A review by samanthapearl
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

5.0

Ada was born with "one foot on the other side". This causes her to create separate selves; she calls these selves Asụghara and Saint Vincent. When Ada goes to America for college she is assaulted. This causes one of her selves to become the main one to lead her life. Ada is basically just existing in her own mind. Ada's life becomes darker and darker until she is only a frame of herself and must decide if she wants her life back or if she wants to give in to her other "selves" and let the darkness have her.

Akwaeke Emezi's debut novel Freshwater is unlike anything I've ever read before. The story is so dark and the writing is so beautiful. Told from perspective of Ada and her "selves" this enchanting tale takes us into a dreamlike world where reality feels as though it is blurred into a dream. Reading this book is like being transported into some other world. I went into this blind with zero expectations and now even after reading the synopsis I don't think it would have prepared me for the story inside.

It's not easy to persuade a human to end their life- they're very attached to it, even when it makes them miserable, and Ada was no different.

Frshwater is definitely not for everyone. However, I absolutely recommend at least giving it a try. It's brilliant, creative and worth every minute it takes to read it.

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