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uvahoogirl's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
aridoubra's review
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
If you’re looking for a fresh voice in African literature, read Lucky Girl. It touches on a lot of sensitive topics but I love the focus on the toxic mother-daughter relationship that is hard to miss. There is love and resentment between the duo, pushbacks and forgiveness.
kellyhook_readsbooks's review
4.0
My heart is swelling for this #ownvoices debut by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu.
Seeking to define womanhood, faith, and relationships on her own terms, Soila leaves Kenya to pursue university in NYC. Ambitious and a bit headstrong, Soila learns to navigate life in a new country, wrestles with familial obligations, and discovers what it means to forge her own path despite her mother’s wishes. I loved the cross-cultural exploration between African Americans and Africans living in America.
The way Soila's worldview was shaped by growing up in a country where she was not a minority lies in stark contrast to the experience of her African American friends and colleagues.
This story lent itself well to audio format as the narrator brought an authentic accent and pronunciation to the pages.
As with Jessica George’s Maame, this is a coming of “young adult” age story that will have you rooting for Swelah as she redefines womanhood, faith, and relationships on her own terms in the face of stifling cultural expectations.
RATING: 4.5/5
PUB DATE: May 2, 2023
Seeking to define womanhood, faith, and relationships on her own terms, Soila leaves Kenya to pursue university in NYC. Ambitious and a bit headstrong, Soila learns to navigate life in a new country, wrestles with familial obligations, and discovers what it means to forge her own path despite her mother’s wishes. I loved the cross-cultural exploration between African Americans and Africans living in America.
The way Soila's worldview was shaped by growing up in a country where she was not a minority lies in stark contrast to the experience of her African American friends and colleagues.
This story lent itself well to audio format as the narrator brought an authentic accent and pronunciation to the pages.
As with Jessica George’s Maame, this is a coming of “young adult” age story that will have you rooting for Swelah as she redefines womanhood, faith, and relationships on her own terms in the face of stifling cultural expectations.
RATING: 4.5/5
PUB DATE: May 2, 2023
dougcutchins's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
kvangundy's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Lucky Girl was a look at how a Nigerian woman views life as she moves to New York to pursue her dreams. With the strong beliefs that she grew up with at war with her trying to live her life to her desires, Soila has a hard time knowing what to do. Through the ups and downs of life in the big city, she finds what she should do and what she wants to do are two very different things. This book was emotional, intelligent, funny, and heartwarming, all rolled into one. Soila's story will leave you with a desire to live to your heart's fullest. 4 stars. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC.
rcc328's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
jkowalski87's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
rhodesmc's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Violence
tjwallace04's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
3.75
For the first 30-40% of "Lucky Girl," I was a little frustrated and bored. The narrative felt so slow; nothing really interesting or dramatic was happening, and the story was built on dozens of minor details that didn't seem necessary to me. But at some point, a switch flipped, and I started to really care about the main character, Soila. I think the meticulous layering of all of those minor details ultimately built a character that felt knowable, a life that felt real, and I wanted to find out what was going to happen to this strong, conflicted, funny, warm young woman....even if it meant following her through trivial scenes of everyday life.
Premise: Soila had a privileged childhood in Kenya, raised by her single mother and an extended family of aunts and grandmother. But she feels smothered by her mother's expectations and strict religious outlook and decides to go to New York City for college, arriving in the mid-90s to find a world where she doesn't understand the nuances of poverty or racism. As Soila grows and makes friends, she begins to make life choices that her Kenyan family would not approve, but can she ever truly escape the influence of her strong-willed mother?
Some of my favorite parts of the book were where Soila would discuss racism with her American friends. As someone who grew up in an African country with a legacy of colonialism, Soila had an outlook that was very different from Americans who had experienced consant micro and macro aggressions their whole lives. Those tidbits were really illuminating. I also thought all of the dialogue was really well-done, and the scenes about 9/11 were extremely powerful. While the majority of the book takes place in NYC, I loved the glimpses of Kenyan culture that are sprinkled throughout. (NEVER kiss your boyfriend in front of African parents!😅)
"Lucky Girl" is a rambling and wide-ranging coming-of-age story, touching on a lot of sensitive and thought-provoking topics, including abortion, sexual assault, religion, art, family dynamics, racism, dementia, and more. The book follows Soila from around age 16 - 28, and I have to admit that I feel a little bereft now that I am cut off from her life and her voice.
I recommend this book if you enjoy learning about other cultures and losing yourself in other lives.
Premise: Soila had a privileged childhood in Kenya, raised by her single mother and an extended family of aunts and grandmother. But she feels smothered by her mother's expectations and strict religious outlook and decides to go to New York City for college, arriving in the mid-90s to find a world where she doesn't understand the nuances of poverty or racism. As Soila grows and makes friends, she begins to make life choices that her Kenyan family would not approve, but can she ever truly escape the influence of her strong-willed mother?
Some of my favorite parts of the book were where Soila would discuss racism with her American friends. As someone who grew up in an African country with a legacy of colonialism, Soila had an outlook that was very different from Americans who had experienced consant micro and macro aggressions their whole lives. Those tidbits were really illuminating. I also thought all of the dialogue was really well-done, and the scenes about 9/11 were extremely powerful. While the majority of the book takes place in NYC, I loved the glimpses of Kenyan culture that are sprinkled throughout. (NEVER kiss your boyfriend in front of African parents!😅)
"Lucky Girl" is a rambling and wide-ranging coming-of-age story, touching on a lot of sensitive and thought-provoking topics, including abortion, sexual assault, religion, art, family dynamics, racism, dementia, and more. The book follows Soila from around age 16 - 28, and I have to admit that I feel a little bereft now that I am cut off from her life and her voice.
I recommend this book if you enjoy learning about other cultures and losing yourself in other lives.