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Lucky Girl
Longing for independence, a young sheltered Kenyan woman flees the expectations of her mother for a life in New York City that challenges all her beliefs about race, love, and family.
"Lucky Girl is at times tender, at times funny, at times uncomfortably frank. . . . A fresh look at racism, privilege, and the challenges of coming-of-age and falling in love between two cultures."--Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake
Soila is a lucky girl by anyone's estimation. Raised by her stern, conservative mother and a chorus of aunts, she has lived a protected life in Nairobi. Soila is headstrong and outspoken, and she chafes against her mother's strict rules. After a harrowing assault by a trusted family friend, she flees to New York for college, vowing never to return home.
New York in the 1990s is not what Soila imagined it would be. Instead of finding a golden land of opportunity, Soila is shocked by the entitlement of her wealthy American classmates and the poverty she sees in the streets. She befriends a Black American girl at school and witnesses the insidious racism her friend endures, forcing Soila to begin to acknowledge the legacy of slavery and the blind spots afforded by her Kenyan upbringing. When she falls in love with a free-spirited artist, a man her mother would never approve of, she must decide whether to honor her Kenyan identity and what she owes to her family, or to follow her heart and forge a life of her own design.
Lucky Girl is a fierce and tender debut about the lives and loves we choose--what it meant to be an African immigrant in America at the turn of the millennium, and how a young woman finds a place for herself in the world.
"Lucky Girl is at times tender, at times funny, at times uncomfortably frank. . . . A fresh look at racism, privilege, and the challenges of coming-of-age and falling in love between two cultures."--Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake
Soila is a lucky girl by anyone's estimation. Raised by her stern, conservative mother and a chorus of aunts, she has lived a protected life in Nairobi. Soila is headstrong and outspoken, and she chafes against her mother's strict rules. After a harrowing assault by a trusted family friend, she flees to New York for college, vowing never to return home.
New York in the 1990s is not what Soila imagined it would be. Instead of finding a golden land of opportunity, Soila is shocked by the entitlement of her wealthy American classmates and the poverty she sees in the streets. She befriends a Black American girl at school and witnesses the insidious racism her friend endures, forcing Soila to begin to acknowledge the legacy of slavery and the blind spots afforded by her Kenyan upbringing. When she falls in love with a free-spirited artist, a man her mother would never approve of, she must decide whether to honor her Kenyan identity and what she owes to her family, or to follow her heart and forge a life of her own design.
Lucky Girl is a fierce and tender debut about the lives and loves we choose--what it meant to be an African immigrant in America at the turn of the millennium, and how a young woman finds a place for herself in the world.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2023
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April 7, 2023
Lucky Girl is a fascinating look at a young Kenyan woman who comes to America for college and confronts the differences between her mindset and those of her Black American friends.
Soila was raised by her wealthy, deeply religious mother in Kenya. She manages to convince her mother to let her study at Bard College in NYC. There, she comes face to face with the differences in the cultures. The blurb describes the book as “at times, uncomfortably frank”, which is an apt description, especially when Soila confronts the racism in this country. But she is also made aware of how her own beliefs harbor their own form of prejudice. “But it seems to me like poverty should motivate you to succeed in school and find a good job, to lift yourself up. It makes no sense to me that poverty would make you give up.” Muchemi-Ndiritu uses conversations between Soila and her male Black American friends and lovers to discuss our “racially charged society”. I love books that open my eyes to different cultures and this one did just that.
The book also covers other important issues like sexual predators, abortion, Alzheimer’s, religion, filial duty and finding joy. It would make an excellent book club selection.
Muchemi-Ndiritu has created a whole cast of excellent characters that are fully fleshed out.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House -Dial Press for an advance copy of this book.
Soila was raised by her wealthy, deeply religious mother in Kenya. She manages to convince her mother to let her study at Bard College in NYC. There, she comes face to face with the differences in the cultures. The blurb describes the book as “at times, uncomfortably frank”, which is an apt description, especially when Soila confronts the racism in this country. But she is also made aware of how her own beliefs harbor their own form of prejudice. “But it seems to me like poverty should motivate you to succeed in school and find a good job, to lift yourself up. It makes no sense to me that poverty would make you give up.” Muchemi-Ndiritu uses conversations between Soila and her male Black American friends and lovers to discuss our “racially charged society”. I love books that open my eyes to different cultures and this one did just that.
The book also covers other important issues like sexual predators, abortion, Alzheimer’s, religion, filial duty and finding joy. It would make an excellent book club selection.
Muchemi-Ndiritu has created a whole cast of excellent characters that are fully fleshed out.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House -Dial Press for an advance copy of this book.
February 24, 2023
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: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 / 5 stars
Recommend? Absolutely!
Finished: January 25 2023
Read this if you like:
💁🏽♀️ Women's Fiction
👩👦 Family drama
⏳️ Coming of age stories
🔥 Slow burn
🫑 Closed door romance
🙏 Lots of second chances
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: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 / 5 stars
Recommend? Absolutely!
Finished: January 25 2023
Read this if you like:
💁🏽♀️ Women's Fiction
👩👦 Family drama
⏳️ Coming of age stories
🔥 Slow burn
🫑 Closed door romance
🙏 Lots of second chances
May 2, 2023
A big thank you to Corina at Random House for giving me the opportunity to read an advance digital copy of Lucky Girl. It's a book that wasn't on my radar and I'm glad I took a chance on it.
Soila was born and raised in Kenya. Her father died when she was a young girl. Soila's mother was able to turn the money they inherited into a sizable fortune through her business ventures. Soila lives with her mom, grandmother and aunts but has dreams of attending college in America. Her conservative mother is opposed to the idea but eventually gives her consent. The majority of the story takes place in the 1990s and early 2000s in NYC.
I'm impressed with how many subjects the author explored in this story without it feeling heavy-handed. Race is one of the main topics but there's other things going on as well such as parental and cultural expectations, poverty, religion, etc.. So many talking points here that Lucky Girl would be an excellent book club pick.
One of the things I loved about the story is how Soila's friends challenged her beliefs. It's important to have people in your circle who you can learn from because that's how you grow as an individual. Soila as a Black immigrant had a different perspective on what it is like to be Black in America than her friends who grew up in the United States. There were some really interesting discussions in the story.
Highly recommend putting this book on your tbr list as it's worthy of your attention.
Soila was born and raised in Kenya. Her father died when she was a young girl. Soila's mother was able to turn the money they inherited into a sizable fortune through her business ventures. Soila lives with her mom, grandmother and aunts but has dreams of attending college in America. Her conservative mother is opposed to the idea but eventually gives her consent. The majority of the story takes place in the 1990s and early 2000s in NYC.
I'm impressed with how many subjects the author explored in this story without it feeling heavy-handed. Race is one of the main topics but there's other things going on as well such as parental and cultural expectations, poverty, religion, etc.. So many talking points here that Lucky Girl would be an excellent book club pick.
One of the things I loved about the story is how Soila's friends challenged her beliefs. It's important to have people in your circle who you can learn from because that's how you grow as an individual. Soila as a Black immigrant had a different perspective on what it is like to be Black in America than her friends who grew up in the United States. There were some really interesting discussions in the story.
Highly recommend putting this book on your tbr list as it's worthy of your attention.
May 14, 2023
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.
November 9, 2023
“You’re a lucky girl to have a mother who cares for you so much”
In ‘Lucky Girl’ we meet Soila, who objectively is lucky. Despite the tragic passing of her father at a young age, her mother and aunts have raised her and given her a protective, well-financed life in Nairobi, Kenya. However, the strict rule of her mother has become too much for her to handle and she sets off to start her dream life in college in New York. But life away from home in NYC is not the fairytale she dreamed of and we see Soila battle between her life in Kenya and her new life in America.
“— the joy and pain of life were unforeseeable... much of our lives would never make sense to us, even if we lived three lifetimes”
I loved this story. I read this within two days. It reminds me a lot of Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (one of my all-time favs) so if you loved that book I think you’ll enjoy this one too.
This was a great blend between a coming-of-age story with romance. It covered so many great topics from navigating different cultures, complicated parental relationships, grief, empathy, love, friendships, race dynamics, and carving your own life.
Soila had to unlearn a lot, especially about Blackness in America through her friends which I felt was a very honest and interesting conversation. Her best friend (who is arguably the best character) was also Letitia which had no influence on my rating whatsoever hehe
We learn about her father's secret tragic passing and the effects secrets can have on a family. I loved how much she grew and the ending was a little bittersweet. Relationships are challenging, especially with parents that can appear unforgiving and unrelenting in their expectations for you. Soila seeks her mother's love constantly and it is tough to see her battle the feelings of feeling responsible for the opportunities her family gives her while balancing the passions and the life she wants to live.
Overall 4.25⭐️- loved it and I wish I read this sooner I am so happy with who she ended up with!
Other quotes I liked:
“You’re never going to regret going for what you really want in life. It’ll be hard at first, no doubt. But in a few years, you’ll be out of the trenches, and you’ll be fulfilled in so many more ways”
“I see now that ’30 under 30’ lists are there only to make adults feel hopeless and unaccomplished when the truth is that most of us are late bloomers. But when we finally bloom, we bloom beautifully”
“Here we were, all of us the same skin color, the same dark-brown eye color, the same hair — but our histories were so starkly different”
Thank you PRH for the arc!! ❤️
In ‘Lucky Girl’ we meet Soila, who objectively is lucky. Despite the tragic passing of her father at a young age, her mother and aunts have raised her and given her a protective, well-financed life in Nairobi, Kenya. However, the strict rule of her mother has become too much for her to handle and she sets off to start her dream life in college in New York. But life away from home in NYC is not the fairytale she dreamed of and we see Soila battle between her life in Kenya and her new life in America.
“— the joy and pain of life were unforeseeable... much of our lives would never make sense to us, even if we lived three lifetimes”
I loved this story. I read this within two days. It reminds me a lot of Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (one of my all-time favs) so if you loved that book I think you’ll enjoy this one too.
This was a great blend between a coming-of-age story with romance. It covered so many great topics from navigating different cultures, complicated parental relationships, grief, empathy, love, friendships, race dynamics, and carving your own life.
Soila had to unlearn a lot, especially about Blackness in America through her friends which I felt was a very honest and interesting conversation. Her best friend (who is arguably the best character) was also Letitia which had no influence on my rating whatsoever hehe
We learn about her father's secret tragic passing and the effects secrets can have on a family. I loved how much she grew and the ending was a little bittersweet. Relationships are challenging, especially with parents that can appear unforgiving and unrelenting in their expectations for you. Soila seeks her mother's love constantly and it is tough to see her battle the feelings of feeling responsible for the opportunities her family gives her while balancing the passions and the life she wants to live.
Overall 4.25⭐️- loved it and I wish I read this sooner I am so happy with who she ended up with!
Other quotes I liked:
“You’re never going to regret going for what you really want in life. It’ll be hard at first, no doubt. But in a few years, you’ll be out of the trenches, and you’ll be fulfilled in so many more ways”
“I see now that ’30 under 30’ lists are there only to make adults feel hopeless and unaccomplished when the truth is that most of us are late bloomers. But when we finally bloom, we bloom beautifully”
“Here we were, all of us the same skin color, the same dark-brown eye color, the same hair — but our histories were so starkly different”
Thank you PRH for the arc!! ❤️
March 8, 2024
An enlightening viewpoint of a young African girl coming to the USA for studies. The cultural differences, and the racism of the yester years have a negative effect on her. However, she braves it all to achieve her dreams.
A motivating book.
A motivating book.
February 19, 2023
By all standards, Soila is a lucky girl. Raised by the women in her family in Kenya, she's watched as her mother took on the role of head of household, elevating their family's financial and societal position. Soila has never needed anything, but nonetheless, she can't help but feel constrained and burdened by the expectations and pressures placed on her, especially by her religious mother. Her only chance at escape comes with the chance to attend university abroad, and she's finally able to convince her mother to allow her to attend Barnard College in New York City, albeit a few years later than intended.
It's in NYC that Soila feels like she can finally breathe. She meets Leticia, a classmate who becomes her closest friend and roommate, and falls in love for the first time. She also gets the chance to delve into her interest in photography, immersing herself in the art available to her across the city. Nonetheless, Soila knows there's a path that she's supposed to follow, and begins working for an investment bank on Wall Street. It's only after the events of 9/11 that she's able gain perspective on her life, her relationship with her mother, and her own future - and take the risks she's been too scared to take.
I loved "Lucky Girl" for so many reasons. On a personal level, I connected with Soila given my own experience attending a competitive school and working in finance in NYC. It's clear Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu is familiar with the city, and the pitfalls of working on Wall Street. Her struggles with finding her own voice and identity, juggling the different friendships and relationships, and ultimately making the decisions that are tough and scary are ones that many readers, especially minority women, will also understand. I appreciated as well the thought-provoking discussions on privilege and race, poverty and wealth, identity when one doesn't feel "African" but also not "African American" - topics that are especially important in this day and age. The writing is beautiful and emotional, and crafts a multi-layered protagonist determined to carve her own path in life.
Very much a recommended read when it's published in May 2023!
Thank you Random House Publishing for the advance copy of this novel!
It's in NYC that Soila feels like she can finally breathe. She meets Leticia, a classmate who becomes her closest friend and roommate, and falls in love for the first time. She also gets the chance to delve into her interest in photography, immersing herself in the art available to her across the city. Nonetheless, Soila knows there's a path that she's supposed to follow, and begins working for an investment bank on Wall Street. It's only after the events of 9/11 that she's able gain perspective on her life, her relationship with her mother, and her own future - and take the risks she's been too scared to take.
I loved "Lucky Girl" for so many reasons. On a personal level, I connected with Soila given my own experience attending a competitive school and working in finance in NYC. It's clear Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu is familiar with the city, and the pitfalls of working on Wall Street. Her struggles with finding her own voice and identity, juggling the different friendships and relationships, and ultimately making the decisions that are tough and scary are ones that many readers, especially minority women, will also understand. I appreciated as well the thought-provoking discussions on privilege and race, poverty and wealth, identity when one doesn't feel "African" but also not "African American" - topics that are especially important in this day and age. The writing is beautiful and emotional, and crafts a multi-layered protagonist determined to carve her own path in life.
Very much a recommended read when it's published in May 2023!
Thank you Random House Publishing for the advance copy of this novel!
April 26, 2023
Starting with this book, then on to Homecoming, then on to The Covenant of Water - I’m in a major book hangover. 3 amazing family sagas that enveloped me- took me to different lands and broadened my knowledge of cultural norms. This month’s reading has been epic.
Lucky Girl follows Soila- born in Nigeria to a strong and demanding mother who loves her fiercely- but also at somewhat of a distance. Luckily she has her Aunts and her Keiko to shower her with affection. She loses her father at a young age and feels the expectations of her mother like a noose around her neck.
She convinces her mother to let her go to college in the US and this story follows her journey to find herself while trying to balance expectations, passion and cultural boundaries. This is a beautiful exploration of her experience as an African woman and the differences in racial experience vs. African American men and women.
She falls in love, but knows her mother will not approve. This story is a masterful look at self-discovery and listening to your heart. The ending is a tad too neat- but lovely all the same.
I feel like I learned so much about Nigerian family dynamics in this one and was part of this beautifully disfunctional family.
Highly, highly recommend! Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse @thedialpress for the ARC to read and review.
Lucky Girl follows Soila- born in Nigeria to a strong and demanding mother who loves her fiercely- but also at somewhat of a distance. Luckily she has her Aunts and her Keiko to shower her with affection. She loses her father at a young age and feels the expectations of her mother like a noose around her neck.
She convinces her mother to let her go to college in the US and this story follows her journey to find herself while trying to balance expectations, passion and cultural boundaries. This is a beautiful exploration of her experience as an African woman and the differences in racial experience vs. African American men and women.
She falls in love, but knows her mother will not approve. This story is a masterful look at self-discovery and listening to your heart. The ending is a tad too neat- but lovely all the same.
I feel like I learned so much about Nigerian family dynamics in this one and was part of this beautifully disfunctional family.
Highly, highly recommend! Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse @thedialpress for the ARC to read and review.
January 19, 2023
Lucky Girl is a story that will transport you to Kenya and then New York as you follow Solia on her life's journey. Solia has a very strict upbringing in Kenya. Her father died when she was very young and her mother is a devout Catholic with rigid rules that Solia has to follow. Solia finds solace in photography and the dream of one day traveling to America to attend college. After overcoming several obstacles, she is finally able to attend college in New York City. There she will make new friends, discover love, and go through some of life's most difficult challenges. She will also have to war with her own desires versus her mother's expectations.
There was so much to this novel. It addressed racism in America and cultural differences in Africa. The novel was set in the 1990s and 2000s and I was about the same age as Solia during this time, so I loved reading about her journey. The novel moved quickly for me as I devoured the different aspects of Solia's life and her decisions. This was an inspiring novel that anyone will enjoy.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
There was so much to this novel. It addressed racism in America and cultural differences in Africa. The novel was set in the 1990s and 2000s and I was about the same age as Solia during this time, so I loved reading about her journey. The novel moved quickly for me as I devoured the different aspects of Solia's life and her decisions. This was an inspiring novel that anyone will enjoy.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2023
When I first picked up Lucky Girl, I had a hard time getting into it. Once I got about 40% through it, I really started to feel for the main character, Soila. I was rooting for her to find true love, to find a place in the US, to reconcile with her mom and her culture, and ultimately, just to find peace and happiness despite what life threw at her.
We follow Soila's journey from her hometown in Kenya as a young girl to her adulthood in the US where she studies, experiences love, finds friendship, and battles with her opinions around race and faith. We also get to peak into the lives of her many aunts which was a highlight in the book!
I appreciate the author's boldness and her overall ability to discuss very big topics in this book. Without giving away any spoilers, the characters explore ideas, beliefs, and stereotypes in a way that makes you feel like you're in the room with them and are walking through these challenges alongside them.
Some of the drawbacks of the book for me were that there were a lot of plot points that were underdeveloped. Again, no spoilers, but by the end of the book it felt like we were rushing to come to a happy ending, glossing over moments in Soila's life that are only briefly mentioned.
3.5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review 💜
We follow Soila's journey from her hometown in Kenya as a young girl to her adulthood in the US where she studies, experiences love, finds friendship, and battles with her opinions around race and faith. We also get to peak into the lives of her many aunts which was a highlight in the book!
I appreciate the author's boldness and her overall ability to discuss very big topics in this book. Without giving away any spoilers, the characters explore ideas, beliefs, and stereotypes in a way that makes you feel like you're in the room with them and are walking through these challenges alongside them.
Some of the drawbacks of the book for me were that there were a lot of plot points that were underdeveloped. Again, no spoilers, but by the end of the book it felt like we were rushing to come to a happy ending, glossing over moments in Soila's life that are only briefly mentioned.
3.5 ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review 💜
April 28, 2023
This is a coming-of-age story about a young Kenyan woman who longs to live her own life despite her overbearing and controlling mother. Soila grew up in Kenya in a pretty well to do family. As a young girl she experiences some terrible traumas, like her father's death, which were made worse by her emotionally unavailable mother. She wants nothing more than to go to the US to study for college, and does so against her mother’s wishes.
The book does a good job depicting the different views and experiences regarding racism of African Americans and Africans. There were frank conversations between the various characters about racism in the United States and I feel like they really taught me a lot. I also learned a lot about the family culture in Kenya which I really enjoyed. While I really enjoyed the book it was hard to get into when I first started and there were a lot of characters to keep track of. About halfway through I was rooting for Soila to succeed and really find her place but with so many cultural differences it was hard for me to really relate and understand some of her decisions. The romantic relationships just didn't really seem believable to me either.
This would be a great book for a book club as there are so many topics to discuss!
The book does a good job depicting the different views and experiences regarding racism of African Americans and Africans. There were frank conversations between the various characters about racism in the United States and I feel like they really taught me a lot. I also learned a lot about the family culture in Kenya which I really enjoyed. While I really enjoyed the book it was hard to get into when I first started and there were a lot of characters to keep track of. About halfway through I was rooting for Soila to succeed and really find her place but with so many cultural differences it was hard for me to really relate and understand some of her decisions. The romantic relationships just didn't really seem believable to me either.
This would be a great book for a book club as there are so many topics to discuss!
November 4, 2022
Lucky Girl is a coming of age story about Soila, an African girl who lived a privileged life in Nairobi. Her father died by suicide and her mother was overbearing and demanding. Soila dreamed of living in America and secretly applied to universities there, not for a better education, but to escape her dominating mother. She wanted to live life on her own terms.
While living in New York, working as an investment banker, she meets and falls in love with an African American man who she knows her mother won’t approve of. He’s an artist, he’s a bohemian type and he’s everything Soila’s mother disapproves of. Soila has never been happier. She has escaped the oppression of her mother, she has made some wonderful friends and she’s in love.
When tragedy strikes, Soila must make the hardest decision of her life. Will she choose her own happiness or will she do what is expected of her?
This is a beautiful, poignant, thought-provoking book about family, love and culture. The characters are multifaceted and complex. I give this book 4 stars with many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
While living in New York, working as an investment banker, she meets and falls in love with an African American man who she knows her mother won’t approve of. He’s an artist, he’s a bohemian type and he’s everything Soila’s mother disapproves of. Soila has never been happier. She has escaped the oppression of her mother, she has made some wonderful friends and she’s in love.
When tragedy strikes, Soila must make the hardest decision of her life. Will she choose her own happiness or will she do what is expected of her?
This is a beautiful, poignant, thought-provoking book about family, love and culture. The characters are multifaceted and complex. I give this book 4 stars with many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
May 2, 2023
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for the copy of Lucky Girl, a debut by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu. Ever wonder what it’s like to live a life of privilege in Kenya, then move to the US to create a life for yourself? Soila navigates life in New York, through school, work, friendships, and love. The first part was mostly about how she learns about being Black in the USA as she experiences racism and learns to cope with a foreign culture. We learn more about her relationships with her family, especially her overbearing mother. I really liked how the differences between Kenya and the USA were explained in things Soila experienced.
When I was reading the last half of the book, suddenly I couldn’t put it down, because the leisurely story suddenly took off. Soila is thrust into unimaginable circumstances and her character and family loyalty are put to the test. What a beautiful and sometimes challenging book.
When I was reading the last half of the book, suddenly I couldn’t put it down, because the leisurely story suddenly took off. Soila is thrust into unimaginable circumstances and her character and family loyalty are put to the test. What a beautiful and sometimes challenging book.
October 10, 2023
I’m surprised I liked this book and kept reading. Throughout—both narrative and dialogue—there is a kind of relentless, metered recitation sound. Even as dramatic events are described, I didn’t feel any emotion about them because the voice is that of a narrator, explaining things in full sentences without active action or a felt-sense of anything. Picking randomly, p. 168:
Still, I was always interested. Maybe because I knew nothing about the main character and the experience of being a well-off Kenyan student living in New York—so many assumptions that seem bigoted to her Black American friends. There is such a different experience because of backgrounds. And even though I never felt much emotionally, I liked the main character.
So I guess I read with learning pleasure rather than an emotional one.
I sat down, my head heavy from the fatigue of travel and the argument. When I left New York, I’d been confident that I was doing the right thing. But I didn’t want to hurt Mother, if this really was such a painful wound. I felt lost and uncertain.Rather than evoking the heaviness of her head or feelings of loss and uncertainty, she just narrates it. Also, the male characters sometimes felt fantastical—without the full spectrum of human complexity.
Still, I was always interested. Maybe because I knew nothing about the main character and the experience of being a well-off Kenyan student living in New York—so many assumptions that seem bigoted to her Black American friends. There is such a different experience because of backgrounds. And even though I never felt much emotionally, I liked the main character.
So I guess I read with learning pleasure rather than an emotional one.
November 30, 2022
I find it challenging to describe what this book is about. It addresses racial issues and differences between Black-Americans and Africans who come to the United States. The feelings are described from the perspective of the characters and are heart-felt, touching, traumatic and realistic. It is also about the relationship between a mother and a daughter and how daunting that can be especially when the mother is controlling (because of her own losses in life). It also talks about sexual violation from a priest and how that changes the perspective of a young woman for years and years and how secrets like this do tremendous damage. I wanted to condemn that priest so many times. The book describes the trauma of the 9/11 bombings in New York and the struggle to recover or even to go outdoors. To this day I think we all remember where we were (if alive) on that dreadful day. And for me the most poignant part was the end where the lead character, Soila, deals with “Mother’s” decline into dementia/Alzheimer’s. I have had that experience although my mother was quite sweet not abusive. And finally it’s about friendship of women, finding a good man, love, family, history and finding oneself. A fabulous book, epic in telling. An amazing first novel. I cannot wait to see what else the author writes next.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the Advanced Review Copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the Advanced Review Copy.
January 23, 2023
4/5 stars!
A great coming-of-age story that sheds light on experiences I may have never even considered, as well as maintaining a sense of familiarity in the shared experiences every young woman goes through.
Overall, I did enjoy the book but it did take me until about 30% into the story to feel invested. It's one of those stories that feels the most special once you're finished. (Hindsight is 20/20!)
Thanks to Penguin Random House & Netgalley for granting me this "wish"!
A great coming-of-age story that sheds light on experiences I may have never even considered, as well as maintaining a sense of familiarity in the shared experiences every young woman goes through.
Overall, I did enjoy the book but it did take me until about 30% into the story to feel invested. It's one of those stories that feels the most special once you're finished. (Hindsight is 20/20!)
Thanks to Penguin Random House & Netgalley for granting me this "wish"!
January 6, 2023
Lucky Girl is a coming of age story about a young Kenyan woman, Solia. The novel follows her life from the time she is a young girl living in Kenya, through her college years in NYC, and into adulthood. Throughout, we get many vignettes of critical life events -- both joyous and tragic -- that shape and mold Solia as she navigates conflicts with her mother, her college years, her first job, loss, love, and friendship. As a 29 year old, this story felt personal and close to home, as I am or have recently grappled with many of the feelings Solia expresses throughout her narrative. In a lot of ways, reading Lucky Girl was like watching a highlight reel of someone's life, but I was happy to be along for the ride. Almost from the start I felt invested in Solia as a character, as she is real and flawed in a way that is rare in fiction. Despite the novel taking place largely in the 1990s, the conversations the characters were having read as relevant and nuanced, and I really appreciated the many different perspectives and narratives portrayed in the novel. Once I started, I found it hard to put down, and highly recommend Lucky Girl to readers everywhere.
Thank you to Dial Press Trade Paperback, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for sending me an advance copy of Lucky Girl in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to Dial Press Trade Paperback, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for sending me an advance copy of Lucky Girl in exchange for an honest review!
February 14, 2023
An advance copy of a debut novel. Thank you Dial Press & Net Galley.
Soila is a girl raised in a fully female home in Kenya- it is her mother's home & her grandmother & her 3 aunts all live there. But Soila's mom rules the home, her sisters & of course Soila. They live a privileged life, and have a strong work ethic & own a family business. As Soila became an adolescent she knew this was not the life she wanted for her future. Her mother was overbearing, strongly opinionated & Soila felt no true love from her, no hugs, no tender moments.
Soila decides to apply to colleges in the US, unbeknownst to her mother & after much back & forth, her mother agrees to allow her to go to school in the states.
Once Soila gets the the US, finds her way at school & makes a few friends, we see struggles she has with being an African, vs what she sees or thinks of African Americans. She has never seen racism, doesn't grasp some of the issues that Black Americans have, especially young black men & people living in poverty.
She takes a job she doesn't like, can't share what her life is with her mom, has relationship issues. Most of Soila's struggles come from trying to please her mom- her mom wants total control- job, church, men, & as Soila gets older she gets hurt & angry with her mom.
There's relationships, friendships, guilt & some life events along the way.
Through it all, Soila tries to be the dutiful daughter, until she always can't.
I really felt for her- guilt placed on anyone is an awful thing.
I really enjoyed this book!
Soila is a girl raised in a fully female home in Kenya- it is her mother's home & her grandmother & her 3 aunts all live there. But Soila's mom rules the home, her sisters & of course Soila. They live a privileged life, and have a strong work ethic & own a family business. As Soila became an adolescent she knew this was not the life she wanted for her future. Her mother was overbearing, strongly opinionated & Soila felt no true love from her, no hugs, no tender moments.
Soila decides to apply to colleges in the US, unbeknownst to her mother & after much back & forth, her mother agrees to allow her to go to school in the states.
Once Soila gets the the US, finds her way at school & makes a few friends, we see struggles she has with being an African, vs what she sees or thinks of African Americans. She has never seen racism, doesn't grasp some of the issues that Black Americans have, especially young black men & people living in poverty.
She takes a job she doesn't like, can't share what her life is with her mom, has relationship issues. Most of Soila's struggles come from trying to please her mom- her mom wants total control- job, church, men, & as Soila gets older she gets hurt & angry with her mom.
There's relationships, friendships, guilt & some life events along the way.
Through it all, Soila tries to be the dutiful daughter, until she always can't.
I really felt for her- guilt placed on anyone is an awful thing.
I really enjoyed this book!
December 21, 2022
Lucky Girl is good; with a little more finesse it could have been great.
The topic of an immigrant in a new country, navigating a big city and reconciling their old identity with the new life they’re trying to build isn’t especially new or fresh and I didn’t really expect Lucky Girl to break the mold. I did, though, expect a story that spans decades, about a privileged Kenyan girl embarking on a journey of self discovery and stepping into her own in America to be more intriguing, fun and captivating than it was.
The story begins when Soila is a child. Familial secrets are exposed and her mother’s ever tightening grip on her personhood only becomes more unbearable as she ages. By the time she graduates high-school, she’s ready not just to leave home, but the country. Within two years she’s moved to America and enrolled in college. These years pass by quickly; Soila graduates, gets a job and to me, this was when the book finally picked up. Before this, it read like the diary of an especially naive child, invoking one too many cliches for my liking. Once Soila entered young adulthood, I felt that Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu’s writing hit its stride. She focused less on plainly stating the differences between Kenya and America and rather, gave Soila varied, rich experiences that truly challenged her. She also asked meaningful and complex questions of the audience, making me question my own beliefs.
To me, Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu’s writing isn’t particularly lyrical or evocative, but instead, blunt. Direct. This is in-line with a lot of African literature but Lucky Girl in all its simplicity read as more YA than adult lit.
This juvenile slant was especially present within the romantic relationships, which feel underwhelmingly superficial. Soila is understandably conservative, but also pretty bland. I didn’t quite buy the main romance and that her love interest would be so taken by her.
Also, I could’ve done without the extensive focus on minutiae and irrelevant facts. In trying to display how out of her depth Soila was in her new world, the author rehashed tired, dated ideas that only bogged the book down in their repetition.
Her strengths are in the side characters. Other than maybe her aunt Tanei, none of them have larger than life personalities and for this book that worked. They came off as real and complex, with diverse beliefs and values. I really enjoyed reading about her four aunts and experiencing their growth alongside Soila. Honestly, half the time I cared far more for them than Soila herself. She just wasn’t a captivating character to me. Neither were her friends, who paled in comparison to her family and sometimes came off like stereotypes. Which, given Soila’s upbringing, opinion of America, African Americans and white Americans, tracked. Still, her early interactions with her best friend Leticia, were very stereotypical and dismissive and they didn’t immediately click or have any real spark, so I didn’t get why Leticia continued to reach out when Soila wasn’t all that nice or particularly charming. As time went on though, the girls bonded more organically and I was really sold on and enjoyed the friendship. They cared deeply for each other and had so much fun together, I wish their friendship had been explored more.
It’s a long journey but Soila eventually understands that her upbringing and beliefs are only that: hers. The world is a bigger and more complicated place than she imagined and expected and she tries to accept that. A lot of the conversations Soila had about black life in America and racism were exhausting and repetitive and after the third ‘but I don’t get it’ convo I was over Soila’s ignorance. She never quite seemed to grasp the severity of the situation. But this positioning and mindset is realistic. I’ve met many Soila’s and had tons of conversations with members of own family who simply don’t believe that racism is as bleak as ‘those abroad’ make it out to be. To them, it is an issue that is, at the least, slightly bothersome and at the most, ancient history. Like Soila, the idea that racism is a systemic issue that is entrenched in all areas of society simply goes over their heads because their lived experiences with colonialism and internalized racism differ and greatly color their outlook.
This book is exactly what it says on the tin and I while I wish it was a little more lively or complex, going in expecting more is probably why I had as many issues with it as I did. Not everyone is vivacious or outgoing and it’s only fair that their stories are told too. I’d recommend it to readers who like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels, people who would like to read about a Kenyan woman’s immigrant experience and older millennial/gen x African women who want to read about familiar experiences.
*ARC provided by NetGalley
The topic of an immigrant in a new country, navigating a big city and reconciling their old identity with the new life they’re trying to build isn’t especially new or fresh and I didn’t really expect Lucky Girl to break the mold. I did, though, expect a story that spans decades, about a privileged Kenyan girl embarking on a journey of self discovery and stepping into her own in America to be more intriguing, fun and captivating than it was.
The story begins when Soila is a child. Familial secrets are exposed and her mother’s ever tightening grip on her personhood only becomes more unbearable as she ages. By the time she graduates high-school, she’s ready not just to leave home, but the country. Within two years she’s moved to America and enrolled in college. These years pass by quickly; Soila graduates, gets a job and to me, this was when the book finally picked up. Before this, it read like the diary of an especially naive child, invoking one too many cliches for my liking. Once Soila entered young adulthood, I felt that Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu’s writing hit its stride. She focused less on plainly stating the differences between Kenya and America and rather, gave Soila varied, rich experiences that truly challenged her. She also asked meaningful and complex questions of the audience, making me question my own beliefs.
To me, Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu’s writing isn’t particularly lyrical or evocative, but instead, blunt. Direct. This is in-line with a lot of African literature but Lucky Girl in all its simplicity read as more YA than adult lit.
This juvenile slant was especially present within the romantic relationships, which feel underwhelmingly superficial. Soila is understandably conservative, but also pretty bland. I didn’t quite buy the main romance and that her love interest would be so taken by her.
Also, I could’ve done without the extensive focus on minutiae and irrelevant facts. In trying to display how out of her depth Soila was in her new world, the author rehashed tired, dated ideas that only bogged the book down in their repetition.
Her strengths are in the side characters. Other than maybe her aunt Tanei, none of them have larger than life personalities and for this book that worked. They came off as real and complex, with diverse beliefs and values. I really enjoyed reading about her four aunts and experiencing their growth alongside Soila. Honestly, half the time I cared far more for them than Soila herself. She just wasn’t a captivating character to me. Neither were her friends, who paled in comparison to her family and sometimes came off like stereotypes. Which, given Soila’s upbringing, opinion of America, African Americans and white Americans, tracked. Still, her early interactions with her best friend Leticia, were very stereotypical and dismissive and they didn’t immediately click or have any real spark, so I didn’t get why Leticia continued to reach out when Soila wasn’t all that nice or particularly charming. As time went on though, the girls bonded more organically and I was really sold on and enjoyed the friendship. They cared deeply for each other and had so much fun together, I wish their friendship had been explored more.
It’s a long journey but Soila eventually understands that her upbringing and beliefs are only that: hers. The world is a bigger and more complicated place than she imagined and expected and she tries to accept that. A lot of the conversations Soila had about black life in America and racism were exhausting and repetitive and after the third ‘but I don’t get it’ convo I was over Soila’s ignorance. She never quite seemed to grasp the severity of the situation. But this positioning and mindset is realistic. I’ve met many Soila’s and had tons of conversations with members of own family who simply don’t believe that racism is as bleak as ‘those abroad’ make it out to be. To them, it is an issue that is, at the least, slightly bothersome and at the most, ancient history. Like Soila, the idea that racism is a systemic issue that is entrenched in all areas of society simply goes over their heads because their lived experiences with colonialism and internalized racism differ and greatly color their outlook.
This book is exactly what it says on the tin and I while I wish it was a little more lively or complex, going in expecting more is probably why I had as many issues with it as I did. Not everyone is vivacious or outgoing and it’s only fair that their stories are told too. I’d recommend it to readers who like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels, people who would like to read about a Kenyan woman’s immigrant experience and older millennial/gen x African women who want to read about familiar experiences.
*ARC provided by NetGalley
February 8, 2023
The story starts with Solia as a child and takes place over a large part of her life. Growing up surrounded by confident woman has embolden Solia to leave Kenya for university in the United States. Here she finds friends, experiences love, and discovers more about herself than she thought possible.
Muchemi-Ndiritu writes beautiful prose and invokes a range of emotions as the Solia feels the push and pull between what her mom wants her to do and where her heart might lead her.
This was an extremely enjoyable read and I wanted to keep reading about Solia's life!
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Muchemi-Ndiritu writes beautiful prose and invokes a range of emotions as the Solia feels the push and pull between what her mom wants her to do and where her heart might lead her.
This was an extremely enjoyable read and I wanted to keep reading about Solia's life!
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the arc of Lucky Girl.
This novel follows the life of a young girl from Kenya who wants to study in the United States to distance herself from her mother and find out what else there is to life other than following the rules and attending church. The novel spans about 10 years as we watch the main character go from graduating college to getting her first job to finding love, and finally dealing with her mom's illness.
Overall I was very disappointed with this book. It felt like the author used every new chapter to introduce a new life altering event to the characters life. By the end of the book I thought to myself, "what else could possibly happen next?" Then something would big would happen. I don't think normal people deal with that many enormous life events in a span of 10 years. I thought the book was boring and found it hard to find sympathy for the main character.
This novel follows the life of a young girl from Kenya who wants to study in the United States to distance herself from her mother and find out what else there is to life other than following the rules and attending church. The novel spans about 10 years as we watch the main character go from graduating college to getting her first job to finding love, and finally dealing with her mom's illness.
Overall I was very disappointed with this book. It felt like the author used every new chapter to introduce a new life altering event to the characters life. By the end of the book I thought to myself, "what else could possibly happen next?" Then something would big would happen. I don't think normal people deal with that many enormous life events in a span of 10 years. I thought the book was boring and found it hard to find sympathy for the main character.
October 18, 2022
Wish I could give this many more than five stars! First of all, this is a story of a girl from Kenya, Soila, leaving her country to go to New York. Her mother is very controlling and insists Soila earns a business degree. Soila is not interested in a business degree but dare not go against her mother. But the best part of this story is following how Soila feels. She finds it difficult to find her place in America. There are great differences between the black people from her home and the black people in America. Also a great difference in how families are treated. It was simply a wonderful story. It took over my heart.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 20, 2023
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
September 22, 2023
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!!!
March 20, 2023
4.5 stars.
Thanks to Corina Diez, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published May 2, 2023.
This book was wonderful. Soila lives in Nairobi with her controlling mom and four aunts. She wants to leave and go to college in the United States. Her mom pressures her to become an accountant even through she really wants to be a photographer.
The book is divided into four parts, each highlighting an aspect of Soila’s life. She attends college in New York City, meets her best friend Leticia, graduates, gets a job and starts dating an artist. But then her life shatters after experiencing 9/11 and a family illness. She is torn between living the life she wants in NYC and caring for her mom back in Africa.
No spoilers here but it’s an emotional and difficult read at times. I felt the pressures Soila was feeling being pulled in multiple directions. Race and family secrets play a big role in this debut novel by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu. Soila is indeed a Lucky Girl.
Thanks to Corina Diez, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published May 2, 2023.
This book was wonderful. Soila lives in Nairobi with her controlling mom and four aunts. She wants to leave and go to college in the United States. Her mom pressures her to become an accountant even through she really wants to be a photographer.
The book is divided into four parts, each highlighting an aspect of Soila’s life. She attends college in New York City, meets her best friend Leticia, graduates, gets a job and starts dating an artist. But then her life shatters after experiencing 9/11 and a family illness. She is torn between living the life she wants in NYC and caring for her mom back in Africa.
No spoilers here but it’s an emotional and difficult read at times. I felt the pressures Soila was feeling being pulled in multiple directions. Race and family secrets play a big role in this debut novel by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu. Soila is indeed a Lucky Girl.
February 26, 2023
I was the lucky one; to find this book! I loved this story. It flowed from start to finish with a strong plot and complex characters. Race was integral to the story but in a way I hadn’t reach much about before. Parts of the book were light; more of a beach read, but than parts were more intense and thought provoking.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 18, 2023
Lucky Girl gives an insight into the life of a young woman from Kenya and shows readers some fundamental cultural differences between Black people living in Africa and in the United States. The relationships between Soila and her mother and aunts are interesting; the love interest is a little "too good to be true." But overall, I enjoyed spending time with these characters and seeing New York in the 90s through Soilas's eyes.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this title.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this title.
February 3, 2023
Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu. Thanks to @dialpressbooks and @netgalley for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Soila lives a sheltered and privileged life in Kenya. When she comes to New York City for college, she lives her home town for the first time. It’s not what she expected, as she encounters racism and close relationships with dissonance.
This was a really interesting and thought-provoking read. You really get immersed into the character; she feels like a best friend now. It seemed like such an accurate portrayal of adapting to a new culture and country. While it is only around 350 pages, it seemed very long to me. While a lot happens, there are also many mundane moments too.. just like life! It’s not really a book to speed through. You’ll want to take your time and think with this one.
“I was lucky. I had a mother whose life revolved around me since I could remember.”
Lucky Girl comes out 5/2.
Soila lives a sheltered and privileged life in Kenya. When she comes to New York City for college, she lives her home town for the first time. It’s not what she expected, as she encounters racism and close relationships with dissonance.
This was a really interesting and thought-provoking read. You really get immersed into the character; she feels like a best friend now. It seemed like such an accurate portrayal of adapting to a new culture and country. While it is only around 350 pages, it seemed very long to me. While a lot happens, there are also many mundane moments too.. just like life! It’s not really a book to speed through. You’ll want to take your time and think with this one.
“I was lucky. I had a mother whose life revolved around me since I could remember.”
Lucky Girl comes out 5/2.
March 18, 2023
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Soila, raised in privilege in Kenya by a strict, controlling, Catholic mother, lives in a matriarchal household with her mom, aunts, and grandmother. Soila wants to go to college in the United States but her mother is against it. Her mother finally consents and she's off to Barnard College in NYC for a business degree. Her mother intends for Soila to return to Kenya and put her education to use in the family business [although her passion is photography].
Starting in the 1990s, through 9/11--where "Something bigger than losing sunlight had darkeened the city--and beyond.
There is so much in this book: family, secrets, culture, racism, friendships [particularly Leticia], choices, heartache, expectations, love, guilt, sexual abuse, abortion, dementia, and more--too much? I didn't care. Add in the banking culture on Wall Street--where Soila works after graduation.
Soila does not find out about the circumstances of her father's death until she's 10 [?]. And learns she has a step sister! This is another whole part of the story.
A huge eye-opener for me was the explanation of differences/culture clash between being an African in Africa, an African in the United States [as an immigrant], and an African-American in the United State.
I sensed a trajectory early on [correctly] and didn't even mind the somewhat neat and tidy ending [no spoiler from me]. I enjoyed this book sooo much that I couldn't wait to return to it. In fact, I was captured at the start.
A couple of descriptions that I liked: [her aunts] "... came at me like high-speed trains"
"...hairline that mushrooned unflatteringly... sized me up like a cow at auction."
Four parts, each one with a somewhat different tone [it seemed to me].
Debut novel; can't wait to see what she does next!
4.5, rounding up.
Soila, raised in privilege in Kenya by a strict, controlling, Catholic mother, lives in a matriarchal household with her mom, aunts, and grandmother. Soila wants to go to college in the United States but her mother is against it. Her mother finally consents and she's off to Barnard College in NYC for a business degree. Her mother intends for Soila to return to Kenya and put her education to use in the family business [although her passion is photography].
Starting in the 1990s, through 9/11--where "Something bigger than losing sunlight had darkeened the city--and beyond.
There is so much in this book: family, secrets, culture, racism, friendships [particularly Leticia], choices, heartache, expectations, love, guilt, sexual abuse, abortion, dementia, and more--too much? I didn't care. Add in the banking culture on Wall Street--where Soila works after graduation.
Soila does not find out about the circumstances of her father's death until she's 10 [?]. And learns she has a step sister! This is another whole part of the story.
A huge eye-opener for me was the explanation of differences/culture clash between being an African in Africa, an African in the United States [as an immigrant], and an African-American in the United State.
I sensed a trajectory early on [correctly] and didn't even mind the somewhat neat and tidy ending [no spoiler from me]. I enjoyed this book sooo much that I couldn't wait to return to it. In fact, I was captured at the start.
A couple of descriptions that I liked: [her aunts] "... came at me like high-speed trains"
"...hairline that mushrooned unflatteringly... sized me up like a cow at auction."
Four parts, each one with a somewhat different tone [it seemed to me].
Debut novel; can't wait to see what she does next!
4.5, rounding up.
April 12, 2024
This book was equal parts entertaining and frustrating to read. I loved how the author carried us through Soila’s life - from beginning to middle-ish?) - though at times, the story seemed rushed. I appreciated being able to see the impact of typical African parenting, diaspora living and racism on an African woman and by the end I both felt sorry for our main character as well as irritated by her. Some of her decisions didn’t make sense to me and though I saw her evolve through the story, in some ways she stayed exactly the same and that really bothered me! All in all - a memorable read. 👌🏽
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