A review by nordstina
Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir by Akwaeke Emezi

emotional slow-paced

4.0

Akwaeke Emezi is such a unique and memorable writer. I have enjoyed their previous works of fiction (looking forward to their new one!), so was curious on what a memoir would be like. The format of this memoir is a series of letters that they write to others (sometimes it's clear who that person is to them, other times it isn't). They are incredibly vulnerable throughout the memoir and touch on their relationship with their family, experiences in the publication industry (really appreciated the transparency), education, gender identity, and spirituality. Some of the areas overlap with the main character in their first novel Freshwater (my favorite book of theirs), and multiple letters touch on their experience with writing, publishing, and the reception of that novel. They touch on their experiences with love and mental illness, which are incredibly raw and vulnerable. Even if not all the topics they touch on are of interest, this memoir was a big swing and unique and I really appreciated its openness.