Purple HibiscusPurple Hibiscus
Score Modern
What it's about
Kambili is fifteen and lives in a wealthy household in Nigeria. Her father is a rich, devout Catholic businessman, admired in public for his generosity and his brave newspaper, and a violent tyrant at home. When a military coup unsettles the country, Kambili and her brother are sent to stay with their aunt, a university lecturer, in a home full of laughter and argument, and they start to see their lives differently.
Why it's worth reading
It was Adichie's first novel and was shortlisted for the Orange Prize and longlisted for the Booker. It's a quietly devastating coming-of-age story.
You'll love it if you liked
Americanah
Half of a Yellow Sun
The Color PurpleGood to know
There's serious domestic abuse of children and their mother. It's shorter and gentler in style than Adichie's later novels.
By the numbers
- Readers78 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics37 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller27 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #102 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #448 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #865 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
AmericanahHalf of a Yellow SunIf you like this, read next
Looking for Alaska
The Great Gatsby
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
The Help
The Last Song
The DealExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Purple Hibiscus worth reading?
Yes. It was Adichie's first novel and was shortlisted for the Orange Prize and longlisted for the Booker. It ranks #865 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Purple Hibiscus about?
Kambili is fifteen and lives in a wealthy household in Nigeria. Her father is a rich, devout Catholic businessman, admired in public for his generosity and his brave newspaper, and a violent tyrant at home. When a military coup unsettles the country, Kambili and her brother are sent to stay with their aunt, a university lecturer, in a home full of laughter and argument, and they start to see their lives differently.
How long does it take to read Purple Hibiscus?
About 10 hours (400 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Purple Hibiscus?
If you liked it, try Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie or The Color Purple by Alice Walker.