Scan barcode
A review by pdxpagemaster
Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi
5.0
This is a slice of life novel set in Nigerian city culture, politics, and belief systems.
I couldn’t put it down. The pacing was impeccable and FAST - I absolutely can’t believe everything happens in just the course of a weekend.
Yes, it is truly brutal and violent - but incredibly good. I think the audiobook elevates it significantly, and it reads like a dark crime novel - but without any redeemer trope figure. Everyone is flawed, trapped, lost, or evil, so it dances horror/thriller but leans more dark literature.
But genuinely I could not stop reading, ended up devouring the whole thing in a day, and found myself swearing out loud.
The ending just… ends. There isn’t a huge resolve or redeemer and the characters just continue on with their lives, slightly more broken. It left me unsettled and, honestly, I feel like that was the point.
Akwaeke is unstoppable.
I couldn’t put it down. The pacing was impeccable and FAST - I absolutely can’t believe everything happens in just the course of a weekend.
Yes, it is truly brutal and violent - but incredibly good. I think the audiobook elevates it significantly, and it reads like a dark crime novel - but without any redeemer trope figure. Everyone is flawed, trapped, lost, or evil, so it dances horror/thriller but leans more dark literature.
But genuinely I could not stop reading, ended up devouring the whole thing in a day, and found myself swearing out loud.
The ending just… ends. There isn’t a huge resolve or redeemer and the characters just continue on with their lives, slightly more broken. It left me unsettled and, honestly, I feel like that was the point.
Akwaeke is unstoppable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use