Graceland

By: Chris Abani

Narrated by: Chris Abani

The Elvis Oke of Chris Abani's novel is a child left to fend for himself in the urban jungle of Lagos, Nigeria. He has a talent for Elvis impersonations (hence the name) and wants to make it big so he can escape his violent and tumultuous life. In a place where angels fear to tread and only fools rush in, Elvis searches for redemption and a small piece of graceland.©2004 Chris Abani (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"The novel offers a vibrant picture of an alien yet somehow parallel culture...the mix of surrealistic horror and cross-cultural humor is irresistible. Abani is a first novelist with a very bright future". (Booklist)

Great storytelling

While I had a hard time getting into this book at first, I'm glad I stuck with it. Authors usually do a good job of reading their own books, and this is an excellent reading. "Graceland" provides an insiders look at the ghettos of Nigeria, and it's really cool to get a view of what people think of America and its popular culture (the books is set in the 70's and 80's) who have never actually been to the US before. This book will most likely give you an appreciation of a place you've never been.

Difficult listen

This is seemingly a wonderful book, but a difficult "listen". Chris Abani has a very deliberate reading style, most likely given that English is his second language. This slow style impacted my ability to stay "with it" without my mind wandering---- certainly my problem, but all listeners should be alert to similar possibilities. I may buy this one in hard copy.

Graceland is a cultural eye-opener

I would highly recommend Graceland to anyone that wants to get an understanding of the political and social troubles in Nigeria in the 70's and 80's, presented dramatically in a way that will keep you riveted till the end. Even if you have no interest in Africa in particular this is a great story of human struggle. I had trouble listening to parts of the story because of the violence portrayed, and even found myself in tears at a point. So, if you are sensitive like me I wouldn't suggesting listening before you go to sleep. The authors writing style and narrating voice are a perfect fit for the story and really "take you" to Africa. He even mixes in a little "broken" (the nigerian version of English) to make it sound authentic. His reading is at a good pace, it is slow enough to allow me to build the story in my mind, and fast enough to keep my attention. The sample given doesn't show his style throughout the book, it's a piece where he is reading a speakers part through a megaphone, the whole book is not read that slowly.

Author reading - griot tradition

Maybe I missed it at the beginning, but I didn't realize until the end why the author was reading his own book rather than a voice actor. Apparently there is a separate category of griot Audible books. I had a really hard time getting into the story until about halfway through the book. I don't know if I just got used to the author's reading style, or if he got more interested in reading later. The book is great, so read it in print first. Then listen to it. Another reason for you to get it in print is because there are recipes sprinkled throughout the book.

Disturbing

I appreciated the creative way in which Igbo history and culture was taught and displayed. But that's about as far as the value of the book went for me. I actually found it rather disturbing that the author repeatedly included episodes of pedophilia and the rape of both male and female children. there seemed to be no limit of cruelty and sexual perversion as far as children concerned. The detail with which these things were described was unnecessary and did not really add anything to the story. It was a far cry from anything I would consider good literature.

Graceland

One of my favorite postcolonial novels powerful, intricate and hilarious. Chris Abani is a true wordsmith.

graceland

couldn't get into it, may try later

Too Slow for Me

This story plods along with no discernable plot. The author's reading is slowly paced making it difficult to listen for long periods of time. I found my mind wandering A LOT listening to this -- perhaps this would be better in hard copy.

brutal

elvis loves dancing to the music of elvis presley. he is bisexual and enjoys wearing makeup. these traits have nothing to do with the story of "graceland," and elvis's character is not developed in any way.

this is because elvis is only a vehicle for chris albani to list the atrocities that take place in nigeria. children and nuns are raped. elvis witnesses someone being burned alive. twice. kids are kidnapped and sold for organ harvesting. political prisoners are brutally tortured. a child is electrocuted, and no one cares. i could go on. when albani can't fit a horror into the story, he just has people talk about it.

elvis's character is never developed. things just happen to him. his friend redemption tricks elvis into becoming a criminal. his father abuses him, and his aunt entices him. none of elvis's choices affect any of his life's outcomes. it seems that if elvis made the opposite choices, nothing would have turned out any differently. was that the point of the book? i'm not sure.

the author seems to make a theme of redemption at the end of the book. but who is being redeemed? elvis? certainly not. he is a consciencious kid who never hurts anyone. is elvis redeeming nigeria? maybe, but it's hard to imagine that his simple kindnesses are enough. the author also makes a feeble attempt to blame white people for the horrible things black nigerians are doing to each other, but that nonsense doesn't hold up too well these days.

on the positive side, i did like albani's narration. he speaks with a soft sadness and does a wonderful job with the voices. one could almost believe that albani's narration is the redemption of his lousy book.

From promising start to dismal tragedy

The author may have made a mistake in reading his own book. Maybe it's a cultural thing and I'm used to a different narration style because I'm not from Nigeria but I felt like he just droned on and on. Also, this is barely about an Elvis impersonator and more about a boy who would like to be an Elvis impersonator but has a bunch of truly terrible things happen to him. If it had been sold as such I would have been fine with it but it started out with such promise (and I eventually got used to the droning) and then became dark and depressing and never came back from it. There were scenes in this book which should have been pivotal moments which just felt like yet another tragedy to heap on the pile of pain and sorrow. I can handle stories like that if I am told ahead of time that it's going to be like that, but to sell this book as something which may be a bit light or have true moments of levity is not fair and made me dislike it because I felt tricked.