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An Ordinary Wonder
An Ordinary Wonder | Buki Papillon
2 posts | 4 read | 2 to read
My name is Otolorin. I've been called monster. Within dark valleys of flesh I defy the given - a snake curled in upon itself, two-in-one, mythical and shunned. Yet, in that magic place between worlds, in the realm where the great mother gives milk to her offspring, I become like a goddess.An Ordinary Wonder is the powerful coming of age story of an intersex twin, Oto, who is forced to live as a boy despite their heartfelt belief that they are a girl. Oto's wealthy and powerful family is ashamed of their identity and treats Oto cruelly to ensure silence. The love from Oto's twin sister wavers in a world of secrets and lies that seems determined to tear them apart, and Oto must make drastic choices that will alter the whole family's lives for ever.Richly imagined with African mythology, art and folk tales, this moving and modern book follows Oto through life at home and at boarding school in Nigeria, and their ultimate dream of emigrating to a new life in the United States. It is a novel that explores complex desires as well as challenges of family, identity, gender and culture. An Ordinary Wonder takes us on a beautiful journey of what it means to feel whole.
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deirdrebeecher
An Ordinary Wonder | Buki Papillon
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I loved it. Accessible for teen readers but adult readers will also get a lot from this too. Orto is intersex and lives in Nigeria, forced to live as a boy and hide his shameful secret, Lori, the girl he is meant to be.

A lot of bad things happen in this book but they are handled with great sensitivity, in a way that is not traumatising to the reader. There is a lot of hope and beauty to balance the negative, with touches of magical realism.

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JoyBlue
An Ordinary Wonder | Buki Papillon
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This emotional debut novel about a Nigerian intersex twin is, at turns, heartbreakingly violent and sad, then joyously sweet and funny. It had me pretty hooked. Read the full review here: https://debbybrauer.org/#an-ordinary-wonder

#AnOrdinaryWonder #NetGalley