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A review by caseythereader
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ada is born with gods inside her. As she grows up and experiences various traumas, the selves inside her splinter, and each self comes to the forefront when needed. But over time, Ada herself fades back, and these alternate selves begin to take control of her body. 📚
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Wow, that is the least effective summary of a book I've ever written. FRESHWATER is too complex and engulfing to boil down to a paragraph! This book is honestly one of the most compelling, terrifying, thought-provoking books I've ever read in my life. I've been sitting on writing this review because it simply took my breath away. It's a totally unique look at how one defends oneself in the face of unspeakable trauma, of how gender and self-expression can manifest, and how spirituality and religion interweave with and affect one's life. 📚
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I apologize for not being able to explain things further than that. You really must experience being inside Ada's mind for yourself. 📚
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Wow, that is the least effective summary of a book I've ever written. FRESHWATER is too complex and engulfing to boil down to a paragraph! This book is honestly one of the most compelling, terrifying, thought-provoking books I've ever read in my life. I've been sitting on writing this review because it simply took my breath away. It's a totally unique look at how one defends oneself in the face of unspeakable trauma, of how gender and self-expression can manifest, and how spirituality and religion interweave with and affect one's life. 📚
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I apologize for not being able to explain things further than that. You really must experience being inside Ada's mind for yourself. 📚
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, and Eating disorder