My Life As A Chameleon

This is a powerful, introspective and engaging book that will pull on your heart strings. It's for anyone who's felt lonely, misunderstood or out of place

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

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

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

My Life as a Chameleon 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

My Life As A Chameleon is a beautifully written book, 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. Diana Anyakwo writes so exquisitely and the narrative voice is so accomplished, it's hard to believe that this emotionally charged book is a debut. Diana is certainly an exciting and welcome new voice in the YA world

A vivid and tender portrait

Brutally authentic, tenderly honest, Diana Anyakwo lays bare the struggle of belonging and unbelonging. My Life As a Chameleon is YA at its finest

Tender, melancholic, and effortless, 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

Diana Anyakwo's beautiful writing captures those granular everyday details of growing up, of navigating friendships, learning to feel comfortable in your skin and finding your own voice. My Life As A Chameleon is immersive - I was completely absorbed from the moment I opened the book

Lily's resilience and spirit shines through in this complicated depiction of family relationships. 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