Twice as Perfect

Louisa Onomé

Jul 2022 · Sold by Feiwel & Friends

About this ebook

A Young Adult novel by Louisa Onomé, Twice As Perfect follows a Nigerian Canadian girl dealing with an estranged older brother, helping her cousin plan a big Nigerian wedding, and pressure from her parents about her future.

She thinks the only things worth doing are those that will lead to success.

For seventeen-year-old Adanna Nkwachi, life is all about duty: to school and the debate team, to her Nigerian parents, and even to her cousin Genny as Adanna helps prepare Genny’s wedding to Afrobeats superstar Skeleboy. Because ever since her older brother, Sam, had a fight with their parents a few years ago and disappeared, somebody had to fill the void he left behind. Adanna may never understand what caused Sam to leave home, but the one thing she knows is that it’s on her to make sure her parents’ sacrifices aren’t in vain.

One day, chance brings the siblings together again and they start working to repair their bond. Although she fears how their parents will react if they find out, Adanna’s determined to get answers about the night Sam left—Sam, who was supposed to be an engineer but is now, what, a poet? The more she learns about Sam’s poetry, the more Adanna begins to wonder if maybe her own happiness is just as important as doing what’s expected of her.

Amid parental pressure, anxiety over the debate competition, a complicated love life, and the Nigerian wedding-to-end-all-weddings, can Adanna learn, just this once, to put herself first?

Ratings and reviews

Dragged I had such high hopes for this book based on the premise. The best part of this novel for me was learning a bit of Nigerian culture, especially concerning family arrangements and expectations, weddings and dress, and food. But beyond this, the only reason I finished reading this novel was because I wanted to write an honest review. First of all, the point of view character Ada (or Sophie to everyone but her family) was someone I never liked or even cared about. She felt selfish, rude, a

Twice as Perfect by Louisa Onome is a lovely YA novel that deals with social issues. The story revolves around Adanna, a Nigerian Canadian teenager dealing with a lot of issues. Not only is she dealing with school and the debate team, she's also having problems with her family. Her cousin is planning a big Nigerian wedding, and Adanna has to help them out. Can Adanna deal with all of these issues from school, family, and even her love life?

Adanna's parents expect her to excel, especially since her brother became estranged from the family. When she reconnects with him, will he teach her the importance of following her passion? This is a character-driven story that taps into the immigrant experience and the challenges teens face in finding their own identity separate from their parents. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received.

About the author

Louisa Onomé is the Nigerian Canadian author of the critically acclaimed young adult novel Like Home. She holds a BA in professional writing from York University. When she is not writing, her hobbies include picking up languages she may never use, crying over her favorite video games, and perfecting her skin-care routine. She currently resides in the Toronto area.