Lucky Girl

A Novel

By: Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu

Narrated by: Musu-Kulla Massaquoi

Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

“Readers will find a poignant, memorable voice they’ll feel lucky to have met.”—Harper’s Bazaar (Best Summer Beach Reads of 2023)

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.

©2023 Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“From the leafy suburbs of Nairobi to the buzzing boroughs of New York City and back again, Lucky Girl is a glittering coming-of-age novel and a juicy indictment of the ‘tilted society of haves and have-nots.’ Muchemi-Ndiritu writes with spirit and nuance about privilege, race, and intergenerational heartache. I couldn't put it down.” (Alison B. Hart, author of The Work Wife)

“Stimulating the heart and mind, Lucky Girl is an irresistible novel that captures the immense pressure—to be perfect, to live on our own terms, to love and be loved—of our times. Fiery conversations around race, belonging, and differing cultures give this debut its vibrant energy, but the hard-won wisdom is what allows it to soar. Most brilliantly, Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu shows us what it means to live in balance, and how duties and dreams don’t always have to be at odds, especially when love is involved. Surprises abound, Lucky Girl is the literary gift we all need, making us the lucky ones.” (Mateo Askaripour, New York Times bestselling author of Black Buck)

“An incredibly nuanced, character-driven story with a courageous protagonist to root for, Lucky Girl is a powerful exploration of making the most of the hand you’ve been dealt.” (Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, author of Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?)

Lucky Girl

Loved the flow of the book, the ease of understanding, and the personalities of the characters.

Wonderful Story and Voice Actor

I loved this premier novel by Muchemi-Ndiritu. If this is her first novel then sign me up for all her future creations. The novel and characters are well crafted and the story is multifaceted and captivating. I especially appreciated the exploration of the complexities of Africans understanding African-Americans and vice versa. The voice actor Musu-Kulla Massaquoi has an extraordinary voice and her rendering of the different characters really brought them to life.

Thanks Musu!

You have a beautiful voice! You did Soila justice. Thank you so much, for bringing her to life!

Perspectives

Excellent excellent book. Gave great perspective about cultural differences although the skin may look the same. Spoke about female blame and shame in a sexual assault, religion, family relationships and dynamics, education inequality and oh so much more. Great read.

Absolutely Brilliant

This book should be a movie, period. Well written, dynamic, entertaining and a wonderful flow.