The Tiny Things Are Heavier

The Tiny Things Are Heavier by  Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo

Named a Best Book of 2025 by Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Forbes, The Tiny Things Are Heavier is a powerful, emotionally rich debut about identity, migration, and the complexities of family and love. Perfect for readers of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Kiley Reid, and Yaa Gyasi, this novel offers a heartfelt and unflinching exploration of what it means to belong—both at home and abroad.

“A gracefully told and sharply observed debut.” —Kiley Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Such a Fun Age

When Sommy, a Nigerian graduate student, arrives in America just weeks after her brother Mezie’s suicide attempt, she is haunted by guilt and isolation. Navigating her new life as an immigrant in the U.S., she forms a complex bond with her vibrant roommate Bayo, and eventually falls for Bryan, a biracial American man with a Nigerian father he's never known. As their relationship deepens, they are united by shared feelings of disconnection, cultural tension, and unspoken longing.

But when Sommy and Bryan travel to Lagos, Nigeria—seeking reconciliation, answers, and healing—an unexpected tragedy threatens to upend everything they’ve built and exposes the emotional fractures within their families.

With lyrical prose and profound emotional insight, The Tiny Things Are Heavier captures the immigrant experience in all its nuance—from homesickness and hope to identity, love, and loss. It's a deeply moving story about how we carry the weight of family, memory, and the tiny things that define who we are.