There has been a lot of debate lately about the legitimacy of fiction depicting history. Half of a Yellow Sun is a timely example of just the kind of service fiction can provide in the recreation of time, place and politics while compelling readers to feel the facts. Set in Nigeria in the 1960s, it is a sensitive and fascinating portrayal of the Nigeria- Biafra war as seen through the eyes of a young, privileged middle-class Igbo woman, Olanna; her young servant, the village-boy Ugwu; and Richard, her sister’s English lover. These very different viewpoints put the reader in the unique position of being able to see the effects of the war on various levels of society. This is certainly fiction, but when executed this well it encourages a renewed interest and curiosity in a time now past. Kabita Dhara is from Readings Carlton