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orlagal's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Racism, Misogyny, Murder, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Grief, Homophobia, Stalking, Body horror, Colonisation, Drug use, Mental illness, Biphobia, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Blood, Child abuse, Medical content, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Child death, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
pm_me_book_recs's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Transphobia, Blood, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Gaslighting, Addiction, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Abandonment, Grief, Self harm, and Suicide
grebegirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Rape, and Self harm
grandiose_r's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Rape, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, Car accident, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Self harm, Addiction, Blood, Medical content, and Body horror
Moderate: Death, Lesbophobia, Infertility, Racism, Gaslighting, Transphobia, Cultural appropriation, and Homophobia
Minor: Outing, Vomit, Cannibalism, Pedophilia, Kidnapping, Child abuse, and Confinement
scrunger's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
anjelicaxs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, and Self harm
finkbillie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Violence, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, War, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Drug abuse, Rape, and Toxic relationship
internationalreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Violence, Transphobia, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Death, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Grief, Medical content, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
kmgard's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Violence, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Misogyny, Body horror, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Outing, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, and Drug use
nannahnannah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Ada is a Nigerian and Tamil woman whose sense of self fractures after a traumatic incident in college. She is also an ọgbanje, a minor god—or perhaps a collective god—Nigerian trickster spirits who had been more or less stuffed into Ada's human body when she was born. For years, Ada will fight with two distinct selves that form from the ọgbanje for control over her body and, if you're familiar with Western DID, the "front" of herself.
I won't lie, this book was painful to read for a host of reasons. It was frustrating, it was difficult, and at many times I wanted to put it down. Much of that has to do with my own difficulties with some of the things Ada was going through, and some of that had to do with me being completely uninterested in the repetition of the sex life of one of Ada's selves. There was so much sex. And a focus on men in general. But because this follows the author's life so closely, it's hard for me to fault that. When your trauma is so deeply rooted to men, it can make sense.
I also struggled a little bit with the prose. Don't get me wrong, overall Emezi's writing is gorgeous. But when every line is a little bit overwritten, the book becomes wearisome—some lines were beautiful, but at the same time I found myself wondering if they even meant something other than that. There were also a few problems I had with parts that were too coincidental, like when Ada needed to get into her boyfriend's room, so the book brought up random karate lessons that had never been mentioned before (and were never mentioned since), and Ada was able to kick the door down. Again, I'm aware this probably happened in the author's life, but as a story, it felt a little off.
However, the way that Emezi describes Ada's gender and dysphoria was incredibly relatable. That's just how I felt growing up and being called a boy: "the misfit of it fit." Even if it wasn't relatable to me in particular, it's so accessibly written.
I also want to make a note that the suicide parts are super intense. I did not feel that well mentally when or after I read them. If there weren't only a few pages left, I might not have finished it. Please be careful while reading this, but know that my reaction has no bearing on the work itself.
I feel bad rating this under four stars, but even though I consider this a very important work, it just wasn't a book I particularly enjoyed very much. And some extremely important works aren't enjoyable and aren't supposed to be. In this case, it's definitely a me problem and not the book's problem. It's beautifully written and so very honest, and I appreciate it so much for that, but near the end I just couldn't wait for it to be over. And yet I am very glad that I read it.
Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Self harm, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Eating disorder