View source for The Fishermen (Obioma novel)

{{Short description|2015 novel by Chigozie Obioma}}
{{Infobox book |
| name         = The Fishermen
| title_orig   =
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| image        = The_Fishermen.jpg
| caption      =
| author       = [[Chigozie Obioma]]
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| language     = [[English language|English]]
| series       =
| genre        =
| publisher    = [[Little, Brown and Company]]
| release_date = April 2015
| media_type   = Print
| pages        =
| isbn         = 978-0-316-33837-0
| dewey        =
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}}
'''''The Fishermen''''' is the [[debut novel]] by Nigerian author [[Chigozie Obioma]], published in 2015. The novel follows four brothers in a quiet neighbourhood of a Nigerian town, who were given a violent prophecy which shakes their family to the core. It is set in the 1990s, during the rule of [[Sani Abacha]].<ref>{{cite web |title='The Fishermen,' by Chigozie Obioma |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/19/books/review/the-fishermen-by-chigozie-obioma.html?_r=0 |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=2015-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423022633/http://www.nytimes.com:80/2015/04/19/books/review/the-fishermen-by-chigozie-obioma.html?_r=0 |archive-date=2015-04-23 |url-status=live |last1=Rocco |first1=Fiammetta |accessdate=1 November 2016}}</ref>
It was shortlisted for the [[2015 Man Booker Prize]].<ref name=bbcshortlist>{{cite web |title=Pulitzer winner makes Booker Prize shortlist |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34255672 |website=[[BBC News]] |date=2015-09-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915215654/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34255672 |archive-date=2015-09-15 |url-status=live |accessdate=15 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Man Booker Shortlist Review 2015: Chigozie Obioma's 'The Fishermen' |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/10/man-booker-shortlist-2015-the-fishermen/409399/ |website=[[The Atlantic]] |date=2015-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009233629/http://www.theatlantic.com:80/entertainment/archive/2015/10/man-booker-shortlist-2015-the-fishermen/409399/ |archive-date=2015-10-09 |url-status=live |last1=Sharp |first1=Naomi |accessdate=31 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma, review: 'full-force' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/fishermen-chigozie-obioma-booker-shortlist-review/ |website=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=2015-09-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927202136/http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/books/what-to-read/fishermen-chigozie-obioma-booker-shortlist-review/ |archive-date=2015-09-27 |url-status=live |last1=Martin |first1=Tim |accessdate=1 November 2016}}</ref> The novel received a number of accolades, and positive reviews from critics.
==Plot==
Four brothers, Ikenna, Boja, Obembe, and Benjamin, begin to fish at the Omi-Ala river near their home in a quiet neighbourhood of the city of [[Akure]] in [[Nigeria]], despite being forbidden from doing so by their parents, as the river is heavily polluted. On one of their fishing trips, they encounter a local madman, Abulu, who follows them shouting the name of Ikenna, the oldest brother. The other children flee, but the four brothers stop to listen, as Abulu shouts a series of prophecies: that Ikenna will become blind, mute, crippled. He finishes by prophesying that Ikenna will be killed by a fisherman. Ikenna thinks this means that one of his brothers will kill him, and he gradually turns against them. The prophecy undoes the family and the expectations the brothers' parents have for them.
==Development and writing==
Obioma has seven brothers and four sisters, and wrote the novel as a tribute to his siblings.<ref name=updown>{{cite web|url=https://amandacurtin.com/2015/02/23/2-2-and-2-chigozie-obioma-talks-about-the-fishermen/#comments|title=2, 2 and 2: Chigozie Obioma talks about The Fishermen|last=Curtin|first=Amanda|date=23 February 2015|publisher=looking up/looking down|accessdate=1 November 2016}}</ref> Two of Obioma's brothers fought violently when they were children, and Obioma was inspired by what he imagined was the worst possible outcome of those fights.<ref name=updown/>
==Reception and criticism==
''The Fishermen'' was generally well-received. According to ''[[Literary Hub|Book Marks]]'', the book received "rave" reviews based on ten critic reviews, with seven being "rave" and three being "positive".<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Fishermen |url=https://bookmarks.reviews/reviews/the-fishermen/ |access-date=16 January 2024 |website=[[Literary Hub|Book Marks]]}}</ref> According to [[CREETIQ]], based on critic reviews, the book received a 6.9 out of 10.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Fishermen|url=https://creetiq.com/reviews/reviews/the-fishermen/|access-date=14 January 2023 |website=[[CREETIQ]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210616191800/https://creetiq.com/reviews/reviews/the-fishermen/|archive-date=16 Jun 2021}}</ref>
The novel has garnered comparisons to ''[[Things Fall Apart]]'' in part due to the central role prophecy has in each novel.<ref name=chitribune>{{cite web |title=Review: 'The Fishermen' by Chigozie Obioma |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/ct-prj-fishermen-chigozie-obioma-20150423-story.html |website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=2017-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529204850/http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/books/ct-prj-fishermen-chigozie-obioma-20150423-story.html |archive-date=2015-05-29 |url-status=live |last1=Tsouderos |first1=Trine |accessdate=1 November 2016}}</ref> However, some critics disputed the validity of the comparisons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theconversation.com/review-the-fishermen-by-chigozie-obioma-47982|title=Review: The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma|last=Morosetti|first=Tiziana|date=9 October 2015|publisher=The Conversation|accessdate=1 November 2016}}</ref> It also references the Biblical story of [[Cain and Abel]], and has been referred to as a "retelling" of the story.<ref name=chitribune/><ref>{{cite web |title=Making myths: Chigozie Obioma's The Fishermen |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/books/2015/09/making-myths-chigozie-obioma-s-fishermen |date=2015-09-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921042007/http://www.newstatesman.com:80/culture/books/2015/09/making-myths-chigozie-obioma-s-fishermen |archive-date=2015-09-21 |url-status=live |last1=Twidle |first1=Hedley |publisher=[[The New Statesman]] |accessdate=1 November 2016}}</ref>
Multiple critics referred to the novel as a ''[[Bildungsroman]]'' given that it is told from the perspective of one brother, and charts his youth.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fathers and sons |url=https://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21647262-lyrical-retelling-story-cain-and-abel-fathers-and-sons |date=2015-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327025634/http://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21647262-lyrical-retelling-story-cain-and-abel-fathers-and-sons |archive-date=2015-03-27 |url-status=live |publisher=The Economist |accessdate=1 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma review – four brothers and a terrible prophecy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/13/the-fishermen-chigozie-obioma-review |website=[[The Guardian]] |date=2015-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150314140240/http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/13/the-fishermen-chigozie-obioma-review |archive-date=2015-03-14 |url-status=live |last1=Habila |first1=Helon |accessdate=1 November 2016}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fisherman}}
[[Category:2015 Nigerian novels]]
[[Category:2015 debut novels]]
[[Category:Novels set in Nigeria]]
[[Category:Fictional fishers]]
[[Category:Little, Brown and Company books]]