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christinesmith205's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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
4.5
rgander's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Racism, Pregnancy, Infertility, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Dementia, and Sexual assault
smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
4.0
A moving and heartfelt #ownvoices debut that follows a young Kenyan woman as she immigrates to NYC for school to escape her conservative mother and make a life of her own choosing.
I really enjoyed Soila's immigration story and her experience adjusting to life in 1990s America, confronting her complicated relationship with racism and navigating what she wants out of life and love versus what she knows her mother would expect.
Good on audio narrated by Musu-Kulla Massaquoi and recommended for fans of books like The god of good looks by Breanne McIvor, Daughter in exile by Bisi Adjapon or Maame by Jessica George. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
CW: suicidal death of a parent
I really enjoyed Soila's immigration story and her experience adjusting to life in 1990s America, confronting her complicated relationship with racism and navigating what she wants out of life and love versus what she knows her mother would expect.
Good on audio narrated by Musu-Kulla Massaquoi and recommended for fans of books like The god of good looks by Breanne McIvor, Daughter in exile by Bisi Adjapon or Maame by Jessica George. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
CW: suicidal death of a parent
donasbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. Like in the very best way. This book hit all the feels.
First, thank you to the author Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu, publishers Dial Press Trade Paperback and Random House Publishing Group, and as always NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of LUCKY GIRL.
Soila is a young woman who grew up in Kenya in a family which, relatively speaking, had quite a lot to be thankful for. But she also experiences some terrible traumas, like her father's unexpected death, that were made worse by her emotionally unavailable and domineering mother. She wants nothing more than to go to the US to study for college, and does so against her mother’s wishes. Though she doesn't know it at the time, and though her mother makes her pay dearly for it, this decision is the first Soila makes as her own woman.
LUCKY GIRL is ironically titled, because it's really the story of a woman who works hard to persevere through an onslaught (but a realistic one) of personal problems in a maybe dishearteningly ring-shaped narrative. But depending on your values, what Soila finds at the end of her journey is worthwhile, maybe even worthy of all her trials. Maybe it's just what she deserves. Maybe it's exactly where she wants to be.
I love so many things about this book. It introduced me to ideas I have never heard discussed before! The characters are beautifully drawn. And the writing is just my style-- minimalist but not abrubt. When minimalism is done this well, you kind of forget the words are even there and submerge into the story. Such an immersive read!
Rating:
First, thank you to the author Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu, publishers Dial Press Trade Paperback and Random House Publishing Group, and as always NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of LUCKY GIRL.
Soila is a young woman who grew up in Kenya in a family which, relatively speaking, had quite a lot to be thankful for. But she also experiences some terrible traumas, like her father's unexpected death, that were made worse by her emotionally unavailable and domineering mother. She wants nothing more than to go to the US to study for college, and does so against her mother’s wishes. Though she doesn't know it at the time, and though her mother makes her pay dearly for it, this decision is the first Soila makes as her own woman.
LUCKY GIRL is ironically titled, because it's really the story of a woman who works hard to persevere through an onslaught (but a realistic one) of personal problems in a maybe dishearteningly ring-shaped narrative. But depending on your values, what Soila finds at the end of her journey is worthwhile, maybe even worthy of all her trials. Maybe it's just what she deserves. Maybe it's exactly where she wants to be.
I love so many things about this book. It introduced me to ideas I have never heard discussed before! The characters are beautifully drawn. And the writing is just my style-- minimalist but not abrubt. When minimalism is done this well, you kind of forget the words are even there and submerge into the story. Such an immersive read!
Rating:
constantreader471's review against another edition
4.0
4 bright stars for an enjoyable book of literary fiction. This is the story of a young woman from Kenya, Africa, who comes to the US to attend university on a 5 year visa. Her mother has built up a business in Kenya to the extent that she can pay $40,000 tuition a year for 4 years. Soila has had conflicts with her mother while still living in Kenya, but living in the US, falling in love and experiencing a foreign culture, bring new areas of conflict with her domineering mother.
Some hot button issues touched on in this heartwarming and frank book:
Racism and driving while black
Religion and its role in family and society, both in the US and Kenya
Abortion
Hidden family secrets
Sexual abuse
Suicide
Choices that threaten to tear Soila apart
Since the author was born in Nairobi, Kenya and attended college in the US, some of this book may be based on her experiences.
Two quotes: Soila and her mother having a conversation:
Mother: "You should eat lemons---I tell you all the time," she said, dividing it into small sections. "They ward off diseases."
"She held each section between her lips and sucked out the juice, then crushed it in her mouth. I winced."
Advice from Soila's grandmother: "Kokoi always said that most people spent their whole lives smiling with their mouths. 'Only a few of us are blessed to find the kind of happiness that makes a person smile with their eyes."
Thank You Corina Diez at Random House/Dial Press for sending me this eARC, through NetGalley, due to be published on
May 2, 2023
#LuckyGirl #NetGalley
Some hot button issues touched on in this heartwarming and frank book:
Racism and driving while black
Religion and its role in family and society, both in the US and Kenya
Abortion
Hidden family secrets
Sexual abuse
Suicide
Choices that threaten to tear Soila apart
Since the author was born in Nairobi, Kenya and attended college in the US, some of this book may be based on her experiences.
Two quotes: Soila and her mother having a conversation:
Mother: "You should eat lemons---I tell you all the time," she said, dividing it into small sections. "They ward off diseases."
"She held each section between her lips and sucked out the juice, then crushed it in her mouth. I winced."
Advice from Soila's grandmother: "Kokoi always said that most people spent their whole lives smiling with their mouths. 'Only a few of us are blessed to find the kind of happiness that makes a person smile with their eyes."
Thank You Corina Diez at Random House/Dial Press for sending me this eARC, through NetGalley, due to be published on
May 2, 2023
#LuckyGirl #NetGalley
bookofcinz's review against another edition
4.0
So many thoughts and feelings about this book…
In Lucky Girl we meet Soila who was born and raised in Kenya. On her fifth birthday her dad mysteriously dies and no one speaks about it, especially her very strict mother who raised her to be grateful, always give back and not complain too much. Since Solia’s father’s death, her mother took over the business and made it very profitable. They are very well off, Soila is very sheltered because her mother doesn’t want her to end up like the “other girls”. She lives at home with her aunties and does her best to be obedient. As a teenager she misses out on a lot and craves freedom.
With college coming up she decides she wants to go to the US to study. Behind her mother’s back she applies and is approved for college. After much fight her mother says yes. In New York she makes friends, falls in love, finds out who she is in the world, and tries to navigate what it means to be a Kenyan living in the US. She learns a lot, loses a lot and finds peace on her journey.
Here are my thoughts on this book:
It was a very easy read, it is one of those books you spend a day trying to finish because you needed to know what happened. What decision Soila ends up making.
The book have a very strong mother-daughter relationship themed and while I love reading books that centered on it, it made me not like Soila. I find she did not stand up for herself and was so fraidy-fraidy. At one point I found myself screaming “YOU ARE AN ADULT!!!!!”
I felt the author really bemoaned a lot of topics to the point. Yes, I loved reading about what it is like for an African living in America versus an African American living there. When those topics came up it felt forced, it read like a thesis, it didn’t just seamlessly flowed through the book. It was just these big blocks of “let’s discuss this…for 4-6 pages.”
I did not believe the romance in the book or the relationship Soila had with her first boyfriend. It was so cold and unbelievable. I didn’t even care when they broke up.
There were a lot of characters in the book and I wish instead of so many aunties the author focused on 1-2 building out their backstories a bit more.
I also felt the author packed so much in the short book- sexual harassment, racism, coming of age, friendship, identity, love, art, 9/11, where is home… every single theme was ticked, this could be a good or bad thing I guess. For me, it felt like tew much.
You are probably reading this thinking, “well, what exactly did you enjoy?”. Honestly, I enjoyed how the book made me feel. It felt fresh, it was a solid coming of age. And even though Solia enrages me, I still couldn’t help cheering for her. I think this would made a perfect book club pick.
In Lucky Girl we meet Soila who was born and raised in Kenya. On her fifth birthday her dad mysteriously dies and no one speaks about it, especially her very strict mother who raised her to be grateful, always give back and not complain too much. Since Solia’s father’s death, her mother took over the business and made it very profitable. They are very well off, Soila is very sheltered because her mother doesn’t want her to end up like the “other girls”. She lives at home with her aunties and does her best to be obedient. As a teenager she misses out on a lot and craves freedom.
With college coming up she decides she wants to go to the US to study. Behind her mother’s back she applies and is approved for college. After much fight her mother says yes. In New York she makes friends, falls in love, finds out who she is in the world, and tries to navigate what it means to be a Kenyan living in the US. She learns a lot, loses a lot and finds peace on her journey.
Here are my thoughts on this book:
It was a very easy read, it is one of those books you spend a day trying to finish because you needed to know what happened. What decision Soila ends up making.
The book have a very strong mother-daughter relationship themed and while I love reading books that centered on it, it made me not like Soila. I find she did not stand up for herself and was so fraidy-fraidy. At one point I found myself screaming “YOU ARE AN ADULT!!!!!”
I felt the author really bemoaned a lot of topics to the point. Yes, I loved reading about what it is like for an African living in America versus an African American living there. When those topics came up it felt forced, it read like a thesis, it didn’t just seamlessly flowed through the book. It was just these big blocks of “let’s discuss this…for 4-6 pages.”
I did not believe the romance in the book or the relationship Soila had with her first boyfriend. It was so cold and unbelievable. I didn’t even care when they broke up.
There were a lot of characters in the book and I wish instead of so many aunties the author focused on 1-2 building out their backstories a bit more.
I also felt the author packed so much in the short book- sexual harassment, racism, coming of age, friendship, identity, love, art, 9/11, where is home… every single theme was ticked, this could be a good or bad thing I guess. For me, it felt like tew much.
You are probably reading this thinking, “well, what exactly did you enjoy?”. Honestly, I enjoyed how the book made me feel. It felt fresh, it was a solid coming of age. And even though Solia enrages me, I still couldn’t help cheering for her. I think this would made a perfect book club pick.
stephscaglia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
A bit of a slow start but once the ball gets rolling I could not peel myself away from this novel
lit_vibrations's review against another edition
5.0
If you’re looking for the next good book you found it!!! I loooooved this story so much it was an interesting experience watching Soila’s journey to independence and the various challenges she faced while living in the United States. It was bold and beautifully-written, the beginning has a slow build but the deeper you get into the novel the more connected you become with the MC.
It follows Soila a young Kenyan woman from Nairobi who lived a sheltered life and was raised by a stern and dictative Catholic mother along with her aunts and grandmother. Soila always longed for independence and freedom after years of dealing with her mothers strong beliefs and controlling ways. When she finally made it to New York Soila realized the US was not all it claimed to be and begins to challenge all her beliefs about race, love, and family.
The author did a great job getting the reader emotionally invested in Soila’s life. Most of the book I sympathized with her character and found that she self-sabotaged a lot because of her mother’s behavior. So many times I wished she would finally stand up to her mother and do what was best for her own life. I really wanted her to tell her mother what Father Emmanuel did just so she would shut tf up. When her mother was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s I hated watching Soila break off her engagement and move back to Kenya to care for her. Not because I didn’t like her mother because I didn’t lol but I felt Soila finally found happiness yet she still chose her mother over it.
Overall, the book was amazing it provided a fascinating exploration of finding independence and the cultural differences between countries. A few family secrets are also revealed and there are a few trigger warnings surrounding sexual assault, suicide, and abortions. The flow and atmosphere of the book also meshed well with the character development. Special thanks to the author & @thedialpress for my gifted copy!!!
It follows Soila a young Kenyan woman from Nairobi who lived a sheltered life and was raised by a stern and dictative Catholic mother along with her aunts and grandmother. Soila always longed for independence and freedom after years of dealing with her mothers strong beliefs and controlling ways. When she finally made it to New York Soila realized the US was not all it claimed to be and begins to challenge all her beliefs about race, love, and family.
The author did a great job getting the reader emotionally invested in Soila’s life. Most of the book I sympathized with her character and found that she self-sabotaged a lot because of her mother’s behavior. So many times I wished she would finally stand up to her mother and do what was best for her own life. I really wanted her to tell her mother what Father Emmanuel did just so she would shut tf up. When her mother was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s I hated watching Soila break off her engagement and move back to Kenya to care for her. Not because I didn’t like her mother because I didn’t lol but I felt Soila finally found happiness yet she still chose her mother over it.
Overall, the book was amazing it provided a fascinating exploration of finding independence and the cultural differences between countries. A few family secrets are also revealed and there are a few trigger warnings surrounding sexual assault, suicide, and abortions. The flow and atmosphere of the book also meshed well with the character development. Special thanks to the author & @thedialpress for my gifted copy!!!
mdoughlin's review against another edition
4.0
This was a good book but it didn't tell a unique for me as a whole.
debfictionista's review against another edition
5.0
Wow- I finally got around to reading this one and finished it in 24 hours. Her journey took me on a journey and I wondered if she would ever find the peace she needed with such a difficult mother. I highlighted many lines. I especially enjoyed learning the different perspectives on being African in America vs. Being Black in America. This is something I can relate to. The two takes were very debatable and is a very difficult subject but an important conversation.
There was some confusion with the dates- hope it was fixed in the final MS, but it seemed that she 24 for like 4 years!? (Read a netgalley version).
Thanks to the author for teaching us about Kenyan culture. I so wish Soila would have taken charge of her life much sooner but I understand the importance of respecting a culture--even if it can be soul crushing in the end. She took on a lot more than most people ever would. I'm glad she stood her ground in the end.
Edit to add: WHY IS THIS A QUIET BOOK?? I enjoyed it a lot more than MAAME.
There was some confusion with the dates- hope it was fixed in the final MS, but it seemed that she 24 for like 4 years!? (Read a netgalley version).
Thanks to the author for teaching us about Kenyan culture. I so wish Soila would have taken charge of her life much sooner but I understand the importance of respecting a culture--even if it can be soul crushing in the end. She took on a lot more than most people ever would. I'm glad she stood her ground in the end.
Edit to add: WHY IS THIS A QUIET BOOK?? I enjoyed it a lot more than MAAME.