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A review by constantreader471
Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu
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