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Summary
Summary
Doesn't she see? I can do this on my own. Summer Uzoma is fine. Sure, her parents left her behind when they went on the run after being accused of committing a crime last year. But she's fine. She just has to turn eighteen in a few weeks and then she'll really and truly be free to do whatever she wants. So it's extra annoying when a nosy social worker gets involved. Summer doesn't expect her to find any relative, so she's very surprised to hear that she'll be living with her cousin Olu--someone she hasn't seen in years, who's only a year older, and who's a famous singer in Japan last she heard. Life with Olu is awkward for many reasons. But with her cousin and friends' efforts, maybe Summer can learn to open up again?
Author Notes
Louisa Onomé is the Nigerian Canadian author of 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. louisaonome.com
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Summer has spent the last year living with friends, evading social services, and struggling to support herself after the sudden disappearance of her parents. The only information she has about where they could be and why they disappeared comes from brief television and Internet news reports calling the community to turn them into law enforcement. About two months before Summer's 18th birthday, social services relocates her to a family member's penthouse. Her wealthy, 20-year-old cousin Olu has put her pop-singing career on hold and moved to Canada from Japan. Despite Summer's reservations about the arrangement, Olu's intentions seem genuine. However, Summer is struggling internally with her anger and abandonment issues, which threaten to jeopardize her friendships, mental health, and her future at the college where she has been accepted. Ultimately, Summer hits bottom when she runs into her mother, flees to her old house, and is surprisingly taken in for the night by the new owners. The plot moves at an even pace but will require some suspension of disbelief. Summer's ability to evade social services for a year as well as a couple other scenarios stretch credibility. The characters are diverse and relatable, representing different ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. Readers will identify with Summer's struggle to decide on college while supporting her friends' decisions to move away for university. VERDICT A general purchase that will resonate with students who identify with the struggles associated with the transition to adulthood.--Lynn Rashid
Publisher's Weekly Review
After her parents go on the run following charges of fraud, a Nigerian Canadian 17-year-old finds herself suddenly without adult support in this tenderhearted novel of family and trust by Onomé (Twice as Perfect). Thanks to her friends, Summer Uzoma always has a couch to crash on, but internalized shame surrounding her parents' crime follows her wherever she goes. Unbeknownst to her friends, Summer has been visiting her old house, searching for clues about her parents' whereabouts. She's certain all her problems will be solved when she comes of age in a few weeks, but after a social worker intervenes, Summer is placed in the care of her 20-year-old cousin Olu, a famous musician from Japan who is currently living in Port Credit and hiding struggles of her own. Now Summer must face the reality of her parents' actions and learn how to move forward with her life. Summer's visceral wrestling with guilt and shame, her trauma-informed abandonment issues, and her wariness to open up to others coalesces into a pacey, well-crafted character study that explores one teenager's pursuit of safety and home amid life-changing circumstances. Ages 14--up. Agent: Claire Friedman, InkWell Management. (May)
Horn Book Review
In this absorbing novel, a Nigerian Canadian girl navigating tumultuous circumstances learns to trust friends and family. Suspected of fraud, her parents have become fugitives; Summer first lives on her own and then at the homes of friends, looking forward to the legal "true freedom" that will come with her approaching eighteenth birthday. Her outward aloofness and attitude that she can handle being abandoned and betrayed belie her longing for a stable home. When a social worker discovers her situation, Summer is sent to live with a cousin, Olu, whom she barely knows. Olu is only two years older than Summer; a popular singer in Japan, she now resides in Toronto. The relationship between the cousins is fraught with tension as Summer continues to rebuff Olu's attempts to support her, and she learns that Olu has consequential problems of her own and plans to return to Japan. A traumatic incident with a family member precipitates a period of reflection that leads Summer to make a life-changing decision and to realize what matters most. Onome's skill at conveying the complexity of teenage emotions is notable. Her sympathetic portrayal of Summer as a teen who, because of past experiences, is guarded in her relationships with adults and sometimes with peers is both authentic and believable in a resonant coming-of-age story. (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A 17-year-old Nigerian Canadian girl struggles with the fallout of missing parents, changes following high school graduation, and a complicated relationship with her new guardian. Summer Uzoma has been managing to survive in the aftermath of her parents' disappearances following suspicions of credit card fraud involving their beauty product company. She has perfected a careful facade through carefully managed interactions with school counselors who have helped her graduate. Unfortunately, an inquiry from York University and an inquisitive guidance counselor bring her unparented status to the attention of Child Protective Services social worker Gardenia Cruz. Gardenia explains that couch surfing at her friends' houses is not adequate, and she places Summer with her cousin Olu Arai. Nineteen-year-old Olu has a Japanese father and is a big celebrity in Japan who has returned to Canada following a scandal of her own. Skateboarding, a newly minted friendship with a skater boy, and the beauty of Lake Ontario help Summer deal with her fear of abandonment. The nuanced portrayal of the effects of emotional distress is deeply layered in this well-paced novel. Summer's relationships with her two closest friends are balanced by sharp outbursts that allow readers to experience her internal emotional landscape. The characters, who reflect the diversity of the greater Toronto area, are relatable, and the story realistically offers no easy endings or quick resolutions. An engaging read that explores the impact of trauma and the uncertainties of young adulthood. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Both of Summer's parents are on the run, but she's done alright relying on herself and friends so far. But when a social worker shows up, Summer has no choice but to go live with her barely older cousin, since she isn't 18 yet. Summer, who is Nigerian Canadian, is wary of Olu, who is half-Japanese, half-Nigerian, and is a famous singer in Japan. Summer must determine whether, after her parents' betrayal, she can trust again, or if she must face the advent of adulthood alone. Onomé (Like Home, 2021) blends teen angst with the harsh realities of minor emancipation in a heartfelt novel with a moving ending. There's plenty to explore in this Canadian setting as the book quietly excavates and explores its titular character's heart until it's laid bare. Intense conversations bring an emotional charge, leading to an eruption that many teens will find personally familiar. Hand to readers who enjoyed Connie King's Sleeping in My Jeans (2018) and Marina Budhos' We Are All We Have (2022).
