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Being Lara
A poignant and provocative story of adoption, self-discovery, and the meaning of family, Being Lara by author Lola Jaye ( By the Time You Read This ) is an unforgettable tale of three women—British mother, Nigerian birth mother, and 30-year-old daughter—the choices they made, and the fragile bond they try to create across time and continents. Intelligent and touching, Being Lara is exquisite contemporary fiction with heart and soul that will resonate with readers of Cecilia Ahearn, Thrity Umrigar, and Shilpi Gowda.
320 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2012
17 people are currently reading
663 people want to read
About the author
Lola Jaye
12 books472 followersLola Jaye is an author, registered psychotherapist and speaker who has penned six novels and a self-help book.
She was born and raised in London, England and has lived in Nigeria and the United States. She currently works as a psychotherapist. She has written for, CNN, HuffPost, Essence and the BBC and also speaks on issues of mental health and racism. She has also appeared on national television, most recently discussing Covid 19 and mental wellbeing. Lola once gave a presentation on imposter syndrome – a subject close to her heart, because at times she’s unable to believe she’s an actual writer!
The Attic Child (Macmillan) is her first epic historical novel.
Find out more about Lola and what she’s been up to by visiting her website; www.lolajaye.com, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook.
She was born and raised in London, England and has lived in Nigeria and the United States. She currently works as a psychotherapist. She has written for, CNN, HuffPost, Essence and the BBC and also speaks on issues of mental health and racism. She has also appeared on national television, most recently discussing Covid 19 and mental wellbeing. Lola once gave a presentation on imposter syndrome – a subject close to her heart, because at times she’s unable to believe she’s an actual writer!
The Attic Child (Macmillan) is her first epic historical novel.
Find out more about Lola and what she’s been up to by visiting her website; www.lolajaye.com, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
May 30, 2012
"Dating back to the 1950s, it was not uncommon for Nigerian families to send their children to live with white families in England in a situation best described as private fostering. Rather than go through agencies similar to those here in America, families would simply advertise their child in the local papers, in hopes that a family would be willing to raise them until they were ready to do so themselves. Unlike foster care in the U.S., the birth parents paid the families directly for the care of their child. In most instances, the parents were not poor or seemingly neglectful, as are many parents in America's system. Rather, these were parents that came to England to pursue education or job opportunities and, hindered by their children, sent them to a full time family to care for them until time and money afforded them the chance to do so themselves." - excerpt from my review of Colorblind by Precious Williams
Being Lara is the story of Lara Reid, Nigerian by birth, English in spirit. Adopted at three by a former English pop star and her husband, Lara has grown up in a household where she knows she is loved, but still longs for the piece of herself that she intuitively knows is missing. When the missing piece shows up in the form of her birth mother on her thirtieth birthday, Lara questions if this is a prayer she truly wanted answered.
Though the situation in Being Lara is not the same as the situation in Colorblind, I still found myself comparing the two. While Precious in Colorblind, which is based on the author's true life story, was fostered to a family, Lara, a fictional character, is adopted. However, both women find themselves questioning their differences from their white playmates as children and again, as adults, their co-workers, friends, etc. In both situations, the characters had problems with introduction to the Nigerian world that was unfamiliar to them. The assumption from their birth parents seemed to be that they should naturally know and understand all things Nigerian.
I appreciated Lola Jaye taking the time to not only tell Lara's story, but telling her mother's as well. Too often the story is only told from the perspective of the adoptee, so I found Yomi's story fascinating. It was also interesting to see Yomi's interactions with Lara's adopted parents. Most enjoyable, though, were Lara and her grandmother's conversations. There was a lot of self-discovery for several of the characters. This was my first read from Lola Jaye, but I was impressed enough that I'll be checking out more from her.
Note: If you're interested in reading more about fostering and the long-term affects, I encourage you to read Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's, best known as Adebisi in HBO's Oz and Mr. Eko in Lost, recent article in The Guardian.
Being Lara is the story of Lara Reid, Nigerian by birth, English in spirit. Adopted at three by a former English pop star and her husband, Lara has grown up in a household where she knows she is loved, but still longs for the piece of herself that she intuitively knows is missing. When the missing piece shows up in the form of her birth mother on her thirtieth birthday, Lara questions if this is a prayer she truly wanted answered.
Though the situation in Being Lara is not the same as the situation in Colorblind, I still found myself comparing the two. While Precious in Colorblind, which is based on the author's true life story, was fostered to a family, Lara, a fictional character, is adopted. However, both women find themselves questioning their differences from their white playmates as children and again, as adults, their co-workers, friends, etc. In both situations, the characters had problems with introduction to the Nigerian world that was unfamiliar to them. The assumption from their birth parents seemed to be that they should naturally know and understand all things Nigerian.
I appreciated Lola Jaye taking the time to not only tell Lara's story, but telling her mother's as well. Too often the story is only told from the perspective of the adoptee, so I found Yomi's story fascinating. It was also interesting to see Yomi's interactions with Lara's adopted parents. Most enjoyable, though, were Lara and her grandmother's conversations. There was a lot of self-discovery for several of the characters. This was my first read from Lola Jaye, but I was impressed enough that I'll be checking out more from her.
Note: If you're interested in reading more about fostering and the long-term affects, I encourage you to read Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje's, best known as Adebisi in HBO's Oz and Mr. Eko in Lost, recent article in The Guardian.
May 14, 2012
Being Lara is the story of Lara Reid, who was adopted from Nigeria at age 3 by a white couple. Growing up she always felt different. Her birth mother shows up unexpectedly to her thirtieth birthday party, which sends Lara into a tailspin. She's forced to confront the abandonment and identity issues she's been trying to repress all these years.
First, I'd like to get two big problems I had with this book out of the way. First - the cover. That is not a picture of a Nigerian girl. I don't even think she's a black girl period. She might bi-racial but the main character is not. Lara is born from native Nigerian parents. I think it's sad that the publisher didn't put a dark skinned black girl on the cover - where they worried that they wouldn't sell as many books?
Second, there is a huge continuity error in the section about Lara's thirtieth birthday party. Lara makes a huge deal about taking a taxi to her party from her apartment. Then when Lara leaves the party, she leaves in her own car. How she gets to and from the party is actually relevant to the plot so it was a jarring error; I'm not sure how that got past an editor.
Okay, now on to the actual book review. I chose this book because my husband and I (both white) are in the process of adopting an African American little girl which makes me very interested in reading stories about transracial adoption. This book definitely taught me what not to do! Lara's parents didn't handle her being adopted or of a different race than them very well at all in my opinion. They didn't really acknowledge that she was adopted until she was eight years old and they never attempted to acquaint her with the culture and country she was born in. It's no wonder she had issues.
This book alternates between the stories of Lara, her adoptive mom Trish, and her birth mom Yomi. Learning Trish and Yomi's back stories helped me understand where their characters were coming from in the present day storyline dealing with Lara as an adult. Yomi's story also taught me about life in Nigeria and some of their customs and food.
I felt that Lara's issues were treated too simplistically in some ways. I felt like Lara should have struggled more and delved deeper into herself when her birth mother came to town. Things moved along rather quickly to be realistic.
Even though this review has some negative points, I did enjoy this book and I feel like I did learn more about transracial adoption from reading it.
First, I'd like to get two big problems I had with this book out of the way. First - the cover. That is not a picture of a Nigerian girl. I don't even think she's a black girl period. She might bi-racial but the main character is not. Lara is born from native Nigerian parents. I think it's sad that the publisher didn't put a dark skinned black girl on the cover - where they worried that they wouldn't sell as many books?
Second, there is a huge continuity error in the section about Lara's thirtieth birthday party. Lara makes a huge deal about taking a taxi to her party from her apartment. Then when Lara leaves the party, she leaves in her own car. How she gets to and from the party is actually relevant to the plot so it was a jarring error; I'm not sure how that got past an editor.
Okay, now on to the actual book review. I chose this book because my husband and I (both white) are in the process of adopting an African American little girl which makes me very interested in reading stories about transracial adoption. This book definitely taught me what not to do! Lara's parents didn't handle her being adopted or of a different race than them very well at all in my opinion. They didn't really acknowledge that she was adopted until she was eight years old and they never attempted to acquaint her with the culture and country she was born in. It's no wonder she had issues.
This book alternates between the stories of Lara, her adoptive mom Trish, and her birth mom Yomi. Learning Trish and Yomi's back stories helped me understand where their characters were coming from in the present day storyline dealing with Lara as an adult. Yomi's story also taught me about life in Nigeria and some of their customs and food.
I felt that Lara's issues were treated too simplistically in some ways. I felt like Lara should have struggled more and delved deeper into herself when her birth mother came to town. Things moved along rather quickly to be realistic.
Even though this review has some negative points, I did enjoy this book and I feel like I did learn more about transracial adoption from reading it.
August 5, 2012
• I did like how the author showed that the discrimination/racism was not only skin color but class status. I think it was interesting to see how this type of discrimination plays out in an English setting v US setting.
• I think this would be a very good book club discussion group because of the issues presented and the “what ifs” which others could say how they would have reacted to some of the situations presented.
• Enjoyed how the author presented Lara’s adopted experience and did not make it feel like a “stereotype” – there was a unique feeling. Also thought that while the characters had flaws/issues they each tried to make the best of the situation and this made the characters come across as “normal”. And lastly loved the food/cooking issue how it was used to connect across generations/characters.
• To some readers the ending may seem a little too tidy but I think based on what we learned about the characters in the book – they were able to sit together at the award ceremony but there were still unresolved issues with each of the them and their connections to others at the table
• I think this would be a very good book club discussion group because of the issues presented and the “what ifs” which others could say how they would have reacted to some of the situations presented.
• Enjoyed how the author presented Lara’s adopted experience and did not make it feel like a “stereotype” – there was a unique feeling. Also thought that while the characters had flaws/issues they each tried to make the best of the situation and this made the characters come across as “normal”. And lastly loved the food/cooking issue how it was used to connect across generations/characters.
• To some readers the ending may seem a little too tidy but I think based on what we learned about the characters in the book – they were able to sit together at the award ceremony but there were still unresolved issues with each of the them and their connections to others at the table
March 30, 2012
At the age of three, Lara is adopted from Nigeria by a British pop star and her husband. At her thirtieth birthday party, her biological mother arrives wanting to have a relationship with her. Lara struggles with abandonment issues, adopting a new cultural heritage and a mild case of OCD to become a complete person.
The book is loosely chronological, featuring many flashbacks to Lara's childhood and both her mothers' experiences around her birth and her adoption. I was glad the author gave us that history in from the point of view of both of these women, as it really enriched Lara's story even though she was not privy to much of it. Both Patricia and Yomi have an intriguing and complicated relationship with their own mothers as well. The emotional depth of the situations and racial/cultural issues was handled beautifully.
What I found (a lot) less genuine and and more chick-lit-esque was Lara's current life. She's become a wealthy executive at a jewelry website, has a perfect flat and a too-good-to-be-true boyfriend. Her friend Sandi is more realistic and a welcome addition, but Tyler the boyfriend comes off as unbelievable and not in a good way. Her life is a fairy tale, except for the whole thing about how she's a black kid with white parents.
The conflict between the families, her adoptive parents' fear that they'll lose her and her birth mother and grandmother's fear she won't let them in to her life is, as I said before, emotional, but resolved a little quickly and with a lot less actual conflict than I would imagine a situation like that being. There are revelations and events that quickly change Lara's attitudes without her having to struggle to accept the reality of the situation. It comes off as unconvincingly facile, but it's still an effortless and enjoyable book to read. I genuinely liked all of the major characters and rooted for Lara to be able to come to grips with herself. It's a lighter take on the subject matter than I expected, but still pleasurable to read.
The book is loosely chronological, featuring many flashbacks to Lara's childhood and both her mothers' experiences around her birth and her adoption. I was glad the author gave us that history in from the point of view of both of these women, as it really enriched Lara's story even though she was not privy to much of it. Both Patricia and Yomi have an intriguing and complicated relationship with their own mothers as well. The emotional depth of the situations and racial/cultural issues was handled beautifully.
What I found (a lot) less genuine and and more chick-lit-esque was Lara's current life. She's become a wealthy executive at a jewelry website, has a perfect flat and a too-good-to-be-true boyfriend. Her friend Sandi is more realistic and a welcome addition, but Tyler the boyfriend comes off as unbelievable and not in a good way. Her life is a fairy tale, except for the whole thing about how she's a black kid with white parents.
The conflict between the families, her adoptive parents' fear that they'll lose her and her birth mother and grandmother's fear she won't let them in to her life is, as I said before, emotional, but resolved a little quickly and with a lot less actual conflict than I would imagine a situation like that being. There are revelations and events that quickly change Lara's attitudes without her having to struggle to accept the reality of the situation. It comes off as unconvincingly facile, but it's still an effortless and enjoyable book to read. I genuinely liked all of the major characters and rooted for Lara to be able to come to grips with herself. It's a lighter take on the subject matter than I expected, but still pleasurable to read.
June 5, 2012
A fairly deep book about adoption and in particular, adoption of a black girl in a white family back in the 70's/80's. The whole book is absolutely amazing and really hits home how each person felt and the things that made them make the choices they made, along with the consequence's. Lola brings the reader through a life time of hurt and anger and shown the love and care, educating the reader as Lara learns of her decent.
All I can say is it a bloody brilliant book that has got deep inside me and will never leave.
All I can say is it a bloody brilliant book that has got deep inside me and will never leave.
March 13, 2012
Being Lara had the potential to be a good story but there was something lacking in the characters. Even though adequate back story was given, I just didn't feel a connection to them one way or the other. They seemed to all have the same voice which made it hard to distinguish at times and some of the writing was a bit melodramatic for my taste. It's a decent book and I don't doubt others will enjoy it more than I did.
March 27, 2012
Everyone is different in their own way. Sometimes it's our personality that makes us different. Sometimes it's how we live. What we eat. It can be so many things. Being different makes us who we are. Growing up, being different wasn't always a good thing for Lara Reid. Despite her parents always making her feel like she was special, Lara always knew something was different about her. Being Lara by Lola Jaye is an emotional journey into adoption and what makes a family.
Born Omolara in Nigeria, Lara was adopted by a white British couple, Pat and Barry. When we first meet Lara, it is her 30th birthday. She has a successful career, close friend, Sandi, and a boyfriend. But all of that just isn't enough. Her boyfriend Tyler is deeply in love with her, but Lara won't let him in. She's just waiting for the moment when Tyler has had enough. She doesn't want him to love her because eventually the relationship will end. Her birth mother left her. Growing up, Lara always felt if she said or did the wrong thing her parents would send her back to Nigeria. At any moment the people in her life can pack up and leave. To me, it seems like such an irrational fear but I'm not adopted. I found it hard to relate to her character. She has this whole "woe is me attitude." Millions of people are adopted but not everyone has those fears.
At her 30th birthday party, Lara is frozen with fear when a strange woman crashes her party. She doesn't know this woman personally, but Lara knows at some point in time they did know each other. The woman is her birth mother Yomi. This is where the story shifts. We learn about Yomi and Pat's youth. To me, this is their book and not Lara's as the title would suggest. Yomi wanted to follow her heart and marry for love. But her parents' influence forced her to marry for convenience. Being the fourth wife of a wealthy Chief wasn't her dream life, but it helped her parents out financially. When she became pregnant, Yomi wanted better for her child. Leaving Omolara at an orphanage was out of love. Her child's safety was at risk from the other wives who didn't like Yomi's presence. She had to let everyone else believe that Omolara was dead. It was painful, but for the best. Maybe one day she could get her back.
Pat and Yomi's lives seemed to mirror each other. Pat did marry for love, but she didn't have a supportive family. When Pat achieved a little bit of success as a singer, her brothers were ready to pump her for money. If she doesn't give them money, that must mean Pat doesn't love her family. She must be better than them. It was the total opposite. Pat just wanted love and support from her family, but eventually she came to realize she wouldn't get it. Even when Pat and Barry adopted Lara, there was no happy reaction from them. It was, "how can you bring this child into the family?"
There were times I had trouble following the timeline. All three women narrate the book, but some chapters go back and forth between the past and present. Never fear, there a lot of good things in this book. You can learn a lot about Nigerian culture and food. The book made me hungry at some points. It's also refreshing to see a fiction book tackle the subject of interracial adoption.
I connected more to Pat and Yomi's characters than Lara. The book spends more time on her mothers. I found Lara to be on the whiny side, while her mothers were full of strength. Despite decades apart, Yomi still sought out her daughter. She could be rejected but still took the chance to let Omolara know she loved her. Despite all the stares in public and family rejection, Pat was always happiest being Lara's mother.
Rating: Give it a try
Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher (HarperCollins) as part of a blog tour with TLC Book Tours
Born Omolara in Nigeria, Lara was adopted by a white British couple, Pat and Barry. When we first meet Lara, it is her 30th birthday. She has a successful career, close friend, Sandi, and a boyfriend. But all of that just isn't enough. Her boyfriend Tyler is deeply in love with her, but Lara won't let him in. She's just waiting for the moment when Tyler has had enough. She doesn't want him to love her because eventually the relationship will end. Her birth mother left her. Growing up, Lara always felt if she said or did the wrong thing her parents would send her back to Nigeria. At any moment the people in her life can pack up and leave. To me, it seems like such an irrational fear but I'm not adopted. I found it hard to relate to her character. She has this whole "woe is me attitude." Millions of people are adopted but not everyone has those fears.
At her 30th birthday party, Lara is frozen with fear when a strange woman crashes her party. She doesn't know this woman personally, but Lara knows at some point in time they did know each other. The woman is her birth mother Yomi. This is where the story shifts. We learn about Yomi and Pat's youth. To me, this is their book and not Lara's as the title would suggest. Yomi wanted to follow her heart and marry for love. But her parents' influence forced her to marry for convenience. Being the fourth wife of a wealthy Chief wasn't her dream life, but it helped her parents out financially. When she became pregnant, Yomi wanted better for her child. Leaving Omolara at an orphanage was out of love. Her child's safety was at risk from the other wives who didn't like Yomi's presence. She had to let everyone else believe that Omolara was dead. It was painful, but for the best. Maybe one day she could get her back.
Pat and Yomi's lives seemed to mirror each other. Pat did marry for love, but she didn't have a supportive family. When Pat achieved a little bit of success as a singer, her brothers were ready to pump her for money. If she doesn't give them money, that must mean Pat doesn't love her family. She must be better than them. It was the total opposite. Pat just wanted love and support from her family, but eventually she came to realize she wouldn't get it. Even when Pat and Barry adopted Lara, there was no happy reaction from them. It was, "how can you bring this child into the family?"
There were times I had trouble following the timeline. All three women narrate the book, but some chapters go back and forth between the past and present. Never fear, there a lot of good things in this book. You can learn a lot about Nigerian culture and food. The book made me hungry at some points. It's also refreshing to see a fiction book tackle the subject of interracial adoption.
I connected more to Pat and Yomi's characters than Lara. The book spends more time on her mothers. I found Lara to be on the whiny side, while her mothers were full of strength. Despite decades apart, Yomi still sought out her daughter. She could be rejected but still took the chance to let Omolara know she loved her. Despite all the stares in public and family rejection, Pat was always happiest being Lara's mother.
Rating: Give it a try
Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher (HarperCollins) as part of a blog tour with TLC Book Tours
March 13, 2012
Lara is a successful business woman who was adopted at the age of 3, when her parents, her mother a well-known pop star, visited Nigeria for a charity project, saw her at an orphanage, and fell in love with her.
The book goes back in time and we read the stories of Yomi, Lara's birth mother, and that of Pat, her adoptive mother. Why Lara ended up in an orphanage, we only find out towards the end of the book.
Lara has always had problems with abandonment and so far, at 30, has had several relationships but spoiled them for herself by expecting the partners to run off. Her newest boyfriend, Tyler, is a lovely man, but he can't convince her that he's there to stay.
When Lara finally meets her birth mother, she finds it hard to get close to her. She slowly starts to grow into the new Lara, who has a history not only in England, but also in Nigeria, and into a woman who dares to take some risks and doesn't worry about being abandoned along the way.
This was a good story about what it is like to be adopted. I liked it that Lara's mother's life in Nigeria (up to the point that Lara was born) was included in this story. It was interesting to know her back story and to learn more about Nigeria sin the 1970s and 1980s.
I didn't like Lara all that much, though. She was neurotic about expecting her boyfriend to run off, and for that reason, didn't even want him to to get close to her. She was rather business-like and cool. I'm not sure I was completely convinced by her fear of being abandoned. She'd had many years with her adoptive parents and had been abandoned by her birth mother when she was too young to remember it. I found that story line rather weak. Much better was how Lara got to know her birth mother and the sensitivities with her adoptive parents about this.
The story was written fluently, and while it was not a page turner, I was curious to know what would happen next.
One strange thing: the author only once used the words "black", "white" and "coloured", which seemed odd in a book that is (also) about identity.
The book goes back in time and we read the stories of Yomi, Lara's birth mother, and that of Pat, her adoptive mother. Why Lara ended up in an orphanage, we only find out towards the end of the book.
Lara has always had problems with abandonment and so far, at 30, has had several relationships but spoiled them for herself by expecting the partners to run off. Her newest boyfriend, Tyler, is a lovely man, but he can't convince her that he's there to stay.
When Lara finally meets her birth mother, she finds it hard to get close to her. She slowly starts to grow into the new Lara, who has a history not only in England, but also in Nigeria, and into a woman who dares to take some risks and doesn't worry about being abandoned along the way.
This was a good story about what it is like to be adopted. I liked it that Lara's mother's life in Nigeria (up to the point that Lara was born) was included in this story. It was interesting to know her back story and to learn more about Nigeria sin the 1970s and 1980s.
I didn't like Lara all that much, though. She was neurotic about expecting her boyfriend to run off, and for that reason, didn't even want him to to get close to her. She was rather business-like and cool. I'm not sure I was completely convinced by her fear of being abandoned. She'd had many years with her adoptive parents and had been abandoned by her birth mother when she was too young to remember it. I found that story line rather weak. Much better was how Lara got to know her birth mother and the sensitivities with her adoptive parents about this.
The story was written fluently, and while it was not a page turner, I was curious to know what would happen next.
One strange thing: the author only once used the words "black", "white" and "coloured", which seemed odd in a book that is (also) about identity.
April 13, 2012
After reading Lola Jaye's "By the Time You read this" and loving it to pieces ,when I saw Being Lara come through at work- I knew I just had to read it . Not only did the premise of the book entice me but the cover was awesome. In Being Lara , the novel starts with Lara's 30th Birthday and the making of a wish when a Nigerian Lady comes to the door and chaos erupts. The lady at the door turns out to be Lara's biological mother. The novel then takes three directions. The first is of Lara's story - her experiences growing up and when she first noticed and was told she was an "alien", the way others looked when she was with her family and the humiliating birthday at McDonalds . The second is of Lara's adoptive mother Patricia , Patricia started off like any poor white girl - in a neighbourhood that nobody was really going anywhere though Pat always knew she would be a somebody and that somebody turns out to be "Trish Smith" - An 80's Pop Star. While singing , Trish meets Barry and soon the two of them are dating and eventually want to start a family until tragedy strikes and forces Trish and Barry to explore other options which leads them to Lara, a little girl who was abandoned at the Nigerian Orphanage. The last character's whose tale we discover is Yomi's - this is Lara or as she calls her Omalara's biological mother we read as she falls in love and then is forced to marry somebody else and then has an affair with the man she loves and the outcomes and consequences of her actions . It has taken thirty years of birthday wishes for Lara , but when she discovers the truth of her past - will it be the moment she had waited for her entire life or will it lead to more disappointment ?
Find out in Being Lara , and I look forward to reading more of Lola Jaye's releases. As I think Lola Jaye will become the next Dorothy Koomson.
Find out in Being Lara , and I look forward to reading more of Lola Jaye's releases. As I think Lola Jaye will become the next Dorothy Koomson.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2012
Lara was adopted at the young age of 3 by a mother who was a former pop star and a father who wanted nothing more then a baby of his own. At the age of 30 when her biological mother tries to enter the picture it turns Lara's whole world upside down.
I really liked the premise of this story, any books that have to do with adoption always attract my attention, and this one was no exception. Unfortantely for me I had a hard time connecting with Lara and the story in general, and found myself bored with the story for the most part, too many situations dragged on in my opinion and there wasn't enough to keep me invested fully in the story. I can say that I felt for Lara's situation as well as her adoptive parents and biological mother, but I guess the story just fell a bit flat for me.
This book wasn't horrible by any means, and I did like it overall, just didn't blow me away, or make me want to go back to reading it after I had put it down between readings. It took me a while to get through. I have heard amazing things about Lola Jaye though and do have another title of hers sitting on my bookshelf, so maybe that one will be a better fit for me.
I really liked the premise of this story, any books that have to do with adoption always attract my attention, and this one was no exception. Unfortantely for me I had a hard time connecting with Lara and the story in general, and found myself bored with the story for the most part, too many situations dragged on in my opinion and there wasn't enough to keep me invested fully in the story. I can say that I felt for Lara's situation as well as her adoptive parents and biological mother, but I guess the story just fell a bit flat for me.
This book wasn't horrible by any means, and I did like it overall, just didn't blow me away, or make me want to go back to reading it after I had put it down between readings. It took me a while to get through. I have heard amazing things about Lola Jaye though and do have another title of hers sitting on my bookshelf, so maybe that one will be a better fit for me.
May 15, 2015
A story that kept me turning pages from beginning to end. A little girl suddenly realizes that she is different from everyone else, her parents don't look like her and neither does the rest of her family. Lara has a hard time finding out the reality of her situation and upon entering her 30th year she is finally finding out the real truth.
Jumping from past and present and between different characters, the reader gets the whole picture for this book - through the eyes of Lara, her adopted mother and her birth mother. The reader finds out the history that leads each woman to where they are now in the present grappling with forming a new family unit. I thought this was a fresh approach to the world of adoption. We find out how she came to live at an orphanage and then what led her to London with her adopted parents.
I would recommend this to readers of all genres. This story was a new take that I think most readers would enjoy. It was a great read to find out how a young girl feels when she knows that her family isn't the norm.
Jumping from past and present and between different characters, the reader gets the whole picture for this book - through the eyes of Lara, her adopted mother and her birth mother. The reader finds out the history that leads each woman to where they are now in the present grappling with forming a new family unit. I thought this was a fresh approach to the world of adoption. We find out how she came to live at an orphanage and then what led her to London with her adopted parents.
I would recommend this to readers of all genres. This story was a new take that I think most readers would enjoy. It was a great read to find out how a young girl feels when she knows that her family isn't the norm.
April 10, 2012
I really liked this book. I liked the story and the characters. For some reason, though, it was a really slow read for me. I'm not sure why. I was interested in where the story was going and I definitely wanted to know what happened in the end, but something about the characters didnt draw me in. I think that, in the way that the main character held herself back from everyone in the whole story, something was held back in the telling of the story that prevented me from really connecting to it. Definitely worth reading, though. A good book club book!
February 18, 2017
The characters were unlikeable and dense. The adoption was handled badly. Most people adopting a child of another race today learn about embracing the child's heritage and are more open with each other. So it was frustrating to read about the botched situation and it wasn't written that well.
March 3, 2014
I absolutely love the depth of the story told in this book. It's so wonderful to see Lara finally come to grips with her past and who she is. Definitely a tear jerker !
January 20, 2015
Enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Was a nice book with a good message.
June 9, 2017
Compelling read, but from what I know about international, trans-racial adoptions, not terribly realistic. I might have enjoyed it more if all of the "loose ends" hadn't been tied up so neatly...life just isn't always like that. In fact, it's almost never like that.
Oh! And my biggest beef? The cover picture shows a kid who is most certainly not Nigerian-born. Or of any sort of African decent. Was it supposed to be Lara's white friend Sandi? What the hell. Whoever makes those types of decisions must have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Oh! And my biggest beef? The cover picture shows a kid who is most certainly not Nigerian-born. Or of any sort of African decent. Was it supposed to be Lara's white friend Sandi? What the hell. Whoever makes those types of decisions must have fallen asleep at the wheel.
October 6, 2022
Lara is a troubled child as she realizes she is different from the other little English girls in her school. She is different fro. Her beloved mom and dad…who expressed try to make her feel that she is not. Finding who she really is makes for a soul searching book.
July 24, 2017
A quick read about adoption, self-discovery, and family. A novel of two mothers and their 30 year old daughter and the choices each have made. Was not very well written.
August 2, 2017
The story line is one that gave me high expectations. However I thought I might drown in page after page of minutiae.
April 15, 2023
Feeling all the feels at the end of this beautiful story of difficult choices, complicated families, and one woman’s journey to find herself. Lola Jaye is one of my favorite authors!!
February 13, 2013
"Wie können Tauben hören, wenn sie keine Ohren haben?"
"Wo wohnen die Sterne am Himmel denn nachmittags?"
"Warum bin ich ... anders?"
Seite 21
Inhalt:
Lara wusste, dass es in ihrem Leben irgendwann einen einschneidenden Augenblick geben wird, der alles verändert, denn etwas fehlte in ihrem Leben. Sie wusste nur nicht, wann dieser Augenblick sein wird.
Sie feiert gerade mit ihrer Familie und Freunden ihrem dreißigsten Geburtstag, als es an der Türe klingelt. Und Lara weiß - der Augenblick ist gekommen. Denn vor ihr steht plötzlich ihre leibliche Mutter Yomi, die Lara als kleines Baby in ihrer Heimat Nigeria in ein Waisenhaus gegeben hatte. Pat und ihr Mann haben sie adoptiert, mit nach England genommen und liebevoll aufgezogen. Aber Lara spürte schon als kleines Mädchen, dass sie irgendwie anders sein muss. Seit ihre Mitschüler sie wegen ihrer Hautfarbe hänselten und sie bewusst wahrnahm, dass ihre Eltern nicht ihre richtigen Eltern sein können, wünscht sie sich, dass ihre richtige Mutter sie zu ihrem Geburtstag besucht. Darauf musste sie aber noch viele, viele Jahre warten.
Und plötzlich muss sich Lara ihrer Vergangenheit stellen und muss Entscheidungen treffen, denn nur so kann sie die Gegenwart bewusst leben und erleben.
"Es ist klug, nur sich selbst zu Vertrauen.
Verlass dich auf niemanden.
Dann kann dich niemals jemand verletzen."
Seite 170
Handlung & Charaktere:
Lola Jaye hat mit "Was fehlt, bist Du" ein absolut ergreifendes und mitreißendes Werk geschaffen, dass einen mitnimmt auf eine unglaublich emotionale Reise. Eine Reise, die das Leben dreier Frauen beschreibt, die über Kontinente getrennt sind, die aber doch so viel verbindet.
In diesem Buch wartet eine Erzählung auf, die zwei Generationen verstrickt und die geschickt zwischen der Gegenwart und der Vergangenheit hin und her springt. Dieser Erzählstil fordert den Leser und zwingt ihn regelrecht, dieses Buch bewusst, mit Ruhe und Zeit zu lesen. Und genau das ist so wichtig, um alles in sich aufnehmen zu können. Ein großes Lob an die Autorin, die dies so optimal umgesetzt hat und wusste, wie sie ihre Leser mitnehmen kann, sie integrieren kann in diese Lebensreise dieser drei Frauen. Erzählt wird aus der Sicht des allwissenden Erzählers, mal aus Lara's Sicht, dann wieder aus Yomi's und aus Pat's Sicht. Vergangenheit und Gegenwart verschmilzt und man lernt alle drei Protagonistinnen gleichzeitig kennen und versteht, wie sich deren Leben verstrickt. Während man mit Lara's inneren Kämpfen in der Gegenwart mitleidet, ihrem Versuch, ihr Leben vollständig in den Griff zu bekommen, erfährt man zeitgleich aus Yomi's Sicht , unter welchen Umständen sie aufwuchs und später heiratete - und natürlich auch die Hintergründe, wie und warum sie die kleine Lara, oder besser Omolara, in das Waisenhaus gegeben hatte. Und dann ist da noch Pat, die junge ambitionierte Frau, die von ihrer Familie im Stich gelassen wurde, als sie sich für eine Karriere als Sängerin entschied. Eine Frau, die sich nichts sehnlicher wünscht, als eine Familie um sich zu haben und deren Wunsch leider nicht erfüllt wird - bis das Schicksal ihr die kleine Lara in die Arme legt.
Der Kreis schließt sich und dieses Schicksal bindet diese drei Frauen für ein Leben aneinander.
"Sie hatte davon gehört, wie manche Menschen in diesem Land behandelt wurden, bloß weil man sie für anders hielt. Aber was hieß das, anders? Menschen bluteten gleich, Herzen schlugen gleich. Das alles ergab für Pat keinen Sinn.
Seite 85
Geschrieben ist dieses Werk ganz unüblich in roter Schrift. Ich habe lange darüber nachgedacht, warum. Zuerst dachte ich, diese rote Schrift steht für die Liebe, denn die Liebe ist ja ein zentrales Thema. Aber nach einigem Nachdenken glaube ich, diese rote Schrift symbolisiert das Blut, dass durch die Adern der Familie fließt und das sie für ein Leben verbindet - egal, ob Kontinente die Menschen voneinander trennt.
Mein persönliches Fazit :
Die Autorin Lola Jaye ist für mich persönlich eine absolute Neuentdeckung und ihr Werk "Was fehlt, bist Du" eine wahre Bereicherung. Dieses Buch strotzt vor unglaublicher Sprachgewalt. Schnörkellos und doch so Emotionsgeladen. Ich habe mitgelitten, mitgetrauert, mitlacht - ich habe eine emotionale Achterbahn der Gefühle hinter mir! Ein tolles Buch - ein Buch über die Liebe, über die Familie, über Zusammenhalt. Meine absolute Leseempfehlung - und mein bisheriges Jahres-Lesehighlight!
© Rezension: Alexandra
buecherkaffee.blogspot.de
"Wo wohnen die Sterne am Himmel denn nachmittags?"
"Warum bin ich ... anders?"
Seite 21
Inhalt:
Lara wusste, dass es in ihrem Leben irgendwann einen einschneidenden Augenblick geben wird, der alles verändert, denn etwas fehlte in ihrem Leben. Sie wusste nur nicht, wann dieser Augenblick sein wird.
Sie feiert gerade mit ihrer Familie und Freunden ihrem dreißigsten Geburtstag, als es an der Türe klingelt. Und Lara weiß - der Augenblick ist gekommen. Denn vor ihr steht plötzlich ihre leibliche Mutter Yomi, die Lara als kleines Baby in ihrer Heimat Nigeria in ein Waisenhaus gegeben hatte. Pat und ihr Mann haben sie adoptiert, mit nach England genommen und liebevoll aufgezogen. Aber Lara spürte schon als kleines Mädchen, dass sie irgendwie anders sein muss. Seit ihre Mitschüler sie wegen ihrer Hautfarbe hänselten und sie bewusst wahrnahm, dass ihre Eltern nicht ihre richtigen Eltern sein können, wünscht sie sich, dass ihre richtige Mutter sie zu ihrem Geburtstag besucht. Darauf musste sie aber noch viele, viele Jahre warten.
Und plötzlich muss sich Lara ihrer Vergangenheit stellen und muss Entscheidungen treffen, denn nur so kann sie die Gegenwart bewusst leben und erleben.
"Es ist klug, nur sich selbst zu Vertrauen.
Verlass dich auf niemanden.
Dann kann dich niemals jemand verletzen."
Seite 170
Handlung & Charaktere:
Lola Jaye hat mit "Was fehlt, bist Du" ein absolut ergreifendes und mitreißendes Werk geschaffen, dass einen mitnimmt auf eine unglaublich emotionale Reise. Eine Reise, die das Leben dreier Frauen beschreibt, die über Kontinente getrennt sind, die aber doch so viel verbindet.
In diesem Buch wartet eine Erzählung auf, die zwei Generationen verstrickt und die geschickt zwischen der Gegenwart und der Vergangenheit hin und her springt. Dieser Erzählstil fordert den Leser und zwingt ihn regelrecht, dieses Buch bewusst, mit Ruhe und Zeit zu lesen. Und genau das ist so wichtig, um alles in sich aufnehmen zu können. Ein großes Lob an die Autorin, die dies so optimal umgesetzt hat und wusste, wie sie ihre Leser mitnehmen kann, sie integrieren kann in diese Lebensreise dieser drei Frauen. Erzählt wird aus der Sicht des allwissenden Erzählers, mal aus Lara's Sicht, dann wieder aus Yomi's und aus Pat's Sicht. Vergangenheit und Gegenwart verschmilzt und man lernt alle drei Protagonistinnen gleichzeitig kennen und versteht, wie sich deren Leben verstrickt. Während man mit Lara's inneren Kämpfen in der Gegenwart mitleidet, ihrem Versuch, ihr Leben vollständig in den Griff zu bekommen, erfährt man zeitgleich aus Yomi's Sicht , unter welchen Umständen sie aufwuchs und später heiratete - und natürlich auch die Hintergründe, wie und warum sie die kleine Lara, oder besser Omolara, in das Waisenhaus gegeben hatte. Und dann ist da noch Pat, die junge ambitionierte Frau, die von ihrer Familie im Stich gelassen wurde, als sie sich für eine Karriere als Sängerin entschied. Eine Frau, die sich nichts sehnlicher wünscht, als eine Familie um sich zu haben und deren Wunsch leider nicht erfüllt wird - bis das Schicksal ihr die kleine Lara in die Arme legt.
Der Kreis schließt sich und dieses Schicksal bindet diese drei Frauen für ein Leben aneinander.
"Sie hatte davon gehört, wie manche Menschen in diesem Land behandelt wurden, bloß weil man sie für anders hielt. Aber was hieß das, anders? Menschen bluteten gleich, Herzen schlugen gleich. Das alles ergab für Pat keinen Sinn.
Seite 85
Geschrieben ist dieses Werk ganz unüblich in roter Schrift. Ich habe lange darüber nachgedacht, warum. Zuerst dachte ich, diese rote Schrift steht für die Liebe, denn die Liebe ist ja ein zentrales Thema. Aber nach einigem Nachdenken glaube ich, diese rote Schrift symbolisiert das Blut, dass durch die Adern der Familie fließt und das sie für ein Leben verbindet - egal, ob Kontinente die Menschen voneinander trennt.
Mein persönliches Fazit :
Die Autorin Lola Jaye ist für mich persönlich eine absolute Neuentdeckung und ihr Werk "Was fehlt, bist Du" eine wahre Bereicherung. Dieses Buch strotzt vor unglaublicher Sprachgewalt. Schnörkellos und doch so Emotionsgeladen. Ich habe mitgelitten, mitgetrauert, mitlacht - ich habe eine emotionale Achterbahn der Gefühle hinter mir! Ein tolles Buch - ein Buch über die Liebe, über die Familie, über Zusammenhalt. Meine absolute Leseempfehlung - und mein bisheriges Jahres-Lesehighlight!
© Rezension: Alexandra
buecherkaffee.blogspot.de
April 19, 2016
I would give this book 2.5 stars, but due to the fact that that's not possible, I'm rounding up because this isn't my normal genre of choice so I guess this book just isn't my cup of tea and I kind of knew it from the start so I'm not sure why I read it. I found the story line intriguing-- a Nigerian girl is adopted by white British parents, and her birth mother comes back into her life on her 30th birthday-- and I really enjoyed the parts of the book that took place in Nigeria. But I just couldn't get into the parts of the book (which was most of the book) that took place in Essex.
The book was rather cliche and cheesy. The writing was not good, and at times it was downright hard to follow what the author was trying to say. There were quite a few grammatical "errors" or just incorrect ways of writing. The characters were more like sketches and I lacked the ability to empathize with most of them. There were also entire sections that were italicized and that was annoying. And some of the flashbacks were confusing in terms of the time sequence. I felt that the book was entirely too long and included mundane and unnecessary scenes.
One main issue I had with this book is that it didn't really go into racial identity which seemed odd for a book about identity issues. Also the light-skinned girl on the cover really bothers me because the main character is supposed to be 100% dark-skinned Nigerian. I don't understand writing a book about a black girl being adopted by white parents but then shying away from the subject. And I know that the author doesn't get to choose (or approve?) the cover but it just further ruined it for me.
* * *
The remainder of this review contains SPOILERS.
* * *
The questions/issues I had that really annoyed me about this book were as follows:
- Why (and how?!) did the birth mom walk right in on Lara's 30th birthday party? If she really cared for her daughter that seems like an awful way to try to introduce herself into her life!
- The fact that the father hid the birth mother's attempts to contact Lara-- and many facts about her existence and Lara's origin as well-- didn't sit right with me at all. I am not sure what adoptive parents are supposed to do in this situation as in my opinion if someone is unable or unwilling to care for their children then they should give up all rights to them and not expect to have any contact with them. On the other hand at some point it becomes the child's right to know about their origin and their birth parents. So I think that at least by the time Lara was 18-- or even earlier, when she started to be curious and ask about her birth mother (at age 10)-- then she should have been given the information from her adoptive parents. No wonder she was confused and had identity issues growing up.
- The fact that the maternal grandmother disowned Lara's adoptive mom, and Lara, just because of the color of her skin (and in general the way she and the rest of the family treated her daughter the entire time) was awful and I don't think she should have had any right to just come back at the end of the story and enjoy her now-adult granddaughter. I would have been livid if I was Lara and I honestly think that Lara's adoptive mom is pretty Fed up to want a mother like that back in her life and her daughter's life. The entire family dynamic of all of these people seemed really messed up to me.
- I think this book couldn't decide whether to be a serious book about adoption and identity or a cliche chick lit/romance book. The relationship between Tyler and Lara was eye-rolling but I do get that it was supposed to show her growing as a character and being able to finally trust someone.
- The relationship with the friend Shelly or whatever her name was was well done but also cliche at times. I guess that's one part of the book that seemed realistic and that I enjoyed reading. But towards the end it veered into unrealistic lesson-learning speech time that was not enjoyable.
- I could empathize with Yoma, the birth mother, the most and I think it's because the story in Nigeria was so well-told and also because I don't think she ever got a lot of choices in the matter (unlike Lara's adoptive parents and grandparents and even Lara herself.) I didn't always agree with what Yoma did or how she went about it (especially the 30th birthday party scene in the beginning that I mentioned above) but I could GET it.
The book was rather cliche and cheesy. The writing was not good, and at times it was downright hard to follow what the author was trying to say. There were quite a few grammatical "errors" or just incorrect ways of writing. The characters were more like sketches and I lacked the ability to empathize with most of them. There were also entire sections that were italicized and that was annoying. And some of the flashbacks were confusing in terms of the time sequence. I felt that the book was entirely too long and included mundane and unnecessary scenes.
One main issue I had with this book is that it didn't really go into racial identity which seemed odd for a book about identity issues. Also the light-skinned girl on the cover really bothers me because the main character is supposed to be 100% dark-skinned Nigerian. I don't understand writing a book about a black girl being adopted by white parents but then shying away from the subject. And I know that the author doesn't get to choose (or approve?) the cover but it just further ruined it for me.
* * *
The remainder of this review contains SPOILERS.
* * *
The questions/issues I had that really annoyed me about this book were as follows:
- Why (and how?!) did the birth mom walk right in on Lara's 30th birthday party? If she really cared for her daughter that seems like an awful way to try to introduce herself into her life!
- The fact that the father hid the birth mother's attempts to contact Lara-- and many facts about her existence and Lara's origin as well-- didn't sit right with me at all. I am not sure what adoptive parents are supposed to do in this situation as in my opinion if someone is unable or unwilling to care for their children then they should give up all rights to them and not expect to have any contact with them. On the other hand at some point it becomes the child's right to know about their origin and their birth parents. So I think that at least by the time Lara was 18-- or even earlier, when she started to be curious and ask about her birth mother (at age 10)-- then she should have been given the information from her adoptive parents. No wonder she was confused and had identity issues growing up.
- The fact that the maternal grandmother disowned Lara's adoptive mom, and Lara, just because of the color of her skin (and in general the way she and the rest of the family treated her daughter the entire time) was awful and I don't think she should have had any right to just come back at the end of the story and enjoy her now-adult granddaughter. I would have been livid if I was Lara and I honestly think that Lara's adoptive mom is pretty Fed up to want a mother like that back in her life and her daughter's life. The entire family dynamic of all of these people seemed really messed up to me.
- I think this book couldn't decide whether to be a serious book about adoption and identity or a cliche chick lit/romance book. The relationship between Tyler and Lara was eye-rolling but I do get that it was supposed to show her growing as a character and being able to finally trust someone.
- The relationship with the friend Shelly or whatever her name was was well done but also cliche at times. I guess that's one part of the book that seemed realistic and that I enjoyed reading. But towards the end it veered into unrealistic lesson-learning speech time that was not enjoyable.
- I could empathize with Yoma, the birth mother, the most and I think it's because the story in Nigeria was so well-told and also because I don't think she ever got a lot of choices in the matter (unlike Lara's adoptive parents and grandparents and even Lara herself.) I didn't always agree with what Yoma did or how she went about it (especially the 30th birthday party scene in the beginning that I mentioned above) but I could GET it.
May 7, 2018
Love how the author really brought Lara side of the story out. Its sad because sometimes people are so lost with identifying who they are especially if they are in the system. But also opens your eyes to let you know sometimes parents do give their child up for a reason. Love how she embraced the African culture in this book felt like I was experiencing it too. Especially with the accents.
November 3, 2014
“Being Lara by Lola Jaye opened with Lara’s thirtieth birthday party and she didn’t really want to go to it. She is a very successful business woman working with expensive jewelry; she is “going with” a very handsome and considerate man, her mother had been a pop star in the past and she has a very loving father.
Lara flashes back to memories of when she was five. She had been called an “alien” because she looked different from her classmates. Her birth mother was in Nigeria and her adoptive parents were both white. As she gets older showing emotions is like touching a very hot stove with her bare hands. Alternating with the present and the past for the sections titled Lara, this book also alternates with the stories of her two mothers.
Pat tells her story of growing up in South London and not quite fitting into her family, being an introvert. She still felt sad about her losing her father. She felt closer to him than anyone. She met and married an unusually sensitive man with a loving nature and an open ear for Pat. He actually knows Pat more than she does herself.
Yomi, her Nigerian mother also goes back to childhood of poverty and longing for a “Jane Austin type of life”. Not only do learn about her life, you learn Nigerian customs, foods and growing up in Lagos, Nigeria. She is hopelessly in love with Henry, a handsome gentleman who is also poor. Later in the story we are privileged to be introduced to incredibly wise mother.
So, these three stories come together and explain Lara. She is special but she has a lot of trouble relating to people. This book shows her journey from her always knowing that there was something missing in her life, she didn’t know what, to woman who starts growing emotionally and feeling blessed for the richness of her life.
The writing is beautiful and towards the end of the book, I didn’t want to let go of the story. There is a story behind every person, and perhaps this book will make you wonder about other people who seem emotionally closed off. Maybe they have stories that explain the way that they are.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to understand people better and have the bonus of learning about Nigerian culture and food.
I received this book as a win from Library Thing and that in no way influenced my review.
Lara flashes back to memories of when she was five. She had been called an “alien” because she looked different from her classmates. Her birth mother was in Nigeria and her adoptive parents were both white. As she gets older showing emotions is like touching a very hot stove with her bare hands. Alternating with the present and the past for the sections titled Lara, this book also alternates with the stories of her two mothers.
Pat tells her story of growing up in South London and not quite fitting into her family, being an introvert. She still felt sad about her losing her father. She felt closer to him than anyone. She met and married an unusually sensitive man with a loving nature and an open ear for Pat. He actually knows Pat more than she does herself.
Yomi, her Nigerian mother also goes back to childhood of poverty and longing for a “Jane Austin type of life”. Not only do learn about her life, you learn Nigerian customs, foods and growing up in Lagos, Nigeria. She is hopelessly in love with Henry, a handsome gentleman who is also poor. Later in the story we are privileged to be introduced to incredibly wise mother.
So, these three stories come together and explain Lara. She is special but she has a lot of trouble relating to people. This book shows her journey from her always knowing that there was something missing in her life, she didn’t know what, to woman who starts growing emotionally and feeling blessed for the richness of her life.
The writing is beautiful and towards the end of the book, I didn’t want to let go of the story. There is a story behind every person, and perhaps this book will make you wonder about other people who seem emotionally closed off. Maybe they have stories that explain the way that they are.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to understand people better and have the bonus of learning about Nigerian culture and food.
I received this book as a win from Library Thing and that in no way influenced my review.
July 22, 2012
Lara is eight years old when she discovers that she is adopted. She has always felt out of place, however. She always struggled with issues of somehow being different, looking different, and is used to holding herself in check.
Upon her 30th birthday, she finally meets her birth mother, and feels an immediate connection. Though she fights this feeling, she feels herself drawn in by her biological mother. Lara is forced to reconcile her life as an adopted child.
As we see Lara come to terms with who she is, we also see her come to understand both of the important women in her life, her mothers. As she learns about her past and her mothers, she learns she must allow herself to open up, in order to find understanding, peace, embrace who she is and who she is to become.
This emotional and interesting novel looks at adoption from three distinct women’s viewpoints: daughter, biological mother, and adoptive mother. It is a journey of self-discovery, and also of motherhood.
Upon her 30th birthday, she finally meets her birth mother, and feels an immediate connection. Though she fights this feeling, she feels herself drawn in by her biological mother. Lara is forced to reconcile her life as an adopted child.
As we see Lara come to terms with who she is, we also see her come to understand both of the important women in her life, her mothers. As she learns about her past and her mothers, she learns she must allow herself to open up, in order to find understanding, peace, embrace who she is and who she is to become.
This emotional and interesting novel looks at adoption from three distinct women’s viewpoints: daughter, biological mother, and adoptive mother. It is a journey of self-discovery, and also of motherhood.
February 23, 2012
The copy of this book that I read was an uncorrected proof sent by the publisher to the bookstore at where I work so the majority of the issues I had with the book may be corrected by the time it is released on the market. There were grammatical errors and some clumsy sentences but for the most part these didn't detract from the story being told.
The way the author shifts the perspectives of the characters was initially a little confusing but once you get into the rhythm of reading the book this doesn't pose a problem. The book dealt with a few relatively heavy topics such as interracial adoption and racism, however at no point was the book too depressing. There were some sad moments but also many happy ones, especially when the protagonist, Lara, finally comes to terms with who she is and her two families that contributed to making her that person.
The way the author shifts the perspectives of the characters was initially a little confusing but once you get into the rhythm of reading the book this doesn't pose a problem. The book dealt with a few relatively heavy topics such as interracial adoption and racism, however at no point was the book too depressing. There were some sad moments but also many happy ones, especially when the protagonist, Lara, finally comes to terms with who she is and her two families that contributed to making her that person.
June 11, 2012
“Being Laura” is an intriguing roller coaster of highs and lows that follow a little girl out of place in Great Britain, to a woman fully comfortable in both Kenya and the U.K.
Lola Jayne’s new novel was an interesting insight into the life of an adopted foreign national being raised in a culture vastly different from her own and the eventually rediscovery of her African roots.
The only slight downside to this enjoyable read was a sometimes confusing time-shifting narrative and perhaps a few overly emotion-driven scenes.
I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars.
“Being Laura: A Novel” was received via a Goodreads giveaway.
Lola Jayne’s new novel was an interesting insight into the life of an adopted foreign national being raised in a culture vastly different from her own and the eventually rediscovery of her African roots.
The only slight downside to this enjoyable read was a sometimes confusing time-shifting narrative and perhaps a few overly emotion-driven scenes.
I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars.
“Being Laura: A Novel” was received via a Goodreads giveaway.
September 5, 2014
This is an easy and entertaining read about a british couple who adopts a toddler from an orphanage in Nigeria. The main complaint I have with the book is the cover. The little girl on the cover is not a nigerian child. I think its a shame that they most likely did not put a dark nigerian girl on the cover in fear that it would hurt book sales. That's a real shame considering thr author is a fairly dark girl herself. The relationships between characters can be a bit awkward and the book leaves sort of a bad taste in your mouth about inter racial adoption (anyone who is considering adopting a child from another race or culture should read this as a guide on what NOT to do).
May 31, 2012
This was an enjoyable read even if all of the piece's of Lara's life got wrapped up in a neat bow at the end. The characters and thoughts/feelings birth family, adoptive family, and Lara herself were really well developed and provided good perspective. Even for someone who wasn't adopted or not involved with adoption, the book was written in a way that's relatable with various family drama and feelings of being unsettled and trying to find oneself. I like the author's style overall.
February 9, 2015
In the end, Lola Jaye does a good job of conveying the sense of abandonment that an adoptee feels, but the first half of the book is too disjointed and almost lost me. Chapters flip between Lara and her two moms, and between time periods. With a sizable cast of characters, I sometimes got lost. But I'm glad I stuck with it. It's a good story of mothers, daughters, and family, but it could have used better editing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews