Pride and Joy A Novel
Pride and Joy A Novel by Louisa Onomé, published by Simon and Schuster on March 12, 2024, is a 336-page exploration of family dynamics within a Nigerian Canadian context. The story centers on Joy Okafor, who, amidst her recent divorce and the pressures of life coaching, is tasked with organizing her mother’s seventieth birthday celebration. However, the event takes an unexpected turn when her family grapples with the sudden passing of their matriarch, Mama Mary, leading to a mix of grief and denial.
Readers will find a humorous yet poignant narrative as the Okafor family navigates their loss while Auntie Nancy insists on a miraculous return for Mama Mary. The novel delves into themes of family life and the complexities of mourning, showcasing characters who are deeply relatable and rich in heritage. As Joy struggles to reconcile her skepticism with her family’s hope, the story unfolds with both laughter and heartache, reflecting the intricacies of familial bonds and the challenges of letting go.
Official synopsis Publisher
Perfect for “fans of dark, laugh-out-loud family dramas” (Bust magazine), this is a 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.
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 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 “so rich in heritage and complexity that I can’t believe these characters do not really exist” (Jesse Q. Sutanto, national bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties), 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.
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