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A review by tjwallace04
Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu
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.