Story 9: The Shivering

On today's story review of The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, we're looking at story 9 titled The Shivering.

Today's story felt beautiful in a quiet, familiar way.

It begins with a plane crash in Nigeria. After hearing the news, Ukamaka gets a knock on her door from Chinedu, a fellow Nigerian living in her postgraduate lodge. He suggests they pray together, and from that moment, an unexpected friendship begins.

Through their conversations, Ukamaka finally starts talking about her ex boyfriend, the man who had recently broken up with her and who was supposed to be on that flight but somehow missed it. A breakup so painful it had sent her back to church.

One thing I really loved about this story was the friendship between Ukamaka and Chinedu. He listened to her talk endlessly about her ex, never rushing her, never trying to fix things, just quietly being there.

Sometimes that's exactly what people need.

As they grow closer, Ukamaka learns that Chinedu is gay. Then comes another revelation: he isn't actually a postgraduate student. He's an undocumented immigrant living with the constant fear of deportation.

And I think that's what stayed with me.

So often, the people helping us carry our burdens are carrying burdens of their own. We see their kindness, their patience, their strength, but we don't always see the fears hiding behind them.

The more I thought about it, the more the title made sense. Everybody in this story is shivering from something. Heartbreak, fear, loneliness, uncertainty, the quiet terror of not knowing what comes next.

A gentle story, but one that reminds us how much of other people's struggles remain unseen.

Do you think it's easier to carry your own pain or to carry someone else's alongside it?

@favvy_Okwans🖤.