This is a poignant and thought provoking ‘coming of age’ tale set against the wisdom and superstition of Nigerian folklore. The story is well balanced, lyrically told and the characters continue to live and breathe in my head, long after the last page.

I read and listened to the audiobook and I think the narrator did a great job. Since I'm Yoruba I was more sensitive to local words but overall it was a really good performance.

I am here for this exploration of gender identity through a historical fiction lens, much more so because it was set in Nigeria, a country whose customs I am unfamiliar with. The narrative was heartbreaking and stellar; the narrator did a phenomenal job bringing this book to life!

A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

5/5 - If I could rate this off the charts, I would.

How to describe this incredible novel. How to even begin. I'm still covered in goose-bumps, still wiping tears from my eyes. This is one of those novels you emerge transformed from and the world looks just a little bit different with this story in your mind.

I've never read a story with an intersex protagonist before, let alone a story that reflects an African voice. I was immediately curious about this narrative, which is why I requested the book to review. I am so glad I did.

The book is written in clear, poetic prose that with elements of magical realism and quotes that linger with you, such as the beautiful statement from Yeyemi - "You are the stuff my stars are made of." The vulnerable style makes it impossible not to fall in love with Lori or to feel every punch that life lands her. I read audiobooks to multitask on creative projects and it was pointless to even try with this one, because I was in tears for the majority of this narrative.

Through this emotional journey, I also learned a lot. I learned about Nigerian culture, about what it means to be intersex, what it looks like to belong to the LGBT community within elite Nigerian circles, etc. The book felt not only like Lori's discovery of herself but my own discovery of a world I was completely ignorant of.

I will also say that this book reminded me strongly of "A Little Life" and "Young Mungo" which are also novels that tackle the difficulties facing LGBT youth and unflinchingly examine the violence and vulnerability of those seeking out their identities and remaining so incredibly GOOD in the face of all the corruption and evil that the world spills out upon them. "An Ordinary Wonder" has that same celebration of unbreakable love and friendship and beauty in a world that is often ugly and unkind.

This book is powerful, this story is necessary. And I for one will read anything that Papillon writes in the future, because I don't expect to ever read a story like this one ever again. This book is an absolute marvel, an ordinary wonder.

Starting in Nigeria in the early '90s, this book shares the story of Oto and his life. It covers so many topics like love, education, sexual identity, culture and belonging through beautiful writing and folklore

3.75 stars

"An Ordinary Wonder" deals with an important and sensitive subject matter, and I think the author created a protagonist who was easy to sympathize with who had to deal with - sadly- very realistic obstacles and prejudices in her life.

I think the novel could have done without the parallel timelines in the beginning and could have just put the "then" chapters as the beginning of the novel, but, apart from this, I liked the overall flow of the story and the protagonist's growth over the course of it.

I loved this book. Not a genre I would normally read but I was addicted right from the start. In parts this was harrowing, happy and everything in between and would definitely recommend it to my friends.

What a beautiful, heartbreaking and sad story. He struggles in his own body and is not accepted by many people. This is worth the read even though it took me a while to get into it. The narrator did a great job. This was a great debut.

Wow... I listened to this on my way to and from work and nearly missed my stop more than once. I can't stop thinking about Otolorin and all the people they met on their journey. What strength in a young person to stay so kind and hopeful and true to themselves even through the most horrible times. So beautifully written and the narration was perfect! This will stay with me for a long time.

A huge thank you to netgalley and OrangeSkay Audio for granting me access to this audiobook. I started it for the international Intersex Awareness day and it was one of the best books I've read/ listened to this year. Oto grows up as a brother to his twin sister, being named "Monster" and "it" by his mother. While at first Oto tries to be a good son, it becomes clear that no matter what, Oto's parents will always resent his existence because Oto is born as intersex, 1978 in Lagos. With no help from outside, his mother believing in demons and curses, it is up to Oto alone to figure out why he is different and why the voice in his head prefers them to be called Lori. Then one horrible thing after another happens. Reminds me of Yanagihara's Little Life. While this was an incredible account of an intersex teen in the 90s, it was also an insight into Lagos. Buki Papillon wrote a heartbreaking piece of literature that will haunt me for a long time. The narration by Adjoa Andoh was out of this world. Giving each character their own voice, she managed to transfer so many emotions that I cannot imagine ever actually reading this book. It needs to be listened to as it is now.

DNF
I have spent a lot of time trying to determine why I couldn't get into this book, and have tried to restart several times.
But I fell asleep listening to this several times, and also my brain would just totter of into a new direction leaving this book behind.
While Adjoa Andoh has a gorgeous voice, but it just wasn't for me in the case of this book.

Despite my rating, this was a treasure of a read depicting an inter-sexed child growing up in Nigeria. The cultural reactions and beliefs were fascinating yet sad. It was here that the book shined the brightest. The depiction of the character’s challenges was also well presented. I was able to empathize fully.

Where I struggled was in staying fully invested in the plot. I tended to fade in and out. There were instances in which I was riveted and others in which I tuned out. The writing didn’t always work for me either. It seemed to focus heavily on concrete details and not enough on emotional connection and development. I wanted to experience more vulnerability in all of the characters. I listened to the audiobook and was blown away by the animated performance of the narrator. She did a wonderful job..

A solid read that I think many readers will enjoy but missed the bull’s eye for me. Thank you to publisher and Netgalley for an advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Really love this audiobook for An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon, narrated by Adjoa Andoh.

An Ordinary Wonder is a sad, beautiful, and ultimately hopeful look at the live of Oto, a Nigerian born male who desires to live as a girl. This tale will grab at your heartstrings, making you look at what you take for granted every time you go outside, get dressed, and just exist in the world.

The narrator brings this story to life in a gripping way, with distinct voices and authentic accents.

A truly incredible work of literary fiction that I believe with be a staple of many genres in the future. Incredible commentary and depiction of an intersex character, as well as life in Ibadan, Nigeria. I cannot recommend this book enough.

3.5 Stars

The writing style in the book was a little hard to get into in the beginning, but as the story went on it became much more bearable.

The book deals with so many important issues, and is a beautiful coming of age story. Not really my genre so didn't enjoy as much as I could but it was such an important story that needs to be shared! Love reading books set in Nigeria and seeing my culture represented

Many thanks to Orange Sky Audio and Netgalley for my ALC of An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon. This is a book I've had my eyes on for a while and I was so pumped when my Netgalley request was approved.

I haven't seen or read a lot of books with intersex rep, much less in the Nigerian setting. This author approached this topic with so much rawness and honesty into the treatment of queer people in Nigeria. People who don't fit perfectly into society's boxes are made to suffer for their deviance. Otolorin was born intersex and assigned male at birth. Knowing nothing but hate and scorn from his parents, he was the reason his father left their family and he was always at the receiving hand of his mother's violent attacks.

Otolorin's relationship with his twin sister Wura became fraught over time and he learnt to depend only on himself, protecting his 'secret' however he could..

This is a story with a lot of struggle and pain and abuse. Otolorin faced a lot of adversity, but was such a formidable main character. This is a story of self-love, self-acceptance, and self-realization. When Otolorin begins to question the identity they were given at birth and develop feelings that could get them killed, the story takes a different turn.

The audiobook was well produced but the accent of the narrator was off and as a Yoruba person, I did not appreciate their pronunciation of the names and words.

A story of family, friendship, society, and resilience, this was a joy to read and I highly recommend it.

Once in a while there is a character in a book, who truly stays with you and does not want to leave. Otolorin is one of those, and 4 weeks later them and their beautiful nature still pops into my head.

An Ordinary Wonder is a coming of age novel with a difference. Otolorin was born as an intersex twin to a Nigerian family, who decided that they would be raised as a boy. We see this decision create a world of hurt and struggle for Otolorin as they navigate the already difficult period of childhood and adolescence.

The writing within this book is absolutely sublime, how Buki Papillon contrasts the loving gentle nature of Otolorin against their deeply judgmental and damaging mother works stunningly. We see Otolorin battle against many turmoils, both within themselves and their daily life but we also get to see the the genuine kindness and understanding that they are sometimes shown. Papillon shows us the many layers and intricacies of Otolorins journey and and just how this journey helped mold them into the beautiful person we see at the end.

I listened to this book on Audio and can honestly say it added so much to my reading experience. Adjoa Andoh did an absolutely beautiful job of recreating Otolorin and the other many characters of the book. Simple things such as her tone, emphasis on certain words and raw emotion made the most difficult and tender moments really come alive.

This is a book everyone should experience. A story of which shows so much beauty, hope and resilience and just how amazing things can turn out when you have the courage and strength to be who you really are.

Adjoa Andoh did a fabulous job narrating this beautiful albeit harrowing story about an intersex child growing up in Nigeria. It was truly an amazing book and I think stories like these need to be told, but the sheer amount of brutal violence made me rate it a bit lower. It was at times so hard to listen to and hear the horrible things that happened to Oto, the main character, who gets mistreated for being intersex. The ending tied everything up so well though and made me truly happy.
I don't know if this is an 'own voice' book, but I think it's an important read and I would recommend it - although I would not go back to reread it.

I think the story is import and the subject matter is important. However, the narrator of the audiobook is very hard to understand.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
An Ordinary Wonder
by Buki Papillon
Narrated by Adjoa Andoh
Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky audio for the advanced listen.
Wow what a gut wrenching and heartbreaking story so beautifully written and narrated. The turmoil Oto was put through due to his intersex identity.
The narrator did a fabulous job narrating this story.
Highly recommend