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A review by lenny9987
Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu
emotional
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
4.25
At this point I don’t really remember if Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu’s upcoming novel, Lucky Girl was one that I was invited to preview or if the description caught my attention and I requested it myself. It also doesn’t really matter because I’m glad I got the chance to read it either way. Exploring themes of family and race across cultures, Lucky Girl packs a number of well-paced emotional punches that reinforce the tension of being caught between two worlds. This novel beautifully captures the kinds of nuance that can only be truly understood through lived experience, allowing for a deeper examination of Muchemi-Ndiritu’s central themes.
Soila always knew growing up that her mother was protective of her. As she becomes a teenager, the line between protective and controlling begins to blur and Soila begins to chafe under the weight of her mother’s expectations. Gratitude and a sense of duty swirl together and battle with Soila’s desire to find her own way, to live a life that makes her happy without disappointing her mother. Escaping to New York for college is a start, but there are times when the shadow her mother casts from back home in Kenya proves large enough to reach into the corners of her life in the US. It’s more than just her mother that has her reflecting on her life in both places. Soila discovers just how little she understands of American racism when her experience of being Black brushes against those of her closest friends. Ultimately, Soila is forced to decide how and where she wants to live and what (or rather, who) will that decision cost her.
For my complete review, please visit my blog: https://wp.me/pUEx4-1hF
Soila always knew growing up that her mother was protective of her. As she becomes a teenager, the line between protective and controlling begins to blur and Soila begins to chafe under the weight of her mother’s expectations. Gratitude and a sense of duty swirl together and battle with Soila’s desire to find her own way, to live a life that makes her happy without disappointing her mother. Escaping to New York for college is a start, but there are times when the shadow her mother casts from back home in Kenya proves large enough to reach into the corners of her life in the US. It’s more than just her mother that has her reflecting on her life in both places. Soila discovers just how little she understands of American racism when her experience of being Black brushes against those of her closest friends. Ultimately, Soila is forced to decide how and where she wants to live and what (or rather, who) will that decision cost her.
For my complete review, please visit my blog: https://wp.me/pUEx4-1hF