3] [4] |
| 2018 | 9mobile Prize for Literature | Shortlisted | [6] |
| Aspen Words Literary Prize | Shortlisted | [13] | |
| Minnesota Book Award for Fiction | Won | [4] | |
| New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award | Won | [5] |
References [edit]
- ^ Mogami, Gaamangwe Joy (2017-07-03). "#CainePrize2017 | On Motherhood, Course and Fabulist Fiction | Interview with Lesley Nneka Arimah". Brittle Newspaper . Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ a b "Lesley Nneka Arimah Wins a 2017 O. Henry Prize". Brittle Newspaper. 2017-06-03. Retrieved Baronial 26, 2021.
- ^ a b Staff, MPR News. "Minnesota writer Lesley Nneka Arimah wins Kirkus Prize for Fiction". Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ a b c Hertzel, Laurie (April 23, 2018). "Novelist Lesley Nneka Arimah, poet Bao Phi, cartoonist Steve Sack win Minnesota Volume Awards". Star Tribune . Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ a b "Lesley Nneka Arimah Wins NYPL'southward Young Lions Fiction Award for What Information technology Means When a Human Falls from the Sky". The New York Public Library . Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ a b "Two Nigerians, South African vie for 9mobile prize for literature 2018". The Guardian. Nigeria. 2018-02-xi. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ OkadaBooks (December 14, 2017). "#LiterallyWhatsHot: 12 Crawly Stories with Beautifully Crafted Narratives is What You Go in Lesley Arimah's 'What It Means when a Man Falls from the Heaven'". BellaNaija . Retrieved Baronial 26, 2021.
- ^ Von Klemperer, Liz (2017-03-27). "Lesley Nneka Arimah'due south Characters Muscle Their Way through Girlhood". The Rumpus.cyberspace . Retrieved Baronial 26, 2021.
- ^ Orr, K. J. (2017-09-02). "What It Ways When a Man Falls from the Heaven by Lesley Nneka Arimah review – short stories". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ Weiss-Meyer, Amy (Apr 11, 2017). "The Powerful Cynicism of 'What Information technology Means When a Homo Falls From the Sky'". The Atlantic . Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ Schaub, Michael (April 5, 2017). "'What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky' Is Defiantly, Electrically Original". NPR.org . Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ "What It Means When a Homo Fall from the Sky". Kirkus Reviews. 2017-01-23. Retrieved 2022-03-01 .
- ^ Weisman, Jonathan (2018-03-06). "Awards: CWA Diamond Dagger; Aspen Words Shortlist". Shelf Sensation . Retrieved 2022-03-01 .
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_It_Means_When_a_Man_Falls_from_the_Sky
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