BOOK
Awards
Shortlisted for KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards 2024
Shortlisted for The Diverse Book Awards 2024
Longlisted for the Jhalak Prize 2024
MY LIFE AS A CHAMELEON
by Diana Anyakwo
In this highly anticipated literary debut Lily is a sixteen-year-old living in Manchester. It is nearly five years since her father’s death, and she is soon to return to her birthplace in Nigeria to reunite with her mother and siblings for their anniversary. As cold rain thunders on the streets she looks back over her young life and wonders . . . how did she get here? As a young girl in Lagos, Lily is the baby of her large family.
The daughter of a Nigerian father and Irish mother, she lives in a dual reality: one where moments of bright colour and tenderness exist alongside a sense of danger just beneath the surface of her apparently idyllic life. This is a powerful story of resilience and belonging, about family secrets and how they can destroy even the deepest bonds. It is a story about finding your place in the world and realising you deserve to be there. The author says: I’m sharing this story because I believe we can all relate to the intensity of our feelings as we are moving from childhood through our teenage years to being an adult and I want young people to feel that whatever they are going through, they are not alone.
Reviews
“Anyakwo’s debut, which was originally released in 2023 to critical acclaim in the U.K. and Ireland, offers readers an emotional story of survival, grief, and tenacity. The parallel timelines unfold over the novel’s three parts, adding interesting cultural context and space for Lily’s evolution. Though somber at times, the story’s heaviness is warranted, with the author exploring themes of physical abuse, colorism, and racism in a well-developed setting. A touching story of resilience.” Kirkus
“Readers will feel they have truly gotten to know Lily and her family and friends, as well as the bullies, as Anyakwo traces the characters’ edges sharply and expertly. The distant, removed tone of the narration keeps the harshness of some of Lily’s stories from cutting too deep.” Booklist
“I cannot recommend this novel enough and I’m looking forward to sharing it with clients. Perfect for those looking to understand the complexities of family dynamics and the human spirit’s enduring strength and will to overcome.”
Instagram review by @literapy_nyc
(12.5K followers)
“A beautiful engrossing read, filled with heart wrenching anecdotes that will make a teen reader reminisce the tumultuous times of puberty and the struggles that came along with it" Books up North
“Anyakwo renders this emotional tale with such a truthful and realistic eye that one feels like they're reading a memoir. Lily asks important questions about her multiple identities as she navigates the confusing, messy, and often violent adult world. An absorbing, sometimes painful, but ultimately hopeful tale of survival."
Veera Hiranandani, author of The Night Diary
“A vivid and tender portrait of a teenager learning to navigate adult emotions, survive deracination and discover who she is inside.” Suzi Feay for Financial Times Best Summer Books 2023
“Told with an authenticity that shines through…
A book for anyone who's felt lonely, misunderstood or out of place, who’s had to switch who they are to blend in or disappear.”
The British Blacklist review by Afua Hagan
A quietly powerful debut from Irish-Nigerian author Diana Anyakwo that would appeal to fans of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus, here’s hoping for more from this talented new voice.”
Children’s Books Ireland
“In My Life as a Chameleon, Diana Anyakwo gifts pre-teen and teen readers with a young adult novel that skillfully and artistically explores some of the most pressing issues we are grappling with in the adult world today.” Brittle Paper
“An exceptional debut which captures the reader from the beginning and doesn't let go until the very end. It's a journey of both hope and despair, a story of empowerment, of self-discovery, bravery and courage in the face of family trauma and emotional turmoil. It's hard to believe that this emotionally charged book is a debut. Diana Anyakwo is certainly an exciting and welcome new voice in the YA world.”
J P Rose, bestselling author of The Haunting of Tyrese Walker
"What a lovely view of life Diana Anyakwo created through Lily's innocence as she tries fathoming out the adult world and how she fits into it... I'm bereft that it's over."
Eva Verde, author of Lives Like Mine
“Beautiful…captures those granular everyday details of growing up, of navigating friendships, learning to feel comfortable in your skin and finding your own voice. Diana Anyakwo's writing is immersive and I was completely absorbed.”
Andreina Cordiani, author of Dead Lucky
“Brutally authentic, tenderly honest, lays bare the struggle of belonging and unbelonging.
My Life As a Chameleon is YA at its finest.”
Nikki May, author of Wahala
“In My Life as a Chameleon, Lily grows up in the sweetly painful world of 1980s Nigeria. Diana Anyakwo handles both the tender and the heart-wrenching with virtuosity. In her hands, Lily becomes a powerful young woman.”
Ayesha Harruna Attah, author of The Deep Blue Between and The Hundred Wells of Salaga
“A powerful, introspective and engaging book that’s engaging and will pull on your heart strings.”
Instagram review by @erinreadstheworld
“Tender and melancholic, Diana Anyakwo writes with a deceptively simple yet steady voice which immediately draws readers into Lily's rose-colored world. We navigate alongside her through the shattering of those innocent lenses as she discovers with each experience the complexities of life in this beautiful coming-of-age story. A gorgeous tale that leaves you wanting to hug the protagonist and assure her of a lifetime of tender moments.”
Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström, international bestselling author of In Every Mirror She’s Black
“What an engaging, beautiful debut this is! Books like My Life As a Chameleon are why I champion YA fiction…what a gem!...
There’s so much to unpack in this story from mental illness to racism but it never feels preachy. Diana strips her writing back so the emotion shines through.”
Instagram review by@rinareads1986
“And this is why we love a debut. This is a beautiful and moving coming of age story from an exciting new voice in fiction, which I couldn’t put down and read in a single afternoon. I think this story will mean so much to so many readers, and I can’t wait to see what’s next from Diana Anyakwo!” Instagram review by @tillylovesbooks
“My heart broke as Lily experienced the cruelty and fickleness of her peers at school – her difficult search for true friendship and where she fits in…I think this will be enjoyed by many YA readers and look forward to seeing more from this author.”
Instagram review by @tara_flynnreads
“A refreshing read, engaging and insightful…It didn’t glamorise life nor Lily’s struggles and I appreciated the rawness of her experiences.”
Reviewed by A Take From Two Cities book blog
“My Life as a Chameleon offers us a captivating read that explores the complexities of identity formation,code-switching and the quest for self-discovery in a world that often struggles to fully embrace our plural nature. My Life as a Chameleon not only explores themes of identity, belonging and social dynamics, but also adopts the form of autofiction. Drawing on the author's own experiences and memories as a mixed-race person in Nigeria, the novel blurs the lines between fiction and reality. Through the character of Lily, Diana Anyakwo weaves a narrative that reflects her own journey of self-discovery, creating an intimate and personal connection between author and story. This fusion of autofiction adds an extra layer of authenticity and depth to the narrative, inviting readers to delve into the complexities of the author's lived experiences while embracing the power of storytelling.”
Prof. Karen Ferreira-Meyers,Chronique LitterairesAfricaines.com
“It’s written so thoughtfully, and we cheer on Lily as she works out who she is. The descriptions of the heat and bustle of Lagos and 1980s dreary Manchester are excellent; they stay with you as you think about her life.”
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