The Road to the Country
FROM THE TWICE BOOKER-SHORTLISTED AUTHOR
Longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award, the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and the New American Voices Award
Named a Best Book of the Year by the Economist, Boston Globe, and Kirkus Reviews
'A major voice' SALMAN RUSHDIE
'Remarkable' ALICE WALKER
'A sweeping, heart-racing, mystical novel' NEW YORK TIMES
'Chigozie Obioma is that rare thing: an original' WALL STREET JOURNAL
'As much Bildungsroman as battle song' LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS
'A moving story of conflict, faith and fractured bonds, blending myth and realism with emotional power' iPAPER
When a country is torn apart by civil war, Kunle and Tunde are separated, each on opposite sides. Desperate to find his brother, Kunle’s search becomes one of atonement, leading him to join an army and to fight in a war he barely understands. Amidst the chaos, he forms deep, lifelong friendships and falls in love. But his ultimate hope remains: to reunite with his family.
An emotionally powerful masterpiece, Chigozie Obioma’s odyssey of brotherhood, love, and extraordinary courage set against the backdrop of the Biafran War captures the essence of a young man’s quest for redemption in a nation ablaze.
'A gutsy ... coming-of-age tale with romance at its heart' DAILY MAIL
'Mr Obioma has been described as the heir to Chinua Achebe ... He pulls from the same wells of rage and horror as his literary forebear did' ECONOMIST
'A remarkable talent' INDEPENDENT
'Incredibly moving and hopeful' NADIFA MOHAMMED
'A wondrous novel' NANA KWAME ADJEI-BRENYAH