Twice as Perfect follows 17-year-old Nigerian Canadian Adanna (Ada) who goes by Sophie at school. She is grappling with intense parental expectations especially since her older brother Sam left home and became estranged, forcing Ada to feel that she needs to be Twice as Perfect to make up for Sam's absence. She is striving to become a lawyer, as the only acceptable professions in her family are doctor, engineer or lawyer. She is also juggling debate team and being a bridesmaid in her cousin's massive wedding to a Nigerian music superstar.
In doing research for a school art project, she happens upon Sam at a poetry night and reunites with him. Learning about Sam and his poetry encourages Ada to question whether her plan to become a lawyer will make her happy. She begins to feel both relief and fear about what it will mean if she deviates from her rigidly determined path
Twice as Perfect does a great job of depicting a young person who is torn between two cultures and dealing with the weight of parental expectations. I liked Ada's character and her relationships with her friends and extended family. Although Ada was interested in two boys, the focus of the story was not about getting a boyfriend and the romantic relationships were left unresolved, which was refreshing to see in a YA novel. I loved the vivid descriptions of Nigerian culture and food. Twice as Perfect is a well-written multicultural coming-of-age story.
In doing research for a school art project, she happens upon Sam at a poetry night and reunites with him. Learning about Sam and his poetry encourages Ada to question whether her plan to become a lawyer will make her happy. She begins to feel both relief and fear about what it will mean if she deviates from her rigidly determined path
Twice as Perfect does a great job of depicting a young person who is torn between two cultures and dealing with the weight of parental expectations. I liked Ada's character and her relationships with her friends and extended family. Although Ada was interested in two boys, the focus of the story was not about getting a boyfriend and the romantic relationships were left unresolved, which was refreshing to see in a YA novel. I loved the vivid descriptions of Nigerian culture and food. Twice as Perfect is a well-written multicultural coming-of-age story.