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Her life. Her rules. Finally.
Anuri Chinasa has had enough. And really, who can blame her? She was the unwilling star of her stepmother's social media empire before "momfluencers" were even a thing. For years, Ophelia documented every birthday, every skinned knee, every milestone and meltdown for millions of strangers to fawn over and pick apart.
Now, at twenty-five, Anuri is desperate to put her way-too-public past behind her and start living on her own terms. But it's not going so great. She can barely walk down the street without someone recognizing her, and the fraught relationship with her father has fallen apart. Then there's her PhD application (still unfinished) and her drinking problem (still going strong). When every detail of her childhood was so intensely scrutinized, how can she tell what she really wants?
Still, Ophelia is never far away and has made it clear she won't go down without a fight. With Noelle, Anuri's five-year-old half sister now being forced down the same path, Anuri discovers she has a new mission in life…
To take back control of the family narrative.
Through biting wit and heartfelt introspection, this darkly humorous story dives deep into the deceptive allure of a picture-perfect existence, the overexposure of children in social media and the excitement of self-discovery.
"In many ways, this novel recalls Zadie Smith's White Teeth. Both novels foreground immigrants and immigrant struggles, including racism and xenophobia; both novels have the same sweeping third-person-omniscient point of view, peppered with wry observations about life and humanity. This novel tells a moving, thought-provoking story that interrogates the toxic and parasocial dynamics associated with influencing." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"This timely, gripping novel establishes Nwabineli as a writer with the emotional insight to tackle heavy topics in a skilled and thoughtful manner and will provoke lively discussions for book clubs." —Booklist
"An unputdownable read! Skilfully and delicately written, Allow Me to Introduce Myself helps us behave more ethically in this age of social media obsessions. Onyi Nwabineli is an immensely talented writer whose pen is sharp and unflinching." —Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, bestselling author of Dust Child
"A tack-sharp, beautifully told tale of agency and reclaiming your power. Nwabineli is the queen of flawlessly blending serious topics with witty contemporary prose. Her way with words is an incredible gift." —Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström, bestselling author of Everything Is Not Enough
"Rich with emotion, heartbreaking, and timely. A fresh and compelling perspective on living online." —Peace Adzo Medie, author of Nightbloom
"I loved everything about this book, from the original portrayal of social media and influencer culture, to the excellent humor. Once again, Onyi Nwabineli tells a story that is wise, captivating and unforgettable." —Ore Agbaje-Williams, author of The Three of Us
This information about Allow Me to Introduce Myself was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Onyi Nwabineli is a Nigerian British head-wrap aficionado. Born in Benin, Nigeria, she grew up in Glasgow, the Isle of Man and Newcastle, and now lives in London. Onyi is the cofounder of Surviving Out Loud, a fund that provides fiscal support for survivors of sexual assault, and the founder of Black Pens (black-pens.com), a writing retreat for Black womxn. Someday, Maybe is her debut novel.
Link to Onyi Nwabineli's Website
Name Pronunciation
Onyi Nwabineli: AHN-yee NWAH-bin-ell-ee
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