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Pride and Joy
Black Cake meets Death at a Funeral in this heartwarming and hilarious novel about three generations of a Nigerian Canadian family grappling with their matriarch’s sudden passing while their auntie insists that her sister is coming back.
Joy Okafor is overwhelmed. Recently divorced, a life coach whose phone won’t stop ringing, and ever the dutiful Nigerian daughter, Joy has planned every aspect of her mother’s seventieth birthday weekend on her own.
As the Okafors slowly begin to arrive, Mama Mary goes to take a nap. But when the grandkids go to wake her, they find that she isn’t sleeping after all. Refusing to believe that her sister is gone-gone, Auntie Nancy declares that she has had a premonition that Mama Mary will rise again like Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.
Desperate to believe that they’re about to witness a miracle, the family overhauls their birthday plans to welcome the Nigerian Canadian community, effectively spreading the word that Mama Mary is coming back. But skeptical Joy is struggling with the loss of her mother and not allowing herself to mourn just yet while going through the motions of planning a funeral that her aunt refuses to allow.
Filled with humor and flawed, deeply relatable characters that leap off the page, Pride and Joy will draw you in as the Okafors prepare for a miracle while coming apart at the seams, praying that they haven’t actually lost Mama Mary for good, and grappling with what losing her truly means for each of them.
Joy Okafor is overwhelmed. Recently divorced, a life coach whose phone won’t stop ringing, and ever the dutiful Nigerian daughter, Joy has planned every aspect of her mother’s seventieth birthday weekend on her own.
As the Okafors slowly begin to arrive, Mama Mary goes to take a nap. But when the grandkids go to wake her, they find that she isn’t sleeping after all. Refusing to believe that her sister is gone-gone, Auntie Nancy declares that she has had a premonition that Mama Mary will rise again like Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.
Desperate to believe that they’re about to witness a miracle, the family overhauls their birthday plans to welcome the Nigerian Canadian community, effectively spreading the word that Mama Mary is coming back. But skeptical Joy is struggling with the loss of her mother and not allowing herself to mourn just yet while going through the motions of planning a funeral that her aunt refuses to allow.
Filled with humor and flawed, deeply relatable characters that leap off the page, Pride and Joy will draw you in as the Okafors prepare for a miracle while coming apart at the seams, praying that they haven’t actually lost Mama Mary for good, and grappling with what losing her truly means for each of them.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published March 12, 2024
50 people are currently reading
6367 people want to read
About the author
Louisa Onomé
6 books185 followersLouisa Onomé is a writer of books for teens. She holds a BA in professional writing from York University and is represented by Claire Friedman at InkWell Management.
A part of the Author Mentor Match round 3 cohort, she is also a writing mentor and all-around cheerleader for diverse works and writers. When she is not writing, her hobbies include picking up languages she may never use, trying to bake bread, and perfecting her skincare routine. She currently resides in the Toronto area.
A part of the Author Mentor Match round 3 cohort, she is also a writing mentor and all-around cheerleader for diverse works and writers. When she is not writing, her hobbies include picking up languages she may never use, trying to bake bread, and perfecting her skincare routine. She currently resides in the Toronto area.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
July 8, 2024
I am incredibly grateful for receiving an advanced copy of this book. Thank you to Atria Books and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity.
Let's start with the cover - How gorgeous is it? As you read, you see the symbolism and how there is more than just beautiful artwork here.
Next, let's discuss Joy, our protagonist. I have little in common with her other than being divorced and a mom but so much of what she was going through resonated with me. If you have a demanding job, demanding family, social pressures from your family and/or friends, you will be able to relate as well. Add to that the complexities of interracial marriage, sibling rivalries and family secrets and you have Pride and Joy.
It is crazy to me that the story takes place over just a few days but there is so much transformation through so many of the characters here. Lousa Onome's writing allowed me to 'see' the scenes play out in my mind. The characters came to life for me. I love how the story is about Joy but in order to understand her we need to get to know the other key members who formed who she is. I read another reviewer who talked about there being too many characters but I think the fact that there are so many is purposeful and definitely important to the story.
I really enjoyed so much about this book and the story and would recommend it. A book about a Nigerian Canadian family is not my typical read but I am so glad it came into my life.
Let's start with the cover - How gorgeous is it? As you read, you see the symbolism and how there is more than just beautiful artwork here.
Next, let's discuss Joy, our protagonist. I have little in common with her other than being divorced and a mom but so much of what she was going through resonated with me. If you have a demanding job, demanding family, social pressures from your family and/or friends, you will be able to relate as well. Add to that the complexities of interracial marriage, sibling rivalries and family secrets and you have Pride and Joy.
It is crazy to me that the story takes place over just a few days but there is so much transformation through so many of the characters here. Lousa Onome's writing allowed me to 'see' the scenes play out in my mind. The characters came to life for me. I love how the story is about Joy but in order to understand her we need to get to know the other key members who formed who she is. I read another reviewer who talked about there being too many characters but I think the fact that there are so many is purposeful and definitely important to the story.
I really enjoyed so much about this book and the story and would recommend it. A book about a Nigerian Canadian family is not my typical read but I am so glad it came into my life.
December 4, 2024
A surprisingly light and funny book considering how it tackles the topics of death, grieving, and complicated family dynamics.
Watch my full review: https://youtu.be/qo802eqLDRQ
Watch my full review: https://youtu.be/qo802eqLDRQ
March 14, 2024
Solid 3.5 stars
I was hesitant to read this @ first because I did not enjoy Black Cake AT ALL.
Joy is recently divorced & trying to plan her mom’s 70th birthday party with her Nigerian family members on the way. Her mom had other plans though, she took a nap and died in her sleep.
I was a little underwhelmed with this book ngl. It was a little funny but not hilarious!! It had a lot of potential but something is definitely missing from this book. The ending was rushed & I actually wanted closure on the other characters Nnenna, Nancy, & Jamil. It wasn’t a bad read overall.
Thank You NetGalley for the ARC🫶🏽
I was hesitant to read this @ first because I did not enjoy Black Cake AT ALL.
Joy is recently divorced & trying to plan her mom’s 70th birthday party with her Nigerian family members on the way. Her mom had other plans though, she took a nap and died in her sleep.
I was a little underwhelmed with this book ngl. It was a little funny but not hilarious!! It had a lot of potential but something is definitely missing from this book. The ending was rushed & I actually wanted closure on the other characters Nnenna, Nancy, & Jamil. It wasn’t a bad read overall.
Thank You NetGalley for the ARC🫶🏽
April 3, 2024
A big-hearted Nigerian-Canadian family drama that takes place in Toronto over the Easter weekend, as type-A daughter, Joy plans her mother's 70th birthday party only to have it turn into a disastrous wake slash prophecy that her mother isn't actually dead and will rise again.
Full of humor and lots of emotion, three generations of the Okafor family deal with past hurts, secrets and eventually find a way to forgiveness and healing. Good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Black Cake and Dava Shastri's last day. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Full of humor and lots of emotion, three generations of the Okafor family deal with past hurts, secrets and eventually find a way to forgiveness and healing. Good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Black Cake and Dava Shastri's last day. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
August 30, 2024
3.5!
The first word that comes to mind when I think about these characters is “audacious”. Especially Auntie Nancy hahaha, very bold and daring. The whole spectacle of the miracle of resurrection was a little out there for me, but I did understand where the characters were coming from. I think the family element to it is really well done, and for the right person at the right time this book will be amazing for you!
The first word that comes to mind when I think about these characters is “audacious”. Especially Auntie Nancy hahaha, very bold and daring. The whole spectacle of the miracle of resurrection was a little out there for me, but I did understand where the characters were coming from. I think the family element to it is really well done, and for the right person at the right time this book will be amazing for you!
November 7, 2023
I want to start this review off by saying this is not the kind of book I would usually gravitate towards, but I received an arc for it and wanted to try something new.
This review is spoiler free, I won’t go into the nitty gritty.
I wanted to leave my thoughts on it as it is presented in the arc, so details may change between now and it’s official release.
The good:
What I liked about this novel is how likeable and relatable the main character Joy is. She feels very grounded and human, which is not always easy to do with a written character. Jamil, her son, and Rob her cousin are also excellent supporting characters that are well-written and bring the story up. I also enjoyed that it’s written from the point of view of a Nigerian family and that is not a stance I feel like I ever get to see, so it was a refreshing take.
The bad:
Honestly I didn’t have any major issues with this story. I have some minor nitpicks that I can cover quickly. The first being an overuse of the phrase “(character) kissed (their) teeth”. It happens a lot. A lot. By page 50 I really just wanted to see it described in a different way but it carries on throughout the whole book. But that’s a very simple issue to overlook entirely. On top of that, there is a lot of bristling. People in this house are bristling almost nonstop. Again just switching up descriptors would go a long way. That being said, I only spotted one tiny typo that I actively noticed, which is good for something that’s not fully proofed or on the market yet.
In summary: I think the people depicted in the book all feel real. They feel like they’ve got their own lives going on and we’re just seeing a snapshot of it and can piece it together as we go and I like that. The writing style is easy to settle in with as well, nothing is overly described to the point of boredom. It’s concise and tells the story it sets out to. Overall I think this book has a unique place in my library and it’s a welcome addition.
This review is spoiler free, I won’t go into the nitty gritty.
I wanted to leave my thoughts on it as it is presented in the arc, so details may change between now and it’s official release.
The good:
What I liked about this novel is how likeable and relatable the main character Joy is. She feels very grounded and human, which is not always easy to do with a written character. Jamil, her son, and Rob her cousin are also excellent supporting characters that are well-written and bring the story up. I also enjoyed that it’s written from the point of view of a Nigerian family and that is not a stance I feel like I ever get to see, so it was a refreshing take.
The bad:
Honestly I didn’t have any major issues with this story. I have some minor nitpicks that I can cover quickly. The first being an overuse of the phrase “(character) kissed (their) teeth”. It happens a lot. A lot. By page 50 I really just wanted to see it described in a different way but it carries on throughout the whole book. But that’s a very simple issue to overlook entirely. On top of that, there is a lot of bristling. People in this house are bristling almost nonstop. Again just switching up descriptors would go a long way. That being said, I only spotted one tiny typo that I actively noticed, which is good for something that’s not fully proofed or on the market yet.
In summary: I think the people depicted in the book all feel real. They feel like they’ve got their own lives going on and we’re just seeing a snapshot of it and can piece it together as we go and I like that. The writing style is easy to settle in with as well, nothing is overly described to the point of boredom. It’s concise and tells the story it sets out to. Overall I think this book has a unique place in my library and it’s a welcome addition.
February 18, 2024
gifted by the publisher
Joy Okafor is overwhelmed trying to organize the perfect party for her mom, Mary's 70th birthday. But after finding her mom dead, the party devolves into chaos, and things quickly get out of hand when Joy's aunt declares a premonition promising the rise of Mary.
PRIDE AND JOY is a heartwarming and hilarious story about three generations of a Nigerian Canadian family grappling with a sudden death. Onomé cleverly balances out the serious topic with absurd plots and laugh-out-loud writing. The family's lack of boundaries and chaotic vibes remind me of THE FORTUNES OF JADED WOMEN (Carolyn Huynh).
Joy's relatable character is the highlight of the story, and I enjoyed following her journey from holding onto unprocessed grief & anger to allowing herself to feel all the emotions. I wish we saw more development of the side characters, especially when some subplots don't seem fully resolved by the end. But perhaps that's just life. We let go & we move on.
Joy Okafor is overwhelmed trying to organize the perfect party for her mom, Mary's 70th birthday. But after finding her mom dead, the party devolves into chaos, and things quickly get out of hand when Joy's aunt declares a premonition promising the rise of Mary.
PRIDE AND JOY is a heartwarming and hilarious story about three generations of a Nigerian Canadian family grappling with a sudden death. Onomé cleverly balances out the serious topic with absurd plots and laugh-out-loud writing. The family's lack of boundaries and chaotic vibes remind me of THE FORTUNES OF JADED WOMEN (Carolyn Huynh).
Joy's relatable character is the highlight of the story, and I enjoyed following her journey from holding onto unprocessed grief & anger to allowing herself to feel all the emotions. I wish we saw more development of the side characters, especially when some subplots don't seem fully resolved by the end. But perhaps that's just life. We let go & we move on.
December 30, 2023
This book has me intrigued from the very beginning. This was a different book but in a great way. I didn't want to put this one down. This wouldn't be a book that I typically bought for myself so I'm thankful that I read it. I read this book in a day. From the characters to the plot, I enjoyed every part of this book.
March 20, 2024
4.5/5
Pride and Joy immediately pulled me in and my investment in the characters grew with each chapter. There are no villains here — only flawed, relatable people trying to move through grief amidst their own personal life struggles and with varying degrees of faith. I especially loved the deeply insightful way the author wrote the young people in this book.
The story itself was expectedly emotional at times but balanced with moments of levity and “good stuff”. I do admit that it made even my cynical butt tear up a couple of times.
I can’t say enough good things about the narration provided by Yinka Ladeinde. I’ll be looking out for her future performances.
If you love stories with complex family dynamics and love able characters, you’ll definitely want to read or listen to Pride and Joy.
Pride and Joy immediately pulled me in and my investment in the characters grew with each chapter. There are no villains here — only flawed, relatable people trying to move through grief amidst their own personal life struggles and with varying degrees of faith. I especially loved the deeply insightful way the author wrote the young people in this book.
The story itself was expectedly emotional at times but balanced with moments of levity and “good stuff”. I do admit that it made even my cynical butt tear up a couple of times.
I can’t say enough good things about the narration provided by Yinka Ladeinde. I’ll be looking out for her future performances.
If you love stories with complex family dynamics and love able characters, you’ll definitely want to read or listen to Pride and Joy.
May 2, 2024
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.
Looking back at the description of this book after finishing it (and I skim read the second half because it was dragging), I am surprised to find it described as "Filled with humor and flawed, deeply relatable characters that leap off the page..."
There was very little humor, if any at all. The characters were certainly flawed, though I didn't find most of them relatable and they did not leap off the page.
I also don't think it's accurate to describe the story as if all of the family, except Joy, believes in Nancy's premonition. I'd say it was about half believers and half skeptics. The family dynamics were interesting, but so convoluted and hard to follow. The entire "resurrection" was so ridiculous as to be distracting and it's supposed to be the focus of the book. I had a hard time following the Nigerian way of speaking English and the actual Nigerian dialect scattered frequently throughout. When the sentences are in another language and there is no context to help figure out what is being said, I end up guessing or just glazing my eyes over on those parts.
Looking back at the description of this book after finishing it (and I skim read the second half because it was dragging), I am surprised to find it described as "Filled with humor and flawed, deeply relatable characters that leap off the page..."
There was very little humor, if any at all. The characters were certainly flawed, though I didn't find most of them relatable and they did not leap off the page.
I also don't think it's accurate to describe the story as if all of the family, except Joy, believes in Nancy's premonition. I'd say it was about half believers and half skeptics. The family dynamics were interesting, but so convoluted and hard to follow. The entire "resurrection" was so ridiculous as to be distracting and it's supposed to be the focus of the book. I had a hard time following the Nigerian way of speaking English and the actual Nigerian dialect scattered frequently throughout. When the sentences are in another language and there is no context to help figure out what is being said, I end up guessing or just glazing my eyes over on those parts.
April 26, 2024
I found this to be such a touching and wonderful story. About a family grieving. There were quite a few characters but each were interesting how they'd come into their lives and how they touched those in the story. It was important to delve into the secrets and hurts. I found a few parts to chuckle at, to break up the emotions, and I was so completely drawn into the story. It takes place over only a few days but really packs a punch as so much is worked through and experienced in those few days. Such a great read, I highly recommend it!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
September 23, 2023
A beautiful story unlike anything I have recently read. I like that - when an author's work can suck me in and surprise me. I was left remembering this book and the characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars!
March 15, 2024
In reading this novel, I felt like I was locked in for a weekend with my crazy relatives.
Pride and Joy follows Joy and her family who are gathering for her mother's 70th birthday celebration at a lavish AirBnB. It is also Good Friday and the family are mostly devoted Christians. Mama heads to take a nap before the guests arrive, and evidently passes away in her sleep. Shortly after her arrival, Mary's eccentric sister, Nancy declares that a brown cow was a prophecy that Mary would be resurrected on Easter Sunday as Jesus Christ was.
The days between Friday and Sunday are filled with chaos, unwelcome visitors and lots of emotional unraveling. There is an obvious disconnect between Joy and the rest of her family which makes the time spent together much more uncomfortable, especially with her newfound grief and her attempts to sort her feelings and keep the focus on her mother's funeral.
Pride and Joy features complex family dynamics- self-centeredness, miscommunication, misunderstandings, secrecy, etc. All of the characters were so vividly written. All of them have their own emotional baggage and issues that further create complexities among the family. I really enjoyed this novel and liked how authentic the dialogue and dialect were written.
I was given this ARC opportunity thanks to Atria books in exchange for an honest review. I am very grateful.
Pride and Joy follows Joy and her family who are gathering for her mother's 70th birthday celebration at a lavish AirBnB. It is also Good Friday and the family are mostly devoted Christians. Mama heads to take a nap before the guests arrive, and evidently passes away in her sleep. Shortly after her arrival, Mary's eccentric sister, Nancy declares that a brown cow was a prophecy that Mary would be resurrected on Easter Sunday as Jesus Christ was.
The days between Friday and Sunday are filled with chaos, unwelcome visitors and lots of emotional unraveling. There is an obvious disconnect between Joy and the rest of her family which makes the time spent together much more uncomfortable, especially with her newfound grief and her attempts to sort her feelings and keep the focus on her mother's funeral.
Pride and Joy features complex family dynamics- self-centeredness, miscommunication, misunderstandings, secrecy, etc. All of the characters were so vividly written. All of them have their own emotional baggage and issues that further create complexities among the family. I really enjoyed this novel and liked how authentic the dialogue and dialect were written.
I was given this ARC opportunity thanks to Atria books in exchange for an honest review. I am very grateful.
February 18, 2024
Pride and Joy by Louisa Onomé. Thanks to @atriabooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Joy is excited to show her family she can throw the her mother’s seventieth birthday party with no hitches, until the birthday mother dies that day. Joy’s aunt has a promotion her sister will be resurrected and ignited the Nigerian Canadian community.
While dealing with a death, this was a humorous novel, in a dysfunctional family type away. The author is a genius for imagining these characters, family tree, and how they all interact with each other. I really enjoyed watching it all unfold. I especially liked stepping into the culture, and the difference in generations. I did have to translate some terms, but no problem with google at my fingertips!
“There may be a truce, but the war is always raging.”
Pride and Joy comes out 3/12.
Joy is excited to show her family she can throw the her mother’s seventieth birthday party with no hitches, until the birthday mother dies that day. Joy’s aunt has a promotion her sister will be resurrected and ignited the Nigerian Canadian community.
While dealing with a death, this was a humorous novel, in a dysfunctional family type away. The author is a genius for imagining these characters, family tree, and how they all interact with each other. I really enjoyed watching it all unfold. I especially liked stepping into the culture, and the difference in generations. I did have to translate some terms, but no problem with google at my fingertips!
“There may be a truce, but the war is always raging.”
Pride and Joy comes out 3/12.
March 7, 2024
Advanced copy from the publisher.
I'm not sure what it says about me that I identify so strongly with Joy, and it's a conversation I'm definitely going to have with my therapist. I also felt so much sympathy with her son, Jamil, and the knowledge of how experiencing family strife and harsh conversations stays with you forever. For everyone who has ever had a family that didn't see you, or didn't accept you for whatever reason, this is going to resonate. This is going to hurt, and it's going to feel like screaming into a void. I yelled out loud twice (at Michael and Nnenna, respectively) but it was also impossible not to rage at everyone a little bit.
A strange journey through love, grief, acceptance, forgiveness, faith, and prophecy, once you start reading you won't be able to stop. And you'll be on the lookout for brown cows.
I'm not sure what it says about me that I identify so strongly with Joy, and it's a conversation I'm definitely going to have with my therapist. I also felt so much sympathy with her son, Jamil, and the knowledge of how experiencing family strife and harsh conversations stays with you forever. For everyone who has ever had a family that didn't see you, or didn't accept you for whatever reason, this is going to resonate. This is going to hurt, and it's going to feel like screaming into a void. I yelled out loud twice (at Michael and Nnenna, respectively) but it was also impossible not to rage at everyone a little bit.
A strange journey through love, grief, acceptance, forgiveness, faith, and prophecy, once you start reading you won't be able to stop. And you'll be on the lookout for brown cows.
December 22, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a free advance review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Pride and Joy by Louisa Onomé is a novel that takes place in present-day (I think) Canada chronicling one Easter Weekend with the Okafor family. The main character Joy has a lot going on and, despite her career as a life coach, is struggling to maintain the many conflicting layers of her life. Joy has spent time organizing a 70th birthday party for her mother and she wants everything to go perfect so as not to have to deal with the displeasure of her extended Nigerian family. However, Mama Mary takes a nap before the festivities and passes away in her sleep. Aunt Nancy, Mary’s sister, is convinced her sister is going to be resurrected on Easter Sunday because she passed away on Good Friday, her birthday and causes an intimate family moment to become a big community affair. What once was supposed to be a celebration of Mama Mary becomes a spectacle that Joy can barely handle while managing the varying personalities of her family and her grief.
Though Joy is the main character of this book, the narrative is layered with the voices of nearly the entire cast of characters because there are multiple POV shifts throughout. It’s almost as if they’re like vignettes of that moment in time with the character whose viewpoint it is. It switches often and though there are quite a few characters, knowing who they are is not too difficult. Having said this, the Nigerian way of referring to relatives was a bit confusing to me at first and I had to refer back to the family tree at the beginning of the book quite often for the first few chapters. I am making an assumption here based on its prevalence in the book, but I had no idea that cousins referred to the siblings of their grandparents as grandma and grandpa. I also had no idea that all elders were referred to as aunties and uncles regardless of family relation. The looseness of these honorifics were frustrating for me at first as an outsider to the culture, but it does not detract from the beauty of or my engagement in the story.
Another thing that I enjoyed structurally about the novel is that each chapter title is a time stamp letting us know what day and what time it is at the start of the chapter. This was clever for Onomé to do because the story is quite literally a countdown of waiting to see if Mama Mary will resurrect on Easter Sunday. It also highlights how many things have happened and how this family event snowballed into a colossal community affair in the short span of one holiday weekend. I really appreciated this aspect of the book because it helped me keep track of how time was moving, which I usually find lacking in books.
The cast of characters in the novel are lively and distinct though I did find nearly all of them to be quite annoying with very little redeeming qualities. I do feel because there were so many to focus on and we got snippets of all their POVs within the span of the novel there wasn’t enough time to develop them all to the point where I would care about the nuances of their behaviors and choices. Sure, most of them had reasons for why they behaved the way they did, but there just wasn’t enough time in this novel for me to care about those reasons. Cutting down on some of the POV shifts could have allowed more time to dig deeper into the stories of a few key characters instead. For Joy, I sometimes found her character descriptions to be conflicting and I do not feel that enough time was dedicated to her POV so that her transformation could be fully seen. Having said this, I was invested in how she would fare by the end of this weekend and though I was not completely satisfied with the ending (it felt a tad rushed in the character aha moment), I was not disappointed either.
Where the characters lack individually, as a whole they are dynamic and where they shined was in their interactions with one another. Though I mentioned that I am unfamiliar with Nigerian culture, the varied characters felt very much like any family when they get together. There are family members you may not enjoy the company of and those you have an easier time getting along with. Family can be judgmental and hurtful. Family can also be your greatest supporters and the ones who have your back in the toughest of times. Despite my annoyance with characters, this aspect had me emotionally invested in what happened to this family and their weekend together dealing with the loss of their loved one.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’d read other titles by Onomé. I was angered, I cried, I laughed, I smiled, I felt joy (no pun intended) while reading this. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes reading stories that give you a peek into the lives of ordinary people.
Pride and Joy by Louisa Onomé is a novel that takes place in present-day (I think) Canada chronicling one Easter Weekend with the Okafor family. The main character Joy has a lot going on and, despite her career as a life coach, is struggling to maintain the many conflicting layers of her life. Joy has spent time organizing a 70th birthday party for her mother and she wants everything to go perfect so as not to have to deal with the displeasure of her extended Nigerian family. However, Mama Mary takes a nap before the festivities and passes away in her sleep. Aunt Nancy, Mary’s sister, is convinced her sister is going to be resurrected on Easter Sunday because she passed away on Good Friday, her birthday and causes an intimate family moment to become a big community affair. What once was supposed to be a celebration of Mama Mary becomes a spectacle that Joy can barely handle while managing the varying personalities of her family and her grief.
Though Joy is the main character of this book, the narrative is layered with the voices of nearly the entire cast of characters because there are multiple POV shifts throughout. It’s almost as if they’re like vignettes of that moment in time with the character whose viewpoint it is. It switches often and though there are quite a few characters, knowing who they are is not too difficult. Having said this, the Nigerian way of referring to relatives was a bit confusing to me at first and I had to refer back to the family tree at the beginning of the book quite often for the first few chapters. I am making an assumption here based on its prevalence in the book, but I had no idea that cousins referred to the siblings of their grandparents as grandma and grandpa. I also had no idea that all elders were referred to as aunties and uncles regardless of family relation. The looseness of these honorifics were frustrating for me at first as an outsider to the culture, but it does not detract from the beauty of or my engagement in the story.
Another thing that I enjoyed structurally about the novel is that each chapter title is a time stamp letting us know what day and what time it is at the start of the chapter. This was clever for Onomé to do because the story is quite literally a countdown of waiting to see if Mama Mary will resurrect on Easter Sunday. It also highlights how many things have happened and how this family event snowballed into a colossal community affair in the short span of one holiday weekend. I really appreciated this aspect of the book because it helped me keep track of how time was moving, which I usually find lacking in books.
The cast of characters in the novel are lively and distinct though I did find nearly all of them to be quite annoying with very little redeeming qualities. I do feel because there were so many to focus on and we got snippets of all their POVs within the span of the novel there wasn’t enough time to develop them all to the point where I would care about the nuances of their behaviors and choices. Sure, most of them had reasons for why they behaved the way they did, but there just wasn’t enough time in this novel for me to care about those reasons. Cutting down on some of the POV shifts could have allowed more time to dig deeper into the stories of a few key characters instead. For Joy, I sometimes found her character descriptions to be conflicting and I do not feel that enough time was dedicated to her POV so that her transformation could be fully seen. Having said this, I was invested in how she would fare by the end of this weekend and though I was not completely satisfied with the ending (it felt a tad rushed in the character aha moment), I was not disappointed either.
Where the characters lack individually, as a whole they are dynamic and where they shined was in their interactions with one another. Though I mentioned that I am unfamiliar with Nigerian culture, the varied characters felt very much like any family when they get together. There are family members you may not enjoy the company of and those you have an easier time getting along with. Family can be judgmental and hurtful. Family can also be your greatest supporters and the ones who have your back in the toughest of times. Despite my annoyance with characters, this aspect had me emotionally invested in what happened to this family and their weekend together dealing with the loss of their loved one.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’d read other titles by Onomé. I was angered, I cried, I laughed, I smiled, I felt joy (no pun intended) while reading this. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes reading stories that give you a peek into the lives of ordinary people.
April 6, 2024
4.5 stars
2024
June 3, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books
March 23, 2025
Amusing characters and a highly entertaining story of a family weekend. lots of drama (‘comfort sensationalism’)
March 14, 2024
A Nigerian-Canadian family has a lot to deal with while staying at a rental house over Easter weekend.
The Okafor family gathers together to celebrate the matriarch's 70th birthday, but when Mary dies in her sleep on Good Friday afternoon, the family's lives are turned upside down.
Daughter Joy, who organized the event, has a lot to contend with besides coming to terms emotionally with her mother's sudden death. While she's not well prepared to pivot from birthday party to funeral, Joy's totally blindsided by her aunt's pronouncement that she's received a message from God: Aunt Nancy claims--to the family and the Nigerian press--that her sister, like Jesus before her, will arise again at midnight Easter morning.
Though you may think this sets up a slapstick or silly story, in fact, Pride and Joy is much more than the chaos that ensues from the aunt's decree. Instead, much of the novel centers on the relationships among the family members: their immediate grief and shock as well as longer-term issues.
On the one hand, the Okafors deal with universal problems of sibling rivalry, religion, troubled marriages, and common areas of dysfunction. On the other hand, they are balancing their Nigerian traditions with life in modern Canada and the US. The older members of the family were born in Nigeria, but most of the children and all of the grandchildren are fully Canadian (or American).
As in all immigrant families, the first generation is sandwiched between two worlds. They've been raised to honor their traditions, foods, and cultural beliefs, but their everyday life is immersed in Western society. Joy's troubled and complex feelings are completely relatable on many levels.
I really loved this character-driven novel, and my heart went out to Joy and her family.
The audiobook was brilliantly performed by Yinka Ladeinde, who met all the challenges of this novel. She hit the sweet spot when delivering the humor and captured all the moods and feelings of the characters. At the same time, she handled the many required accents, cadences, and languages. While I can't judge her Igbo, her Italian and pidgin sounded authentic to my ear.
Thanks to the publishers for the review copies in various formats.
The Okafor family gathers together to celebrate the matriarch's 70th birthday, but when Mary dies in her sleep on Good Friday afternoon, the family's lives are turned upside down.
Daughter Joy, who organized the event, has a lot to contend with besides coming to terms emotionally with her mother's sudden death. While she's not well prepared to pivot from birthday party to funeral, Joy's totally blindsided by her aunt's pronouncement that she's received a message from God: Aunt Nancy claims--to the family and the Nigerian press--that her sister, like Jesus before her, will arise again at midnight Easter morning.
Though you may think this sets up a slapstick or silly story, in fact, Pride and Joy is much more than the chaos that ensues from the aunt's decree. Instead, much of the novel centers on the relationships among the family members: their immediate grief and shock as well as longer-term issues.
On the one hand, the Okafors deal with universal problems of sibling rivalry, religion, troubled marriages, and common areas of dysfunction. On the other hand, they are balancing their Nigerian traditions with life in modern Canada and the US. The older members of the family were born in Nigeria, but most of the children and all of the grandchildren are fully Canadian (or American).
As in all immigrant families, the first generation is sandwiched between two worlds. They've been raised to honor their traditions, foods, and cultural beliefs, but their everyday life is immersed in Western society. Joy's troubled and complex feelings are completely relatable on many levels.
I really loved this character-driven novel, and my heart went out to Joy and her family.
The audiobook was brilliantly performed by Yinka Ladeinde, who met all the challenges of this novel. She hit the sweet spot when delivering the humor and captured all the moods and feelings of the characters. At the same time, she handled the many required accents, cadences, and languages. While I can't judge her Igbo, her Italian and pidgin sounded authentic to my ear.
Thanks to the publishers for the review copies in various formats.
November 15, 2023
Huge thank you to Louisa Onomé and Simon and Schuster for sending me this book. I won it from a goodreads giveaway and received is about 10 days later.
Pride and Joy is a found family book, enriched with a great deal of Nigerian culture. I loved how prevalent the culture was in this book, particularly as a reader who is not deeply familiar with these traditions and values. This aspect of the book did not feel forced at all and was naturally embedded throughout the story. I did have to look up some of these elements. I enjoyed the multiple POVS, particularly as it gave insight to each character. I liked that the book was written in third person. There were bits of humor woven in through the book that made me giggle a bit. I think Onomé did an excellent job of illustrating complex family dynamics. At some point, it kind of gave parent trap vibes (about 40-50% way through the story). I enjoyed the theme of weaponizing faith and how this can damage relationships, but I do wish this was highlighted a bit more. The part about Michael was a true surprise. This book was refreshing and unlike anything I have read.
There were a few things I did not love. I thing the phrase kisses her/his teeth was WAY overused. There was too much stuttering for my taste, particularly as this is not a book in which any characters actually have a stutter. Each chapter involved someone stuttering. Ex: I-i th-thought sort of writing. I felt it took away from the story. In the last 80% of Pride and Joy, one of the main characters mentioned the Bible being a crutch, but this did not feel true to character for this person. Towards the end, the standards from Auntie Mary on Nnenna seemed very random, particularly as I cannot remember Nnenna talking about this during her POVs. The time stamp for chapter 2, 3, and 4 are confusing because it is not in chronological order. Lastly, and I hope this does not come off as flexing or bragging or anything, but I have a master's degree in clinical psychology and have practiced as a therapist. Joy also having a master's degree and practicing as a therapist is nice to relate to HOWEVER, myself, nor any of my colleagues would EVER call ourselves life coaches. I am not sure if this is because I am in the USA and not Canada. But, to myself and other people I know in the field, a life coach is moreso someone who wants to give guidance, but has little formal training to do so. True rating: 3.75-4.0
Pride and Joy is a found family book, enriched with a great deal of Nigerian culture. I loved how prevalent the culture was in this book, particularly as a reader who is not deeply familiar with these traditions and values. This aspect of the book did not feel forced at all and was naturally embedded throughout the story. I did have to look up some of these elements. I enjoyed the multiple POVS, particularly as it gave insight to each character. I liked that the book was written in third person. There were bits of humor woven in through the book that made me giggle a bit. I think Onomé did an excellent job of illustrating complex family dynamics. At some point, it kind of gave parent trap vibes (about 40-50% way through the story). I enjoyed the theme of weaponizing faith and how this can damage relationships, but I do wish this was highlighted a bit more. The part about Michael was a true surprise. This book was refreshing and unlike anything I have read.
There were a few things I did not love. I thing the phrase kisses her/his teeth was WAY overused. There was too much stuttering for my taste, particularly as this is not a book in which any characters actually have a stutter. Each chapter involved someone stuttering. Ex: I-i th-thought sort of writing. I felt it took away from the story. In the last 80% of Pride and Joy, one of the main characters mentioned the Bible being a crutch, but this did not feel true to character for this person. Towards the end, the standards from Auntie Mary on Nnenna seemed very random, particularly as I cannot remember Nnenna talking about this during her POVs. The time stamp for chapter 2, 3, and 4 are confusing because it is not in chronological order. Lastly, and I hope this does not come off as flexing or bragging or anything, but I have a master's degree in clinical psychology and have practiced as a therapist. Joy also having a master's degree and practicing as a therapist is nice to relate to HOWEVER, myself, nor any of my colleagues would EVER call ourselves life coaches. I am not sure if this is because I am in the USA and not Canada. But, to myself and other people I know in the field, a life coach is moreso someone who wants to give guidance, but has little formal training to do so. True rating: 3.75-4.0
November 1, 2023
Louisa Onomé's "Pride and Joy" takes you on a journey through the lives of the Okafors, a Nigerian Canadian family grappling with their matriarch's sudden passing. The story begins with Joy Okafor, recently divorced and overwhelmed by her duties as a life coach. As she meticulously plans her mother's seventieth birthday celebration, the unexpected occurs when Mama Mary passes away.
This novel shares the complexities of family relationships seamlessly, with a cast of deeply flawed and relatable characters. Each family member comes to life on the page, and their individual stories and struggles add depth and authenticity to the narrative.
As an African-American reader, I appreciated the small but enriching glimpse into Nigerian culture, which is artfully interwoven into the story. The author's portrayal of the family dynamics, cultural elements, and the grieving process is poignant and insightful.
Joy's journey, in particular, resonates deeply as she grapples with the loss of her mother and the chaos that Auntie Nancy's beliefs bring to the family. The emotional depth and the conflicting feelings surrounding grief are well portrayed. Joy's inner turmoil and the tension within the family are palpable, making her a character that readers can empathize with.
While I personally did not find the book as comical as some might, it is undeniably an enjoyable and interesting read. The story's unique blend of humor and heartfelt moments offers a refreshing perspective on dealing with loss and the bonds that tie families together.
In conclusion, "Pride and Joy" is a beautifully written novel with memorable characters and a rich exploration of Nigerian Canadian culture. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy family dramas, heartwarming narratives, and those who appreciate a glimpse into a vibrant culture. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This novel shares the complexities of family relationships seamlessly, with a cast of deeply flawed and relatable characters. Each family member comes to life on the page, and their individual stories and struggles add depth and authenticity to the narrative.
As an African-American reader, I appreciated the small but enriching glimpse into Nigerian culture, which is artfully interwoven into the story. The author's portrayal of the family dynamics, cultural elements, and the grieving process is poignant and insightful.
Joy's journey, in particular, resonates deeply as she grapples with the loss of her mother and the chaos that Auntie Nancy's beliefs bring to the family. The emotional depth and the conflicting feelings surrounding grief are well portrayed. Joy's inner turmoil and the tension within the family are palpable, making her a character that readers can empathize with.
While I personally did not find the book as comical as some might, it is undeniably an enjoyable and interesting read. The story's unique blend of humor and heartfelt moments offers a refreshing perspective on dealing with loss and the bonds that tie families together.
In conclusion, "Pride and Joy" is a beautifully written novel with memorable characters and a rich exploration of Nigerian Canadian culture. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy family dramas, heartwarming narratives, and those who appreciate a glimpse into a vibrant culture. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2024
“We are not ourselves. No one can be in the face of grief. Nothing hurts like death.”
I was so happy to receive an advance copy of this novel through Atria Books and NetGalley. Pride & Joy is a Nigerian-Canadian family drama that takes us on a journey of love, loss, belief, superstition, and complicated familial relationships as a family navigates the loss of their beloved matriarch. Louisa Onomé did a beautiful job carrying us through each characters grief while balancing humour (and sensationalism) with tact and grace. This story spans over one weekend, but was full of growth and reflection for so many of the characters. I fell in love with some and despised others but everyone was so human which I really appreciated. As a child of the Caribbean diaspora, there was so much to relate to in this novel though the family is Nigerian, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t running to google to try to teach my self some Igbo here and there 😂 A family with strong beliefs, whose elders made sacrifices and crossed oceans to find success in new lands — what it means to be a descendent of that generation forging your own path and the conflict or ultimate togetherness that can come out of that is such an important story to tell.
I was so happy to receive an advance copy of this novel through Atria Books and NetGalley. Pride & Joy is a Nigerian-Canadian family drama that takes us on a journey of love, loss, belief, superstition, and complicated familial relationships as a family navigates the loss of their beloved matriarch. Louisa Onomé did a beautiful job carrying us through each characters grief while balancing humour (and sensationalism) with tact and grace. This story spans over one weekend, but was full of growth and reflection for so many of the characters. I fell in love with some and despised others but everyone was so human which I really appreciated. As a child of the Caribbean diaspora, there was so much to relate to in this novel though the family is Nigerian, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t running to google to try to teach my self some Igbo here and there 😂 A family with strong beliefs, whose elders made sacrifices and crossed oceans to find success in new lands — what it means to be a descendent of that generation forging your own path and the conflict or ultimate togetherness that can come out of that is such an important story to tell.
January 12, 2024
This book was a slow burn for me. It dragged in the beginning and started picking up in the middle. The ending was the best. There are many characters in the book, but it’s easy to follow them. I enjoyed reading about the Nigerian culture and how they view death,religion,& family. Some repetitive phrases throughout.The Igbo language was used in the book, but there was no translation so I was lost on what they were saying. Joy was my favorite character. She was complex but refreshing.
It was overall a okay read. If you enjoy reading about family drama in a culture rich format, then this book is for you. Religion is also woven into the story. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this book. This is my honest review.
It was overall a okay read. If you enjoy reading about family drama in a culture rich format, then this book is for you. Religion is also woven into the story. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this book. This is my honest review.
May 1, 2024
I finished because I wanted to see how the author would figure out how end a tale about a modern day resurrection but it was a challenging read because of so much Nigerian dialect that wasn’t explained. I would lose the gist of the conversation trying to figure out what something meant. This was especially irritating since one phrase was a foretelling of a secret that was integral to the plot.
March 7, 2024
I loved the premise behind this book. It definitely threw me for a loop by the end. I learned something new. My major dislike was the dialect usage. While I understand that it was relevant, I feel like in most cases there wasn't enough context to understand it.
November 8, 2024
Title:
Pride and Joy
Author: Louisa Onomé
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: March 12, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC from HarperCollins Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Dramatic • Dry • Lighthearted
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Joy Okafor is overwhelmed. Recently divorced, a life coach whose phone won’t stop ringing, and ever the dutiful Nigerian daughter, Joy has planned every aspect of her mother’s seventieth birthday weekend on her own.
As the Okafors slowly begin to arrive, Mama Mary goes to take a nap. But when the grandkids go to wake her, they find that she isn’t sleeping after all. Refusing to believe that her sister is gone-gone, Auntie Nancy declares that she has had a premonition that Mama Mary will rise again like Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.
Desperate to believe that they’re about to witness a miracle, the family overhauls their birthday plans to welcome the Nigerian Canadian community, effectively spreading the word that Mama Mary is coming back. But skeptical Joy is struggling with the loss of her mother and not allowing herself to mourn just yet while going through the motions of planning a funeral that her aunt refuses to allow.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was initially drawn to Pride and Joy based on the cover alone - the cow and the florals. The premise intrigued me, as did the fact it was written by a Canadian author, to add it to my list of new releases for 2024.
Through multiple POVs, the plot follows three generations of a Nigerian Canadian family as they navigate the untimely and unexplainable death of their matriarch. The various perspectives allows for fully fleshed out characters, getting to know the family intimately, and an deeper understanding of their family dynamic. I greatly appreciated the variety in reactions and how their grief manifests differently depending on a number of factors.
While the bones of the story and the characters are solid, somehow it inconsistently held my attention. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what was missing. Additionally, it doesn't surprise me Louisa Onomé primarily writes books geared towards teens, as I did find it reads juvenile at times and is filled with a lot of drama.
With a touch of humor, Pride and Joy explores familial roles and bonds, traditional and contemporary societal and cultural expectations, and what it means to truly lose someone. It is a journey in forgiveness and healing and learning to accept the things we cannot control. I will most definitely be keeping my eye on Louisa Onomé's writing career from this point forward.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• imperfect families
• Black Cake
⚠️ CW: death, death of parent, grief, sibling death, toxic relationship, religious bigotry, overdose, homophobia, lesbophobia, alcohol
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"We are not ourselves. No one can be in the face of grief. Nothing hurts like death."
Author: Louisa Onomé
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: March 12, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC from HarperCollins Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Dramatic • Dry • Lighthearted
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Joy Okafor is overwhelmed. Recently divorced, a life coach whose phone won’t stop ringing, and ever the dutiful Nigerian daughter, Joy has planned every aspect of her mother’s seventieth birthday weekend on her own.
As the Okafors slowly begin to arrive, Mama Mary goes to take a nap. But when the grandkids go to wake her, they find that she isn’t sleeping after all. Refusing to believe that her sister is gone-gone, Auntie Nancy declares that she has had a premonition that Mama Mary will rise again like Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.
Desperate to believe that they’re about to witness a miracle, the family overhauls their birthday plans to welcome the Nigerian Canadian community, effectively spreading the word that Mama Mary is coming back. But skeptical Joy is struggling with the loss of her mother and not allowing herself to mourn just yet while going through the motions of planning a funeral that her aunt refuses to allow.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was initially drawn to Pride and Joy based on the cover alone - the cow and the florals. The premise intrigued me, as did the fact it was written by a Canadian author, to add it to my list of new releases for 2024.
Through multiple POVs, the plot follows three generations of a Nigerian Canadian family as they navigate the untimely and unexplainable death of their matriarch. The various perspectives allows for fully fleshed out characters, getting to know the family intimately, and an deeper understanding of their family dynamic. I greatly appreciated the variety in reactions and how their grief manifests differently depending on a number of factors.
While the bones of the story and the characters are solid, somehow it inconsistently held my attention. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what was missing. Additionally, it doesn't surprise me Louisa Onomé primarily writes books geared towards teens, as I did find it reads juvenile at times and is filled with a lot of drama.
With a touch of humor, Pride and Joy explores familial roles and bonds, traditional and contemporary societal and cultural expectations, and what it means to truly lose someone. It is a journey in forgiveness and healing and learning to accept the things we cannot control. I will most definitely be keeping my eye on Louisa Onomé's writing career from this point forward.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• imperfect families
• Black Cake
⚠️ CW: death, death of parent, grief, sibling death, toxic relationship, religious bigotry, overdose, homophobia, lesbophobia, alcohol
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"We are not ourselves. No one can be in the face of grief. Nothing hurts like death."
February 24, 2024
Thank you to the publisher for making this available as an ARC on Netgalley!
Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5
Warnings: Death of Parent, Grief, Homophobia, Toxic Relationship, Death of Sibling
Review: This contemporary fiction is filled with so much emotion that I think the best way to kick off this review is with a quote that I had highlighted: “But a lot has happened this weekend. We are not ourselves. No one can be. in the face of grief. Nothing hurts like death.”
I am all too familiar with grief and how heavy it can be, and while the core of this story is about the passing of a family member, I found this story to feel like a warm hug. It helped to remind me that there is no “one way” to feel or process grief. The vast number of responses to losing a loved one were shared as vignettes into various family members as they each learned the news.
While I tend to be nervous to read stories that include a large cast of characters. each one in this story was completely unique and recognizable. I was able to relate to or at least empathize with how they approached the situation (even the Auntie with a prophecy!). I was invested in each character so much so that I found it very satisfying to watch them all work through their individual character arcs. Also, naturally with a lot of people stuck in one place all getting bad news, there was some pretty tense family situations. Some were so jaw-dropping I had to stop reading and immediately share it with a friend!
Out of the entire family, I found myself relating heavily to Joy and her personal growth journey. Which is funny, as I didn’t expect that when I first started the book. When we’re introduced to her I thought to myself “at least I don’t need to be THAT much in control of the things around me”. Jokes on me. There were quite a few aspects to Joy that hit close to home for me. One, was her acting in a self-proclaimed family role and how frustrating she found it. Two, how she still feels like she’s fighting against the traditional family expectations. Three, how even in her late thirties she’s still struggling with identity and diaspora. And lastly, how she has to work towards becoming vulnerable and allowing herself to ask for help.
As much as I enjoyed that the story-telling moved through various perspectives, I did find some of the side character moments to feel like nice anecdotes but not necessarily ones that I felt added to the main story. There were also times that the jumps between characters felt so quick that I had to reorient myself to understand who I was now following. There were also a few characters that would have been nice to see further developed, such as Nnenna’s children. Despite all of that, I was engrossed in the story and eager to see if each character would find healthy ways to express their inner thoughts with their fellow family members.
Overall Rating: 4.5 / 5
Warnings: Death of Parent, Grief, Homophobia, Toxic Relationship, Death of Sibling
Review: This contemporary fiction is filled with so much emotion that I think the best way to kick off this review is with a quote that I had highlighted: “But a lot has happened this weekend. We are not ourselves. No one can be. in the face of grief. Nothing hurts like death.”
I am all too familiar with grief and how heavy it can be, and while the core of this story is about the passing of a family member, I found this story to feel like a warm hug. It helped to remind me that there is no “one way” to feel or process grief. The vast number of responses to losing a loved one were shared as vignettes into various family members as they each learned the news.
While I tend to be nervous to read stories that include a large cast of characters. each one in this story was completely unique and recognizable. I was able to relate to or at least empathize with how they approached the situation (even the Auntie with a prophecy!). I was invested in each character so much so that I found it very satisfying to watch them all work through their individual character arcs. Also, naturally with a lot of people stuck in one place all getting bad news, there was some pretty tense family situations. Some were so jaw-dropping I had to stop reading and immediately share it with a friend!
Out of the entire family, I found myself relating heavily to Joy and her personal growth journey. Which is funny, as I didn’t expect that when I first started the book. When we’re introduced to her I thought to myself “at least I don’t need to be THAT much in control of the things around me”. Jokes on me. There were quite a few aspects to Joy that hit close to home for me. One, was her acting in a self-proclaimed family role and how frustrating she found it. Two, how she still feels like she’s fighting against the traditional family expectations. Three, how even in her late thirties she’s still struggling with identity and diaspora. And lastly, how she has to work towards becoming vulnerable and allowing herself to ask for help.
As much as I enjoyed that the story-telling moved through various perspectives, I did find some of the side character moments to feel like nice anecdotes but not necessarily ones that I felt added to the main story. There were also times that the jumps between characters felt so quick that I had to reorient myself to understand who I was now following. There were also a few characters that would have been nice to see further developed, such as Nnenna’s children. Despite all of that, I was engrossed in the story and eager to see if each character would find healthy ways to express their inner thoughts with their fellow family members.
March 8, 2024
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I mostly enjoyed the prior Louisa Onomé books I’ve read, so I was excited to read more from her, especially as Pride and Joy seems to be her adult debut. While her prior works focused more on teenage coming-of-age for a single Nigerian girl, I loved that this book pivoted to explore more mature topics and broader Nigerian Canadian family dynamics.
I admit I was initially a tad daunted, as while the book focuses heavily on Joy, there’s also a focus on her role within her family with its many relationships. I really took the time to study the family tree while reading to grasp how everyone was related to Joy, and each other. While the book could have suffered from “too many characters” syndrome, I feel like each was distinct and vibrant in their own right, with all their interpersonal dramas and rivalries.
Joy herself does sometimes seem like the least interesting character in that regard, but I also think that also makes her the right focal point for the book, centering and anchoring all of it. And she has her own arc of reckoning with grief in the wake of her mother’s death, even with her aunt claiming her mother will rise again.
The plot and pacing of the book is where I feel very conflicted. The plot is the family drama, so it’s natural for the book to be slower and more introspective. But it being over the course of a few days is where I felt it was something of a double-edged sword. Upon finishing the book, I was in disbelief that so little time had passed. It felt at times like it was so much longer, even though the chapter time-stamps would dispute that. The pacing definitely gave the sense that this took place over a longer period of time than it actually did, with it very much being a slow-burn.
Personal quibbles aside, I enjoyed this book overall, and would recommend it to readers looking for a family/domestic drama with Black characters.
I mostly enjoyed the prior Louisa Onomé books I’ve read, so I was excited to read more from her, especially as Pride and Joy seems to be her adult debut. While her prior works focused more on teenage coming-of-age for a single Nigerian girl, I loved that this book pivoted to explore more mature topics and broader Nigerian Canadian family dynamics.
I admit I was initially a tad daunted, as while the book focuses heavily on Joy, there’s also a focus on her role within her family with its many relationships. I really took the time to study the family tree while reading to grasp how everyone was related to Joy, and each other. While the book could have suffered from “too many characters” syndrome, I feel like each was distinct and vibrant in their own right, with all their interpersonal dramas and rivalries.
Joy herself does sometimes seem like the least interesting character in that regard, but I also think that also makes her the right focal point for the book, centering and anchoring all of it. And she has her own arc of reckoning with grief in the wake of her mother’s death, even with her aunt claiming her mother will rise again.
The plot and pacing of the book is where I feel very conflicted. The plot is the family drama, so it’s natural for the book to be slower and more introspective. But it being over the course of a few days is where I felt it was something of a double-edged sword. Upon finishing the book, I was in disbelief that so little time had passed. It felt at times like it was so much longer, even though the chapter time-stamps would dispute that. The pacing definitely gave the sense that this took place over a longer period of time than it actually did, with it very much being a slow-burn.
Personal quibbles aside, I enjoyed this book overall, and would recommend it to readers looking for a family/domestic drama with Black characters.
February 20, 2025
- the okafor and akintola families gather for matriarch mary's seventieth birthday party, but then mary dies in her sleep before the party can get started. thankfully, mary's sister, nancy receives a premonition that mary will resurrect, so the party is still on, and in fact, there are more guests than the families have bargained for
most of what i didn't like about this book was down to odd stylistic choices:
- the book is written in third person omniscient present tense (perhaps my least favorite), there are lots of times when whole sentences in igbo or italian are included (i'm fine with other languages in books as long as the meaning of whatever they're saying is clear from the context, but that was not always the case here, so why include it at all? just to pad the word count?), every other page has at least one line of dialogue where the characters are stuttering and it's written out (o-ok? w-why?), the phrase "x character kissed their teeth" kept coming up (i guess i kind of understand what this is supposed to mean but i have straight up never heard this phrase before. is it just me?)
- there's also a lot in here about being a part of multiple cultures/feeling like you're not "enough" of your culture when you're second-generation/of multiple ethnic backgrounds/otherwise don't conform to cultural norms, but it wasn't explored very deeply (perhaps because there are so many characters we get insight into, and each of them has a different reason why they clash with their family's expectations of them).
- not that that was a huge problem for me though because i think "i am caught between my two cultures" is one of the least interesting questions a book can dive into. like inevitably the conclusion is "i am both :) i am me :) and that is enough :)" which like. sure. but did we have to read 300 pages first before arriving at this conclusion.
- otherwise this was cute, the situation was funny (characters trying to start the grief process for their mother/grandmother/aunt while other characters are celebrating her impending resurrection), and there were a lot of sweet family bonding moments
**thank you to goodreads and the publisher for the arc!**
most of what i didn't like about this book was down to odd stylistic choices:
- the book is written in third person omniscient present tense (perhaps my least favorite), there are lots of times when whole sentences in igbo or italian are included (i'm fine with other languages in books as long as the meaning of whatever they're saying is clear from the context, but that was not always the case here, so why include it at all? just to pad the word count?), every other page has at least one line of dialogue where the characters are stuttering and it's written out (o-ok? w-why?), the phrase "x character kissed their teeth" kept coming up (i guess i kind of understand what this is supposed to mean but i have straight up never heard this phrase before. is it just me?)
- there's also a lot in here about being a part of multiple cultures/feeling like you're not "enough" of your culture when you're second-generation/of multiple ethnic backgrounds/otherwise don't conform to cultural norms, but it wasn't explored very deeply (perhaps because there are so many characters we get insight into, and each of them has a different reason why they clash with their family's expectations of them).
- not that that was a huge problem for me though because i think "i am caught between my two cultures" is one of the least interesting questions a book can dive into. like inevitably the conclusion is "i am both :) i am me :) and that is enough :)" which like. sure. but did we have to read 300 pages first before arriving at this conclusion.
- otherwise this was cute, the situation was funny (characters trying to start the grief process for their mother/grandmother/aunt while other characters are celebrating her impending resurrection), and there were a lot of sweet family bonding moments
**thank you to goodreads and the publisher for the arc!**
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