Purple Hibiscus (English title) Add a review

Purple Hibiscus is a novel by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, published on 30 October 2003 by Algonquin Books. Narrated in the first person, Kambili Achike, the central character struggles to find her voice as the daughter of a wealthy, devout Catholic businessman, Eugene, who violently abuses his family. Her brother, Jaja, eventually rebels against their father, choosing to live with Aunty Ifeoma, Papa Nnukwu, and Father Amadi, all of whom influence his—and as a result, Kambili's—beliefs and cultural knowledge. Kambili's mother, Beatrice, poisons Eugene, but Jaja takes the blame to protect her, leading to his imprisonment. Purple Hibiscus, Adichie's debut novel, is set in post-colonial Nigeria and explores themes of religion, family, and colonisation.

Adichie wrote Purple Hibiscus while she was attending college in the United States. The novel received positive reviews from critics and won several awards, including the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book in 2005.