Freshwater

Oh how I wish I could read this book for the first time all over again. An extraordinary debut dedicated to “those with one foot on the other side”

Freshwater tells the coming of age story of Ada, a young Nigerian woman with a fractured self/multiple personalities due to the gods who mistakenly took root in her body and mind. The gods or spirits are referred to as ogbanje - children who die over and over again. Emezi’s exploration of religion/spirituality, sexual abuse, the trauma that comes with it, mental health, gender and sexuality is done in such a refreshing way.

Guys I found myself gasping and exclaiming while reading this because wow just wow. I didn’t want it to end, I took my time, it’s what this book deserves.

If I were disgustingly rich, I’d buy everyone a copy.

This book absolutely BLEW my mind. I loved the exploration of the idea of the spirit child (ogbanje) who is destined to die, but lives. If you enjoyed Ben Okri's famished road or Amos Tutola's work, or simply if you want to read about a woman who negotiates with spirits in her head, then you will love this book. I saw a review by someone who said that it's an exploration of someone with multiple personalities, but it absolutely is not that. It's a beautiful story about a woman who moved between Western and African while having an African spirit(s) invading her physical body, and it's a fascinating read.