kristiana28's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful read ! Loved every page of it. Such a great journey into finding her birth parents & expanding the family.
Definitely recommend reading it. Lovely journey into the travels of UK & Nigeria ! Would definately read this again!
Definitely recommend reading it. Lovely journey into the travels of UK & Nigeria ! Would definately read this again!
dannymason_1's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this because I can be a bit sceptical of the cottage industry that surrounds a lot of the more socially conscious memoirs, but this avoided all the usual pitfalls by not sensationalising the events while still telling a really engaging story. Jackie Kay also could clearly take a more academic approach to these topics but chooses to write in a more accessible way that still integrates those ideas and makes them feel intuitive.
cami19's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
lambageddon's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
sandraandthecity's review against another edition
3.0
This was a so-so book for me. I liked the story of her adoption and the process she went through but at times, I found it lagged and sputtered and I grew bored. It was an OK book but I she has written better books. Her language is beautiful at some points but I think this story could’ve been condensed. It meandered and I didn’t get why she included certain parts. I felt she could’ve cut them out and it would’ve been a much better book. I liked it but it wouldn’t be something I re-read.
katieejayne's review against another edition
4.0
**Actual rating 4.5**
I was genuinely shocked by how much I enjoyed this. Another one we were required to read for our course but I found myself stuck between wanting to finish this as soon as possible and wanting to savour it. When I'm in that dilemma I know I truly love a book.
This is an autobiography following the life of Jackie Kay (who is actually the Chancellor of my University) as she meets her birth parents for the first time. Her biological mother hails from the Highlands in Scotland and her father is from Nigeria. This book is full of heartwarming, heart wrenching and eye wateringly funny moments. I love how she managed to make, what I can only as is an incredibly daunting topic humorous. We were fortunate enough to get a lecture from Jackie where she said that she struggled to get the tone of this book right. The first time it felt far too self pitying but the end result is phenomenal.
I learnt so much about so many different cultures, just as Jackie did as she recounts when she flew to Nigeria for the first time. Whilst moving through this narrative I really liked that she added certain scenes from the past into it too in their own little chapter. Although they weren't set during the present they still added to the overall narrative. It's easy to tell that she's a poet, even though this is a memoir the style of writing was beautiful. So lyrical and descriptive. Annnnnd, which is one of my favourite things - often Jackie would write phonetically and depict how words sound in the Scottish accent. I don't know why but when I see that in books it always makes me smile.
If you haven't read this then please do. It's a wonderful read.
More reviews on www.a-novel-idea.co.uk
I was genuinely shocked by how much I enjoyed this. Another one we were required to read for our course but I found myself stuck between wanting to finish this as soon as possible and wanting to savour it. When I'm in that dilemma I know I truly love a book.
This is an autobiography following the life of Jackie Kay (who is actually the Chancellor of my University) as she meets her birth parents for the first time. Her biological mother hails from the Highlands in Scotland and her father is from Nigeria. This book is full of heartwarming, heart wrenching and eye wateringly funny moments. I love how she managed to make, what I can only as is an incredibly daunting topic humorous. We were fortunate enough to get a lecture from Jackie where she said that she struggled to get the tone of this book right. The first time it felt far too self pitying but the end result is phenomenal.
I learnt so much about so many different cultures, just as Jackie did as she recounts when she flew to Nigeria for the first time. Whilst moving through this narrative I really liked that she added certain scenes from the past into it too in their own little chapter. Although they weren't set during the present they still added to the overall narrative. It's easy to tell that she's a poet, even though this is a memoir the style of writing was beautiful. So lyrical and descriptive. Annnnnd, which is one of my favourite things - often Jackie would write phonetically and depict how words sound in the Scottish accent. I don't know why but when I see that in books it always makes me smile.
If you haven't read this then please do. It's a wonderful read.
More reviews on www.a-novel-idea.co.uk
ellend's review against another edition
4.5
Jackie Kay Scottish legend. What a happy moving lovely story about love and family.