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marvsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
What a wonderful novel. Soila shares her entire life with the reader—her heartbreaks (and omg there are so many), her coming of age and beginning to make her own decisions, her assimilation into a foreign culture, her struggle with the differentiation between Black (mixed), Black American, and Black African, and how each sees being Black in America, and what the history of oppression means to each. We also see a guy-wrenching perspective on 9/11, how she tries to find love, and every way that love is tested when a parent gets sick.
She is both a lovable and hateable character, and sometimes I wanted to thump her in the head for her decisions. But it was a wonderful book, the writing was almost lyrical.
There were definitely parts where I feel like the MC should have picked up on the message earlier than she did, so -1 star for being a little too annoying.
She is both a lovable and hateable character, and sometimes I wanted to thump her in the head for her decisions. But it was a wonderful book, the writing was almost lyrical.
There were definitely parts where I feel like the MC should have picked up on the message earlier than she did, so -1 star for being a little too annoying.
karima267's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bethany6788's review
5.0
Lucky Girl follows Soila, a young girl in Kenya who wants to grow up and live her life the way she wants to. As a child, her father commits suicide and her mother raises her on her own with several aunts and her grandmother. When she is a teenager, she js molested by a priest, which gives her such guilt and fear. However, she makes a deal with him before he does this that he’ll help her get to America by convincing her mother it’s a good idea. We follow Soila as she moves to the US, goes to college, and meets friends, lovers, and coworkers.
I did not expect to be choked up so much reading this book! It started a little slowly for me but about 20% of the way in, I was completely hooked. It’s told in parts, and each one is significant in its own way. By part III, I was holding back tears. I kept forgetting how young she was in the book until her age was mentioned. Soila is a fierce character, with flaws, beautiful character traits, and an incredible story.
Definitely pick this one up! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I did not expect to be choked up so much reading this book! It started a little slowly for me but about 20% of the way in, I was completely hooked. It’s told in parts, and each one is significant in its own way. By part III, I was holding back tears. I kept forgetting how young she was in the book until her age was mentioned. Soila is a fierce character, with flaws, beautiful character traits, and an incredible story.
Definitely pick this one up! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
basicbsguide's review
Sampled and enjoyed what I read but waiting for the right mood.
danapr's review
5.0
Soila has grown up in Kenya as the only child of a single, wealthy and powerful mother. Her mother is the oldest of five daughters and even though her own mother (Soila’s grandmother) is still alive, she is very much the family matriarch, very religious and rules with an iron fist. Soila’s dream is to attend university in the United States, something her mother is against. Her mother’s confidant and friend, Father Emmanuel intercedes on Soila’s behalf in a very sinister way and Soila is allowed to attend a university in New York City. The distance from her mother gives Soila a chance to experience a different life, make new friends and learn what it’s like to be black in America. However, even from a distance, Soila’s mother continues to direct her life and decisions around her career and relationships.
Wow! There’s a lot to unpack in this book! I don’t think I can begin to describe all the themes, issues and nuances and do it justice but I’ll get some thoughts down. I will say that the book moved slowly at times for me but the characters are well developed, giving it somewhat of a literary fiction vibe. The different cultures and ways to view racism is so thought provoking - the author does a great job of describing these issues and how complicated they are but I still feel like I need to roll them around in my brain. Soila’s struggles with understanding American racism vs. her African perspective is presented very well and is a concept that I hadn’t thought of. And the author’s example of white fragility involving Soila’s boyfriend, Aktenaken and her white friend, Molly is so spot on! I found myself becoming so frustrated with how Soila continued to allow her mother to influence all her decisions that I had to keep reminding myself that her Kenyan culture is something we Americans can’t fully understand. The characters of Atkenaten and Letitia are terrific - each with such different but rich perspectives on racism. Soila’s aunts can’t be overlooked - they each have terrific stories of their own. The inclusion of the 9-11 tragedy adds another complicated but compelling layer to the story. I haven’t even touched on the themes of sexual abuse, abortion and family secrets, all addressed skillfully but may be triggers for some readers. Soila’s devotion to her mother and Atkenaten’s devotion to Soila at the end of the book just made me love this book more! How did the author pack so much into a book that isn’t 1000 pages long?!What a great debut! Highly recommend!
#NetGalley #RandomHousePublishing
Wow! There’s a lot to unpack in this book! I don’t think I can begin to describe all the themes, issues and nuances and do it justice but I’ll get some thoughts down. I will say that the book moved slowly at times for me but the characters are well developed, giving it somewhat of a literary fiction vibe. The different cultures and ways to view racism is so thought provoking - the author does a great job of describing these issues and how complicated they are but I still feel like I need to roll them around in my brain. Soila’s struggles with understanding American racism vs. her African perspective is presented very well and is a concept that I hadn’t thought of. And the author’s example of white fragility involving Soila’s boyfriend, Aktenaken and her white friend, Molly is so spot on! I found myself becoming so frustrated with how Soila continued to allow her mother to influence all her decisions that I had to keep reminding myself that her Kenyan culture is something we Americans can’t fully understand. The characters of Atkenaten and Letitia are terrific - each with such different but rich perspectives on racism. Soila’s aunts can’t be overlooked - they each have terrific stories of their own. The inclusion of the 9-11 tragedy adds another complicated but compelling layer to the story. I haven’t even touched on the themes of sexual abuse, abortion and family secrets, all addressed skillfully but may be triggers for some readers. Soila’s devotion to her mother and Atkenaten’s devotion to Soila at the end of the book just made me love this book more! How did the author pack so much into a book that isn’t 1000 pages long?!What a great debut! Highly recommend!
#NetGalley #RandomHousePublishing
lindsaysmeldrum's review
3.0
Muchemi-Ndiritu explores the difference between the experiences of African Americans vs a privileged Kenyan woman, particularly when it comes to the experience of racism. Soila grew up witnessing extreme poverty and suffering in Kenya, and doesn't understand the experience of her African American friends who grew up in a white dominated society where they were always treated as a threat. While educational to read, it felt like there was a lot of tokenism in terms of the experiences (a dash of gentrification, a moment of hair as identity) where there could have been greater depth. The pacing of the book was slow, but then there would be these dramatic moments that seem to come out of left field. While some moved the plot forward, they left the reader with whip-lash trying to consolidate everything. Soila was a rather unlikable character, being both naïve and self-righteous at the same time. It wasn't until the second half of the book, where we got more detail about the characters and relationships, that I began to feel any connection at all. There is a lot of potential here, I just worry the important messages are lost due to the way things were executed.
ewurabena_reads's review
4.25
Longer book than I expected. Flawed and human characters, I didn’t initially know that the starting timeframe was in the late 90s. The mix of historical events into the narrative were pieces that added well to the development of the story and grounded the characters. I enjoyed.
aurigae's review
4.0
Lucky Girl was a thoughtful and poignant story. Although the world of the novel, which begins in Kenya in the 1980s, was unfamiliar to me, I quickly felt immersed in the narrator, Soila's, emotional life. The story held my attention through her childhood and adolescence and into the meat of the novel, the collision of her values and outlook with her college and adult life in New York, and especially the experiences of her Black American friends.
Unfortunately, the story faltered somewhat in this middle section, with long dialogues on what it means to be Black in America and the differing experiences of Africans, African Americans, and others. This is certainly an important topic, but I would have appreciated a more direct tie-in with Soila's - the first person narrator's - experiences and related emotions; in their absence, the discussion was interesting but not affecting.
In its final chapters, as the plot built toward its climax, the book's questions of race and culture are inverted, and I found this section to be the most interesting and moving part of the book. For all her years in New York, Soila still struggles to reconcile her mother's traditional expectations with her own desires. As she meets with a series of events that challenge the fragile peace between her worlds, Soila must examine whether her new friends can truly support her, and whether they, as Black Americans, can understand what it means to be African.
[I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley and the publishers. Opinions are my own.]
Unfortunately, the story faltered somewhat in this middle section, with long dialogues on what it means to be Black in America and the differing experiences of Africans, African Americans, and others. This is certainly an important topic, but I would have appreciated a more direct tie-in with Soila's - the first person narrator's - experiences and related emotions; in their absence, the discussion was interesting but not affecting.
In its final chapters, as the plot built toward its climax, the book's questions of race and culture are inverted, and I found this section to be the most interesting and moving part of the book. For all her years in New York, Soila still struggles to reconcile her mother's traditional expectations with her own desires. As she meets with a series of events that challenge the fragile peace between her worlds, Soila must examine whether her new friends can truly support her, and whether they, as Black Americans, can understand what it means to be African.
[I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley and the publishers. Opinions are my own.]
100booksyearly's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A captivating exploration of a young Kenyan woman, Soila, as she navigates the complexities of life in New York City.
The novel delves into poignant conversations about racism, shedding light on the distinctive experiences of Africans and Black Americans, while also intertwining elements of African and Black American history.
Soila’s journey is deeply rooted in her Kenyan identity, incorporating Maasai traditions, struggles for independence from a controlling mother figure, and the challenges of balancing love and family expectations.
Addressing themes of belief in God, independence, and the profound impact of the 9/11 tragedy, leading to a poignant exploration of grief and self-discovery.
The novel delves into poignant conversations about racism, shedding light on the distinctive experiences of Africans and Black Americans, while also intertwining elements of African and Black American history.
Soila’s journey is deeply rooted in her Kenyan identity, incorporating Maasai traditions, struggles for independence from a controlling mother figure, and the challenges of balancing love and family expectations.
Addressing themes of belief in God, independence, and the profound impact of the 9/11 tragedy, leading to a poignant exploration of grief and self-discovery.