Outstanding writing!!! A Nigerian rescue mission in the 1960s. My heart was racing during parts of this book, highly recommend this book but am too overwhelmed to write about it. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Chigozie Obioma's "The Road to the Country" is a work that does not flinch from challenges, taking his raw and blunt style to another level. Obioma's writing is always raw and blunt, but in this book, his prose goes beyond words, holding the reader's curiosity seamlessly, without artifice or gimmickry. He simply paints images of life and death that surround his characters in a deeply personal way.
The novel chronicles the details of a larger war, the Biafran/Nigerian civil war, and its emotional and physical effects on those uprooted from their lives and thrown into it. The brutal look at the Biafran war is mixed with a touch of magical realism, creating a dark and heavy, but worthwhile read.
The graphic depictions of war and death are hard-hitting and, although considered fiction, seem grounded in the reality of the real Biafran War. The brutality of the scenes Obioma writes throughout this book is astounding. Kunle's story is complex and multifaceted, dealing with grief and loss, war and redemption in a place he never expected.
However, I found some aspects of the novel overdone, such as the pace and progression of the plot, as much of the first half is wrapped up in a relentless barrage of battles, which, while there is a point to them, become less impactful the more they occur. Despite this, The Road to the Country is a journey of introspection and self-forgiveness that, while at times brutally real, results in a valuable and deeply moving work.

"The Road to the Country" de Chigozie Obioma es una obra que no se acobarda ante los retos, llevando su estilo crudo y contundente a otro nivel. La escritura de Obioma es siempre cruda y contundente, pero en este libro, su prosa va más allá de las palabras, manteniendo la curiosidad del lector sin fisuras, sin artificios ni trucos. Simplemente pinta imágenes de la vida y la muerte que rodean a sus personajes de una manera profundamente personal.
La novela relata los detalles de una guerra mayor, la guerra civil biafrana/nigeriana, y sus efectos emocionales y físicos en aquellos desarraigados de sus vidas y arrojados a ella. La mirada brutal a la guerra de Biafran se mezcla con un toque de realismo mágico, creando una lectura oscura y pesada, pero que vale la pena.
Las descripciones gráficas de la guerra y la muerte son muy impactantes y, aunque se considera ficción, parecen basadas en la realidad de la verdadera guerra de Biafran. La brutalidad de las escenas que Obioma escribe a lo largo de este libro es asombrosa. La historia de Kunle es compleja y polifacética, enfrentándose al dolor y la pérdida, a la guerra y a la redención en un lugar que nunca esperó.
Sin embargo, algunos aspectos de la novela me resultaron excesivos, como el ritmo y la progresión de la trama, ya que gran parte de la primera mitad está envuelta en un incesante aluvión de batallas, las cuales, aunque tienen su razón de ser, resultan menos impactantes cuanto más se suceden. A pesar de ello, "The Road to the Country" es un viaje de introspección y autoperdón que, aunque a veces brutalmente real, resulta en una obra valiosa y profundamente conmovedora.

Although the writing was excellent, and I learned a bit more about the Biafran War, this book is very much a war book. The detailed descriptions of war were not of interest to me so this book was a chore to read. For readers who like to read war stories, this should be of great interest.

A young man carries with him guilt for a prank that resulted in the disability of his younger brother. A few years later when war breaks out between Biafra and Nigeria and his brother is in Biafra, he tells his mother and father he is going there to bring his brother home, a trip that he believes will take about three days. On his journey, when he gets caught in the middle of the war and is conscripted to fight for Biafra, his quest for his sibling is postponed.

The author’s description of life as it unfolds on the battlefield, of new found friendship and unexpected love, accounts of battles that go on for more than a hundred pages, is as moving as any battle life written in literature. The descriptions of men and women at war fighting to protect their homeland is followed by descriptions of the destruction of Biafra, the atrocities against civilians and the famine that attracted worldwide attention.

While the protagonist is engaged in the Biafra war, his journey is observed by a seer of the Ifa deity and religion in 1947 as he looks twenty years into the future. Like the Greek goddess Cassandra, no one believes what he sees about the bloody future of Biafra. The seer can give his young voyager warnings which postpone fate while unable to change fate, similar to a guardian angel.

On its own merits, this is a masterwork. As a work of world literature, it is rooted in Nigerian literature, classic Greek literature, Dante’s Inferno, and twentieth century western war literature.
No mistaking, Chigozie Obioma is a major writer.

My thanks to the Random House Group and NetGalley for an ARC

This book reminded me of a blockbuster movie that is historical in three hours long. Typically those are not the types of movies that I like and so it is not surprising that I ended up not finishing this book. I do think, however, that it is probably an award-winning book and it is importantand its topic. I think And it’s topic. I think I probably just don’t like books like that. But I think that if you do, you should give us a try.

To be honest, it took me a while to get into this book. The first chapter put me off a few times but I’m so glad I persevered as this is an important work that deserves credit. Set in the very real historical context of the Biafra war, it charts the coming of age of Kunle as it deals with the horrors of war in intense detail. Our young, lost hero gets swept up in a conflict that he doesn’t support at first but as time goes on the experiences make him mature into the man he needs to be. Themes of romance, family, found family, trauma sometimes make this a regular coming of age novel but the war is always there to put things in a wider perspective. The writing is excellent if a bit dense for this reader. I got a bit jaded reading the lengthy description of battle and injury and yearned for a faster pace to the plot. At times, it felt like a nonfiction read but then the seer appeared. The interspersed chapters from that perspective seemed a bit repetitive but I understand their value. I’m just not sure I really understood all the author was trying to give this reader. I did learn a lot and, as the mother of three sons, related to Kunle’s journey to adulthood most of all. Thanks to NetGalley and Chigozie Obioma for the ARC.

This is definitely an award-winner. I wasn't really in the mood for an all-encompassing war novel, but I couldn't stop reading because it was so well-written and I had faith that the main character would make it through. I've read Obioma's other books, and it had a similar feel of sadness, but I think this one ended with more hope than his others.

It was hard to read--the terror, the hunger, the war. But necessary and important.

Centered around a main character-Kunle and the Biafran civil war. Historical fiction, guilt, friendship, love, survival all set against the background of the Biafran civil war. Beautifully written and with descriptions of the horrors and wounds of war so vivid that at times I was so overwhelmed I had to stop reading. I recall the Nigerian-Biafran war as a far removed historical event but Obioma brings it to light and hits you square in the face with it. Beautifully written -a phrase that seems impossible to use when describing the horrors and ravages and brutality of war. Quite a book.

The Road To The Country is a powerful, explosive read that should not be missed. Readers will say that they don’t like magical realism, war, blood and guts, sad stories, etc. put on your big person pants and read this book! A seer has gone up a mountain and for eight hours is provided with the life story of an unborn child who it is said will die and come back. The events have not taken place yet but you get so wrapped up in the story you forget, or want to forget, that this story will happen ”for real.” The inevitably of repeating the past is one of the lessons the book points out. Humans fail to recognize or fail to change by not embracing people for who they are and by an innate need to be superior.

Kunle, the unborn child of an Igbo mother and Yoruba father living in Nigeria, had a carefree existence until a fateful accident left his younger brother wheelchair bound. Nine year old Kunle is forever changed, believing he was the cause. After his first year in college, Kunle learns his brother has accompanied Kunle’s first love, an Igbo girl, to the eastern part of the country. It is at this time, due to ethnic cleansing, economic disparity and the Nigerian hatred of those they found inferior in the East that Biafra chose to secede from Nigeria and fight a war for independence. Kunle devises a plan to go to Biafra to bring his brother home.

Kunle gets captured, because he is half Igbo, he is forced to join the army and pledge his life to Biafra’s fight for freedom. The thought of finding his brother is constantly in his thoughts. Kunle, now Peter, does not know the language nor does he understand why the people of Biafra are being targeted. In the army he has developed strong bonds with a few soldiers and has found love. The battles are fierce. You feel the fear, loss, death, despair and desolation together with the will to survive, brotherhood, friendships and love. It is a journey of introspection and self-forgiveness.

Fortunately, most people reading this book will not have lived in a war zone. Here you will find a startling story set during the short existence of a country where a people are fighting for a peaceful existence and a road to life and hope. Obioma has created a masterpiece. The writing is brilliant. The story is incredible and will stay with you. This is award worthy.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Hogarth for this incredible ARC.

The topic of this book is something I knew nothing about, so that was fascinating. A very brutal conflict, narrated by one on the ground with a big heart. The main character ends up fighting for the other side while searching for his brother, falling in love and fathering a child. Not an easy book to read but gripping. I do wish that the translations were provided for the non-English passages.

This was a great book! I very much enjoyed it and I look forward to reading the author’s next work! Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

.i enjoyed the book. There are a few things that I wished the author added to the book. The ending felt rushed and there were too many secondary characters that did not add to the book enough to justify their existence. I liked the focus on the tribal part of the book.

"The Road to the Country" centers on the perspective Adekunle Aromire, or Kunle - a young Nigerian man who grows up on the precipice of the Biafran War. He has a lengthy, strained relationship with his younger brother Tunde, who was an a car accident as a child and became confined to a wheelchair, and has blamed himself for the incident ever since. When he returns home from university to visit his parents, he finds out that Tunde and his childhood friend Nkechi have disappeared in the middle of the violence, and sets on himself the harrowing task of finding them and bringing them back. Joining of small Red Cross convoy, Kunle tries to make a quick leave - only to find himself completely lost and conscripted into the Biafran Army against his will.

Despite his best attempts to avoid the battlefront, Kunle is eventually trained and forced into the ravages of war - the daily bombings and shootings, the omnipresence of death, and the grotesque and brutal injuries and casualties that it brings. However, even in the midst of such destruction, he's able to find camaraderie and friendship in his fellow soldiers despite the blurring of allegiances and sides, love, and a chance at finding his own identity and voice. Kunle's story is a complex, multi-faceted one as he is forced to face grief and loss, war, and redemption in a place he never expected.

This novel is a brutal and graphic look at the Biafran War that wracked Nigeria in 1967, and the political machinations that ultimately led to so many casualties and deaths - both directly and indirectly. It's a testament to the strength of the human character and the ability to adapt and succeed even in the most trying and painful of situations, and we follow Kunle as he ultimately carries through in his prophecy. Obioma's writing is poetic and descriptive, painting the scene for such a desolate period and the individuals that Kunle encounters and comes to know as the war drags on. I have to say that I struggled with a few aspects of the novel, including the pacing and progression of the storyline as much of the first half of the novel is mired a ceaseless barrage of battle; while these have their purpose, they felt less impactful the more they occurred. I also didn't fully appreciate the injection of the Seer's passages as they interrupted Kunle's storyline and forced the reader to switch between different time periods.

I think some readers will appreciate this more than others, but I encourage anyone curious about the Biafran War to give this novel a try when it's published in June 2024.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful depiction of brotherly love set in literal hell on earth.

What can I say. I did not expect such a powerful novel. This book exceeded my expectations by 10 fold. I was blown away.

Gripping. Emotional and brutal. I could not put it down. Although at point I was sobbing.

You so do not want to miss this one. I predict a number on best seller!

A huge, huge thank you to NetGalley and the.publiser, Hogarth, for this amazing book. Expected publication: June 4, 2024.

This book is beautiful in its descriptions and in its rich history. The story, though, was plodding and confusing. I finally out it down over halfway through with finishing it. I am probably just not in the right frame of mind for this book at the moment so will not be reviewing it in any other location.

Absolutely amazing writing—so many quotable thoughts and phrases. The story of the Biafran war was front and center and very hard to read because of the emotional impact on its participants. I loved the structure of the novel as the author weaved a bit of magical realism throughout. This reads like an award-winner which it deserves to be.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hogarth Press for the ARC to read and review.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this story and do a review. Everyone has written on what it is about - but it is a stiry that takes place in Biafra. It is an extremely emotional story.

The Road to the Country is one of the most brutal yet beautiful books I have ever read. I'm grateful to have gotten a copy through NetGalley--otherwise, I would not have finished it. But I'm so glad I did.

Kunle is a young Nigerian man, at the beginning of his career in university. He is haunted by an accident to his brother that happened years earlier, for which he blames himself. His brother is staying with friends when war breaks out. The Yorubi people are killing the Igbo people. The Igbo people want to secede from Nigeria, forming the nation Biafra and the powerful Nigerian army is determined they will not. Kunle sets off to bring his brother home but is caught by Biafran forces. He lies, to save his life, saying he is Igbo, and is then drafted into the Biafran army.

I am old enough to remember the horrors of the Biafran war. My memories of the conflict, the pictures we saw of the children, are vivid so I knew this was going to be a difficult book to read. But I was unprepared for just how difficult. Obioma depicts the terrible suffering of not only the soldiers but of all the innocent people who were slaughtered and starved.

The famine in Biafra is well-known (although with our penchant for a new disaster after 15 minutes, I don't know how many young people even know about this tragedy) but it is hard to take in the enormity of this suffering, deliberately caused by the stronger forces. Not that it's news that people deliberately cause horrendous pain to each other--or that similar tactics are not still used--but it still felt like I was being punched in the gut repeatedly. That's how powerful Obioma's writing is.

There is no happy ending possible in this rendering of historical truth but as a reader I was continually drawn to the small moments of, if not happiness, then of at least relief, of comaraderie, even of love. Obiamo seems to detect and be able to portray every nuance of the human heart and experience.

The book also has the mystical dimension of a seer who sees this future, who follows the path of the young man not yet alive, the war and suffering not yet begun.

As I think I've already repeated several times, the writing is amazing and carried me through the extreme ugliness of man-perpetrated horrors. And in that suffering, how hope, how life, insistently appears despite everything. Because we have to have some moments of relief or we couldn't go on. And in addition to my obligation to NetGalley, I felt compelled to keep reading--to find out the fates of the characters I came to care deeply about, and to be a witness to a suffering that should not be forgotten.

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and to Chigozie Obioma for writing it.

Okay here’s the deal, I didn’t understand half this book but I sure did like the writing and the way the story unfolded! There’s a war, a seer that sees a man who died and came back to life, Kunle (our protagonist) and just family strife.

I loved it, and realized that sometimes, the understanding comes with just not knowing a damn thing. WELL DONE. I don’t know if I’d tell a lot of my friends to read this one but I will say it was compelling, beautiful and in some ways gave me hope in humanity.