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Zikora

By: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Narrated by: Adepero Oduye
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Publisher's summary

The emotional storms weathered by a mother and daughter yield a profound new understanding in a moving short story by the best-selling, award-winning author of Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists.

When Zikora, a DC lawyer from Nigeria, tells her equally high-powered lover that she’s pregnant, he abandons her. But it’s Zikora’s demanding, self-possessed mother, in town for the birth, who makes Zikora feel like a lonely little girl all over again. Stunned by the speed with which her ideal life fell apart, she turns to reflecting on her mother’s painful past and struggle for dignity. Preparing for motherhood, Zikora begins to see more clearly what her own mother wants for her, for her new baby, and for herself.

©2020 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved
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Critic reviews

“The actor Adepero Oduye as narrator shifts seamlessly between characters, and I hung onto her every word.” (The New York Times)

“The multitalented actress, director, singer, and writer Adepero Oduye provides an outstanding Nigerian-accented narration, charting Zikora's thoughts and feelings surrounding her failed relationship, her attempts to navigate new motherhood as a professional woman, and her developing understanding of her own mother's challenging relationship with Zikora's father in Nigeria.” (AudioFile Magazine)

“[Adichie] is delivering brand-new material to a world that needs her talents more than ever.” (Entertainment Weekly)

Featured Article: The Best Short Story Audiobooks to Immerse Yourself In Now


Short stories have had a huge impact on the canon of great literature. In fact, some of history's most revered novelists—Ernest Hemingway, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Louisa May Alcott among them—wrote short stories, which make excellent introductions to their work. Plus, these bite-size listens are the perfect way to get a big dose of literary inspiration even when you’re short on time. To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of listens.

What listeners say about Zikora

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Wow

The book made me play out every memory from my own traumatic birth experience that I cried and felt instant relief after. How could someone know so much about my experiences? Suddenly I got a cold shiver down my spine, a strong and confident reassurance that I wasn’t alone. Thank you for this free therapy Chimamanda. Thank you.

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5 people found this helpful

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So many things to love about this book

She does it again and never disappoints! Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has the gift and power to evoke raw and unfiltered emotions. The words washed over me and gave me validation. I felt seen as I listened to the book. It’s as if she took from my experience, and read my soul. This is a must read! The narrator was amazing and I was left wanting more. experiences The narrator was perfect and Although my situation was different, my story

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WOW!

This story is the TRUTH! It's overwhelming, it's heartbreaking and I thought it was only me. How do you capture these feelings and put it on paper? I was almost embarrassed but then I know that sometimes the truth hurts.

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1 person found this helpful

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Enjoyed it!

Chimamanda is such an excellent story teller. She awakened my emotions and I felt like I was right there experiencing the hardship with the main character. I recommend this audiobook.

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1 person found this helpful

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Well done, but abrupt ending

I found the story told in an engaging way. It was a glimpse into a different perspective for me, which I enjoyed. The ending though was abrupt. It felt like all of a sudden it was cut, ending in mid sentence.

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Couldn’t stop

I loved the story. The way it’s written and how it’s so real. It’s amazing.

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Love her storytelling

The book was too short, and ended abruptly. Please continue her story.
Thank you 😊

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Rich short story

A slice of life story about a mother giving birth and the complicated life around her. Life goes on, despite the complexities.

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  • Overall
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Incomplete

Great story until.... no ending ! Are we supposed to create our own vision of what happens ?

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  • Overall
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Loved it!

This was a great short story. I loved hearing Zikora’s story. Listen to it! Read it! It’s worth the time.

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