Graceland (Today Show Pick January 2005)

Let me start by saying that this book was so good, so interesting and provoking both intellectually and emotionally. It follows a sixteen year-old boy named Elvis in Lagos, Nigeria, as he pursues various paths, from an idealistic dancer to a criminal to a prisoner of war, to his ultimate choice, where we see him as a more mature and independent young man. What makes this novel so important is its function as a virtual tour of the actual hardships plaguing Nigeria, as seen through the innocent eyes of the main character. I think Elvis's naivete, offset by a tragic personal history, reflects the simplistic view of highly developed and morally righteous countries - especially America. As the reader (and Elvis) encounters poverty, classism, beggars being burned alive, civil war, torture, cannibalism, and government cruelty, our innocence is stripped away. The struggles are counterposed, though, throughout the book with moments of hope, of kindness, of people working together to overcome unfairness and stand up for their rights. The book definitely evokes respect and optimism for the strength of the characters, and ends in a positive light, although it seems almost counterintuitive... From the globally symbolic names to the glimpses of native Igbo culture, Graceland had me reflecting on the relationships between countries, particularly between America and the rest of the world, and universal mechanisms of hope in places of extreme hardship. The writing style was reminiscent of a combination between Russell Banks's Rule of the Bone and Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things [thank you, Oakwood!]. The meaningful names, as well as the combination of clashing cultures and classes and the narrative of the adolescent trying to navigate them, put me right in mind of Rule of the Bone. And in the back-and-forth of time settings, the familial anguish, and the disastrous results of government dictatorship on lower-class society, the book echoed some themes of The God of Small Things. All in all, this book was an excellent, meaningful read, a great fictional piece addressing factual problems, solutions, and attitudes.

This book pierces into the heart, and affords a glimpse of, the organized, orchestrated confusion that was Nigeria at the tail end of the 20th century. As long as one is ignorant of the epic story Chris Abani attempts to deflesh into 320 spare pages, it is possible to critique it on superficial things such as character development, style of writing, etc., only. Music is the background, the rhythm to which Nigeria pulsates. It has to be experienced to be understood. It is a unique, almost spiritual thing and entirely appropriate that the author does his best to capture it. Who grew up in Nigeria and didn't have a friend like Redemption? Every neighborhood had it's own 'King of de Beggars' forever holding forth on history, sociology, politics, you name it. Reading Dostoevsky in the grimiest of slums with no running water or electricity and raw sewage snaking across the dirt roads is quintessentially Nigerian, that black hole of human potential.

This book was quite a moving, magical experience for me. I was first drawn by just the cover (which is funny considering we're not supposed to judge books by covers yet I almost always am drawn to striking covers and then the contents). When I read the jacket, I thought of the recent Brazilian film CITY OF GODS. Well, I thought Chris Abani's book had far more humanity, and far more hope. The ending is sublime, and very emotional. The book is rather sprawling, detailing the life of young Elvis Okwe. His struggles to do the right thing are incredibly intense and heartbreaking. He really wants to be a good person, a good man, and its often things that are out of his hands that prevent him from doing that. All of the characters are well-drawn and unconventional, without ever being stereotypical, especially Elvis's father, who you think is just abusive and distant, but is really a tragic, complicated man, torn apart by the love of his country. GRACELAND encompasses many themes, but most importantly, it is about "redemption," not just for Elvis but for the country that Mr. Abani clearly loves. I loved this book and I hope it finds its audience.

I read a review of this book in the local paper and decided to read it. Once again I was lucky to get hold of a book that I couldn't wait to finish. I've never even heard of the author but he shows great promise. There are scenes in the book that made me laugh, feel dread and set my teeth on edge. It must put a writer's teeth on edge to set such thoughts down on paper but to me this is what good writing is about. Having had a few years of contact with this particular culture, I could understand most of the things the author referred to and knew what some of the recipes tasted like, like moi moi, fufu and bitter leaf soup. The part about organ donors is true and can be verified by reading "Princess" or its next sequel, "Daughters of Arabia", I forget which. This must stop..but anyway this book would make a great movie. I totally recommend it.

The great cover attracted my eye and Abani's engaging writing style drew me in from the first page. Abani brings us into an unknown world for most Americans: the slums of Lagos, Nigeria and introduces us to Elvis, a complex boy who impersonates his namesake as a profession.Through the course of the novel, Elvis is shown different ways of living, by different characters: his friend Redemption, a man named King of the Beggars, and his father Sunday. His ultimate goal being to escape Lagos for Las Vegas, Elvis takes differnt paths winding up in jail at one point, and trafficing children as organ donors at another, the message being clear: there is no easy way out of the ghetto.Abani brings to life distinct and amazing characters, from the grandmother who speaks with a Scottish accent, due to the people for whom she worked, to Elvis's mother a woman who remained strong for her son until the day she died. This is an important book, not just for its literary contribution, but also in the fact that it highlights a part of the world and a difficult way of living that is absolutely foreign to Americans. America is shown as the bright lights of Vegas, the land of opportunity, the land from which John Wayne movies come, and the only way to escape. His realistic characters and incredibe writing style prove him to be a new bright force in the literary world. Read this book, and then, read it again.