The boundaries of fifteen-year-old Kambili's life are defined by the high walls of her family estate and the strict rules of her fanatically religious father. Her daily routine revolves around prayer, sleep, and study. When Nigeria is shaken by a military coup, Kambili's father becomes mysteriously involved in the political crisis and sends her to live with her aunt. In this environment, filled with sound and laughter, she experiences freedom and love for the first time, and uncovers a hidden and painful secret within her family. This extraordinary debut novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, known for "Half of a Yellow Sun," explores the blurred lines between traditional and modern values, childhood and adulthood, love and hate—the gray areas where truth is revealed and real life unfolds.