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georginadaw's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
missprint's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
rainmisoa's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
3.0
I had a bit of a hard time enjoying this book. It was extremely slow and mundane in parts. I was very interested in learning about Ghanaian culture and language and when the book focuses on those aspects, I was enjoying the book tremendously. However, when it focused on archaic messages, that's when it would lose me as the reader.
I felt like this book kept encouraging that women should only get married and have babies. It was such a backwards way to think. I do like that, towards the end, Faiza was challenging those ideals by getting an education and working on herself first. But throughout the majority of the book, no one really questioned the sexism of the people around them. It was just expected. And seeing as how this takes place in the modern day, I was hoping that the sexism would have been challenged more.
I wasn't too fond of any of the characters besides Faiza. Abena was too gullible for my liking and considering she had access to knowledge, I felt like she had no excuse for some of her actions. We're supposed to like Lydia, Abena's aunt, but I just thought she was insufferable. I didn't like how prejudice she was towards anyone who wasn't rich and even at the end, I just felt like she was being fake towards Faiza. I could have also done without the "boy obsession" that kept happening throughout the whole book.
I do think this book is fascinating in showing you the various languages spoken in Ghana and the culture there... but the slow pacing and some of the archaic messages just made me not enjoy it as much as I could have. I recommend it to those of you who want to read a little more about Ghana. The book definitely gets better towards the end.
I felt like this book kept encouraging that women should only get married and have babies. It was such a backwards way to think. I do like that, towards the end, Faiza was challenging those ideals by getting an education and working on herself first. But throughout the majority of the book, no one really questioned the sexism of the people around them. It was just expected. And seeing as how this takes place in the modern day, I was hoping that the sexism would have been challenged more.
I wasn't too fond of any of the characters besides Faiza. Abena was too gullible for my liking and considering she had access to knowledge, I felt like she had no excuse for some of her actions. We're supposed to like Lydia, Abena's aunt, but I just thought she was insufferable. I didn't like how prejudice she was towards anyone who wasn't rich and even at the end, I just felt like she was being fake towards Faiza. I could have also done without the "boy obsession" that kept happening throughout the whole book.
I do think this book is fascinating in showing you the various languages spoken in Ghana and the culture there... but the slow pacing and some of the archaic messages just made me not enjoy it as much as I could have. I recommend it to those of you who want to read a little more about Ghana. The book definitely gets better towards the end.
maranull's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
emmad's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-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
5.0
egriz's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.25
the_reading_dragonfly's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
4.0
pwbalto's review against another edition
5.0
Privilege isn't just for Americans, as ethnicity, money, colorism all play their parts in class inequity in Ghana. Do you believe in friends-at-first-sight? I do, and this book captures that friendship precisely, with so much affection that you have to believe the author has experienced it herself. So charming, so full of pungent detail and swiftly drawn memorable characters. I love that it was published - and popular! - in Ghana before being published in the US. My spouse lived in Zimbabwe for a time and I handed The Kaya Girl to him for the market descriptions and he LOVED it.
It's kind of ironic that there is an American Girl named Kaya, because this has a bit of that realistic adventure feeling of the American Girl books - except Faiza and Abena are Ghanaian girls! Perfect for kids who love reading about friendships. I am hoping West African parents (some of whom are very strict about fiction, preferring that their kids read educational books only) will also embrace this lovely book.
Will be a great book for the classroom, especially backed up with video content about real-life kayayei (market porters) in Ghana - the economic and political factors that have led to them leaving school, migrating to Accra, working at such a young age.
Honestly, I can't say enough about this book. It hits on so many levels, and not for nothing would be the kind of book I cherished as a kid for plunging me heart and soul into someone else's world.
It's kind of ironic that there is an American Girl named Kaya, because this has a bit of that realistic adventure feeling of the American Girl books - except Faiza and Abena are Ghanaian girls! Perfect for kids who love reading about friendships. I am hoping West African parents (some of whom are very strict about fiction, preferring that their kids read educational books only) will also embrace this lovely book.
Will be a great book for the classroom, especially backed up with video content about real-life kayayei (market porters) in Ghana - the economic and political factors that have led to them leaving school, migrating to Accra, working at such a young age.
Honestly, I can't say enough about this book. It hits on so many levels, and not for nothing would be the kind of book I cherished as a kid for plunging me heart and soul into someone else's world.