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A review by loriluo
Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu
4.0
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!