Reviews

Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi

katie_helf96's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I give Zoboi credit for writing such a profoundly jackass of a dad that I was crying rage tears. He was just such a bulldozer over all the women in his life. As for race/racism, I understood where Nigeria is coming from, with her hate/mistrust of white people, especially with how she grew up in the movement and just knowing white people in general. I do think that the vast majority of white people are at least a little bit racist but there’s a sliding scale. Some white people are more racist than others, but a large amount of white people (especially younger ones) are trying to recognize and dismantle the inherent racism they were brought up with. Those people give me hope for the future. 

What I couldn’t stand was the misogyny/sexism from the dad. Friggin’ Keith. I did enjoy the ending though. It gave me some hope for Nigeria and her future/independence. This book needs more than just a couple paragraphs for a review. You could write a dissertation on the complexity of it. I didn’t even talk about Che/Chris. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Death of parent, Sexism, Misogyny, and Abandonment

nduhr10's review

emotional funny informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

jels's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

pooh08's review against another edition

4.25

I recently finished reading "Nigeria Jones" by Ibi Zoboi, and let me tell you, it was an incredible read! The book delves into themes of self-discovery, racial identity, and the complexities of social justice movements. The protagonist's journey towards finding her voice and navigating personal struggles is truly captivating. I highly recommend it, especially if you enjoy thought-provoking young adult fiction. Happy reading! 📚😊

thart3's review

3.0

Very unique point of view. I enjoyed the look at a black movement community that though extreme, was insightful.

lucidfish's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

froghag's review against another edition

emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

julie_responsibly's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

mnstucki's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

3.5

tinycaredance's review

5.0

really good.
really really good.
interesting.
thought provoking.
different take on something you read about a lot.
i want to read it again. soon.