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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—from an author with a "razor-sharp, smart, and tender" (Nafiza Azad, author of The Wild Ones) voice.
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.
"In her adult debut, Onomé explores themes of family, grief, and belonging through a unique—yet instantly recognizable—family. [...] A refreshing combination of emotional insight and family comedy; ideal for fans of Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto and Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli." ―Booklist (starred review)
"Onomé blends humor and pathos in her captivating adult debut. [...] Onomé's rich storytelling is enhanced by authentic descriptions of traditional Nigerian music and foods, such as Egosi soup and chin chin, as her characters come together amid great loss. Readers will savor Onomé's vibrant portrait of a family." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"YA novelist Onomé's adult debut features a sprawling cast of characters that ultimately prove too unwieldy to manage effectively...Onomé's rich portrayal of Nigerian culture, foods, and traditions provides much-needed grounding, and her skillful handling of the difficulties first-generation children face as they straddle two or more cultures remains ever relevant. An uneven novel that's strongest when it simply sits with a child's grief." —Kirkus Reviews
"Onomé has created a family so rich in heritage and complexity that I can't believe these characters do not really exist. The love for Nigerian culture clearly shines through the page and I did not want this beautiful book to end." ―Jesse Q. Sutanto, national bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties
"An addictive family drama with bold characters and big laughs." ―Jane Igharo, acclaimed author of Where We End & Begin
This information about Pride and Joy was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Louisa Onomé is a Nigerian Canadian writer of books for teens and adults, including Like Home, Twice as Perfect, and Pride and Joy. She holds a BA in professional writing and a MA in counselling psychology. When she is not writing, she works as a narrative designer in games. She currently resides in the Toronto area. Find out more at LouisaOnome.com.
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