So I actually finished the book a few days ago, but had it almost finished for a few weeks. I have enjoyed the book, as it makes a radiography of a family, quite dramatic certainly, but mostly sounds real... I was thinking, it is just bit too much the part (ATTENTION BIG SPOILER!!!) where the twins are sent to Nigeria and dark affairs happen with their relatives. This kind of situation for sure happens, but it was kind of excessive for me in the book. They have enough drama, and the twins could have been sent to Nigeria to live with some relatives, and that was already bad enough, being far from their parents and other siblings, no need to add sexual controversy? What do you think?
For the rest, characters were very well depicted, family contradictions amazing and the fact that life brings surprises, nice or less nice, also very well shown. I could relate to the characters in many of their different points of life, and that for sure, make the book worth reading in itself for me.
I wonder how much of this book has an autobiographical component and how much is fiction, as some times, some details, made me think "oh wow, this has happened!!".
I like that the story brings out the different atmospheres, in the USA, richer, poorer, in Ghana, in Nigeria, how difficult life can be for immigrants in new countries, besides their having a good potential, how far can their country be. It was terrible, but I think this is something that happens a lot, the fact that they go back to Ghana once the mother is dying and they don't get there in time. And they were in a position where they could actually make the travel, how many people can't?
I'm intrigued about these cultures and countries, as they say "Africa is not a country", and very curious to know more about Ghana, apparently one of the countries with more potential and where more progress has been made, and Nigeria, the big and mighty full of contradictions and extremes. I would like to see maybe some films, where we can get a little more of this, any recommendations? The movie industry in Lagos is apparently huge, we don't ever get one of those, right?
I know there is a National Geographic report coming out soon, and will try to get it.
So "Ghana must go" is an interesting, dramatic novel that made me thirsty for more current African reads, films...
