Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

107 reviews

jdors00's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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orlagal's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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pm_me_book_recs's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 I listened to this via Libro.fm- it's read by the author and absolutely incredible. Highly highly reccomend. Their tone is meditative, the cadence is hypnotic and dreamy.

An amalgamation of Nigerian folklore and spirituality, psuedo-autobiographical origin story, examination of mental health, sexuality, and gender expression, and deep effects of multiple traumas. Despite coming from a completely different situation and life, I found reflections of my experiences, which helped me feel real and seen. I think many other Queer and/or non-conforming folks could find cathartic comfort here as well. I wouldn't call this a "happy" story, but cathartic (emotionally purging). You're gonna cry, ugly sad mortified cry, but also warm hug after a bad day cry.

I'm so excited to read EVERYTHING else by Akwaeke Emezi, their new novel "Little Rot" comes out this Spring, and they're currently releasing a new album 🔥

CW: rape, disordered eating, suicide, self-harm, addiction, gaslighting, psychosis, dysmorphia, emotional/physical abuse, medical trauma, trans/homophobia, death, miscarriage. Definitely check StoryGraph for more in depth analysis of content warnings if there are specific topics you wish to avoid. 

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michaelion's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Akwaeke Emezi, I will find you one day. One day, I will find you. I will drop to my knees. And I will ask for your hand in marriage.

They peeled my scalp back, cracked my skull open, and wrote exactly what's going on in my brain. What the heck Akwaeke Emezi my future spouse. How dare you. I love you. I guess I'm an ogbanje? Is it appropriative of me to say that even though I know my ancestry comes from Nigeria I'm just not sure which people group? Anyway anyway. I am her and they is me and I am we. Amazing. I'm so glad I chose to pock this up this month. THIS IS Black history NOW !!!

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persnickery's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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kodi_rae's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Beautiful, graphic, and unlike anything I’ve read. So interesting and so we’ll done. I loved it. I think Emezi has a knack for writing about the uncomfortable and asking tough questions of their reader. I might like this one slightly more than The Death of Vivek Oji but they are both brilliant.

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tartanshelf's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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arj's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75


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lisettemarie's review

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

3.5


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ctatu's review against another edition

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dark sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5


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