Week 16 Review: Nigeria Jones

From Goodreads:

From Ibi Zoboi, bestselling, award-winning author of American Street and co-author of Punching the Air, comes a bold new YA coming-of-age story, which explores race, feminism, and complicated family dynamics, about a girl whose father is the leader of a Black liberation group. The ideal next read for fans of Roxane Gay, Jacqueline Woodson, and Elizabeth Acevedo.

Warrior Princess. That's what Nigeria Jones's father calls her. He has raised her as part of the Movement, a Black separatist group based in Philadelphia. Nigeria is homeschooled and vegan and participates in traditional rituals to connect her and other kids from the group to their ancestors. But when her mother--the perfect matriarch of their Movement--disappears, Nigeria's world is upended. She finds herself taking care of her baby brother and stepping into a role she doesn't want.

Nigeria's mother had secrets. She wished for a different life for her children, which includes sending her daughter to a private Quaker school outside of their strict group. Despite her father's disapproval, Nigeria attends the school with her cousin, Kamau, and Sage, who used to be a friend. -There, she begins to flourish and expand her universe.

As Nigeria searches for her mother, she starts to uncover a shocking truth. One that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about her life and her family.

From award-winning author Ibi Zoboi comes a powerful story about discovering who you are in the world--and fighting for that person--by having the courage to be your own revolution.

My Review:
I really enjoyed this book! I loved reading her other 2 books, and I was really excited to pick this one up. The idea of leaving a very narrow life, and entertaining into general society, yeah, that's a scary and interesting idea to read about!

Nigeria's been raised to want to live in a black world, to have nothing whatever to do with things or people who are white. That her mom wants her to go to a private school that's predominately white, well, that's something that Nigeria isn't really equipped to handle.

The thing about being raised with a narrow, black and white view, well, is the fact that life is in shades of gray, which Nigeria learns through the course of the book. It was great to see her worldview expand and just because a number of people are bad, doesn't mean everyone is.

I know some people didn't like that one reveal. I myself didn't mind it too much, it was just a little off-putting and took me out of the book just a smidge, but it was pretty well done, and I enjoyed reading it. It just wasn't the most realistic thing, but this is a book.

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to read more by Ibi Zoboi! 

Author: Ibi Zoboi
Read:  April 17th, 2023
Source: Edelweiss  
Reason Why: Love her writing, and it's a SAC 2023 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Baler + Bray
Expected Publication: May 9th 2023

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars