Every Body Looking

Read from NetGalley: A novel in verse that is semi-autobiographical about a first generation Nigerian immigrant, Ada, finding what she loves independent of her family's/society's expectations of her. Body is separate in the title because Iloh writes with so much thoughtfulness and imagery about Black female bodies and bodily autonomy and who is allowed to/stripped of that autonomy and why. Ada has a fractured relationship with her mostly absent and abusive mother, and though she loves her very religious Nigerian father, she struggles with his expectations for her future that don't match her own desires for herself. So much is good here, but the story jumps around in time, which was sometimes confusing, and not all of the flashbacks served the story, as some led to unfinished narrative threads. The book also stops abruptly and jarringly. I want to see her verse on the page, because the e-galley had editor notes and I'm hoping some of the time-hopping confusion will be mitigated with a word flow edit on the pages of the book. I can already think of a few students that I will recommend this to, and will add it into my book-talk rotation.

This book tackles a lot and left me wishing for just a little more to be fleshed out? But I also acknowledge that she's writing about a very specific cultural and religious background and this will likely resonate more for readers who can more closely understand Ada's circumstances. It's an engaging novel in verse that will appeal to readers who like books about tough subjects.