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The Tiny Things Are Heavier

Longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize 2026
By Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo
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Brief Description
VOGUE MAGAZINE, BEST BOOKS OF 2025A HARPER'S BAZAAR BEST 2025 BEACH READ PICK 'A gracefully told and sharply observed debut' KILEY REID 'Such a sincere blast to read' KAVEH AKBAR The Tiny Things Are Heavier follows Sommy, a Nigerian woman who comes to the United States... Read More
Format: Hardback
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For readers of Americanah, a heart-rending debut novel about a Nigerian immigrant as she tries to find her place at home and in America-a powerful epic about love, grief, family, and belonging.

For readers of Americanah, a heart-rending debut novel about a Nigerian immigrant as she tries to find her place at home and in America-a powerful epic about love, grief, family, and belonging.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

VOGUE MAGAZINE, BEST BOOKS OF 2025
A HARPER'S BAZAAR BEST 2025 BEACH READ PICK

'A gracefully told and sharply observed debut' KILEY REID

'Such a sincere blast to read' KAVEH AKBAR

The Tiny Things Are Heavier follows Sommy, a Nigerian woman who comes to the United States for graduate school two weeks after her brother, Mezie, attempts suicide. Plagued by the guilt of leaving Mezie behind, Sommy struggles to fit into her new life as a student and an immigrant. Lonely and homesick, Sommy soon enters a complicated relationship with her boisterous Nigerian roommate, Bayo, a relationship that plummets into deceit when Sommy falls for Bryan, a biracial American, whose estranged Nigerian father left the States immediately after his birth. Bonded by their feelings of unbelonging and a vague sense of kinship, Sommy and Bryan transcend the challenges of their new relationship.

During summer break, Sommy and Bryan visit the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria, where Sommy hopes to reconcile with Mezie and Bryan plans to connect with his father. But when a shocking and unexpected event throws their lives into disarray, it exposes the cracks in Sommy's relationships and forces her to confront her notions of self and familial love.

A daring and ambitious novel rendered in stirring, tender prose, The Tiny Things Are Heavier is a captivating portrait that explores the hardships of migration, the subtleties of Nigeria's class system, and how far we'll go to protect those we love.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781786586940

Publisher: Bonnier Books Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 14 August 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Manilla Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 165.0mm

Height: 243.0mm

Weight: 484g

Pages: 288

Collections

Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction

About the Author

Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and a second-year PhD student in Creative Writing at Florida State University. Her fiction has appeared in Isele Magazine, Guernica, and Catapult. She's a recipient of the 2021 Elizabeth George Foundation Grant.

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  • The Tiny Things Are Heavier
    'A gracefully told and sharply observed debut' KILEY REID 'Such a sincere blast to read' KAVEH AKBAR The Tiny Things Are Heavier follows Sommy, a Nigerian woman who comes to the United States for graduate school two weeks after her brother, Mezie, attempts suicide. Plagued by the guilt of leaving Mezie behind, Sommy struggles to fit into her new life...
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