"Freshwater" by Akwaeke Emezi: An Unforgettable Novel of Identity and Self-Discovery

Hina Ahmed: Akawaeki Emezi's 'Freshwater' is a lyrical and playful book told from shifting first person accounts that explores the internal life of protagonist Ada as she tries to contend with the many voices in her head coming from non-human, spiritual entities. The book is about Ada's journey with these forces within her and questions whether Ada will be able to overcome them and accept who she truly is. The book reminded me a lot of the IFS therapeutic model that makes space for all the different 'parts' of a person, with the 'Self' being the regulator of this system and the powerful force within. This is a book of resistance because it pushes back on western pathologization of mental illness and creates a necessary space for marginalized realities. Grateful to have read Emezi and very curious to read more of them in the future.

United States on Nov 14, 2022

Andrew G. Marshall: The best word to describe my reaction is interesting. I have never read a book narrated by the gods or spirits which inhabit the lead character before. There are many of them and they take turns to narrate either as 'we' or as various individual members of the collective who come to the fore. Occasionally, there is a short section from the perspective of the host - the Ada - but these are few and far between. The African culture is another interesting layer because I have read few books set here - so I was rather disappointed when the Ada goes to college in America and it becomes more about culture clash.

The major problem is that gods don't care about the impact of their behaviour on humans. So I found that I did not care much about what happened to the lead character either. So it became more an intellectual - oh that's clever - rather than an emotional read (despite a lot of dramatic and emotional content). Emezi has a habit of throwing forward to the future and this cuts down the tension too.

In the second half, the events get even more bizarre and surprise lands on surprise - often when another spirit takes over (or they battle each other) and there are enough...

United Kingdom on Aug 11, 2021

DutchessHoneyBunny: This novel was introduced to me by a new friend, how she knew I would relate is mind boggling on so many levels. I saw so much of myself that it became scary at times, as if someone was telling my hidden truths. I highly recommend everyone to read this at least twice to fully encompass the storyline & writing style. There were numerous triggers for me in reading this novel but it was refreshing to know I wasn't alone in life challenges I couldn't control. I'm aware that is was "fiction" but it told so many of my truths. I personally saw this as a self-help read. Thank you for telling this tale & staying true to your passion! Ase.

United States on Jul 27, 2021

Rachel M: Goodness, what a complex subject, but so well crafted and an easy read. This book answered some of the spiritual and cultural questions I had on reading Yea Gyasi's Homegoing. It is also interesting to note the contacts the author had with key Nigerian authors. Spirits born with a baby conflicting in this world and in her mind. It is like a battle of good over evil. Or is it? Do these spirits help the protaganist to survive a difficult life. The path is not always straight. This is a lovely refreshing unique novel and I cannot wait for the next novel from this author. A delight to read.

United Kingdom on Feb 16, 2021

James: A really interesting read. There are a few things I usually do not get on with: very literary descriptions, allegory, loose plot, religion/spirituality. This has all of these things. Despite this, I am really glad to have read it. The audio book is very well read and helped me keep momentum through dense/highly poetic sections.

The use of religion/spirituality in this novel is central to the description and experience of self, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a commentary about religion per se, so if religion is not your thing (the case for me) don’t let this put you off. The struggle handling internal conflict with respect to the disparity between perceived and experienced masculinity and femininity is palpable; The use of Gods and spirit characters makes this all the more so.

An excellent book I recommend persevering with.

United Kingdom on Jan 10, 2021

Blankety: Ill conceived autobiography. I don't get why it has all the 4 and 5 star ratings. If I could, I would have asked for a refund. The book was not ready for publishing. With a good edit job and formatting rework - it might help. Author does state in an interview that some chapters were copy-pasted straight out of their journal.
I am familiar with mental illness and have had friendship with a schizophrenic. This reads as word salad. This book is the gibberish of psychosis. The stereotypical God complex, delusions of grandeur, narcissism, D.I.D., - all of these terms are familiar in the mental health world but the "We" are treated as if it's a special secret fairy tale existence. No responsibility, and no reasoning of thought process. The timeline jumps all over with little to no explanation. It becomes very tiresome and frustrating.
We do learn certain specific details that focus in at times, as if in moments of clarity, but there is no understanding why we learn some and not others. For example: we learn that Ada is a GREAT student, so much so, they are the student body president and 3 years younger than the rest of their class. We also learn that they have a sexual...

United States on Sep 07, 2020

Linda Adi: I've heard of the ogbanje spirits from when I was a child and had friends back then who always interacted with other 'beings'. This goes deeper to explain this phenomenon. I gave it a 4 because I wanted her to be totally free. Childhood memories include the digging up and destruction of the 'iyiuwa', the link to the other side, which I hoped would be the end of the Ada's story.

United Kingdom on Apr 27, 2020

ETG: If only we could blame our misdeeds on the gods. Emezi does.

Gods enter the body of a soon-to-be-born girl, who will be named in honor of the egg of a python. But other gods make a mistake. The doors to the spirit world are left open. “Perhaps the gods forgot; they can be absentminded like that. Not maliciously—at least, not usually. But these are gods, after all, and they don’t care about what happens to flesh…” So instead of becoming fully the little girl, whom they call the Ada, child of the god Ala, the gods can remember their other world. They are aware they are in a human body.

Before Christianity, “it was well known that the python was sacred, beyond reptile. It is the source of the stream, the flesh form of the god Ala, who is the earth herself, the judge and mother, the giver of law.” The Ada is a child of Ala.

These gods are the “brief insanities” that you are born with. They are loyal to the other side. To rid them from the Ada, would be to kill her.

By the time she is 16, the Ada is cutting herself. She moves on to a scalpel while attending veterinary school at 20-years old. It appears the Ada has gone crazy, but it in...

United States on Sep 01, 2018

Alysson Oliveira: Por diversos motivos, FRESHWATER não é um romance fácil de se ler – tanto na forma, quanto no conteúdo, exige paciência e perseverança. Mas irá recompensar de maneira equivalente quem se arriscar a seguir até o fim. Há algo da trajetória da própria autora, Akwaeke Emezi, mas também a transfiguração em ficcionalidade de sua vida.

A protagonista é Ada, uma nigeriana ogbanje de etnia Igbo. Os termos, ao longo da narrativa, serão importantes na construção da identidade da personagem. Algumas culturas, como a autora explica, consideram que algumas crianças nascem “com o pé no outro mundo”. Na língua igbo, ogbanje significa “crianças que vêm e vão”, e espíritos malignos estarão presentes na família a não ser que essa criança seja mutilada para que o espírito não queria voltar a esse corpo.

Emezi, como contou num ensaio para a The Cut, passa por um processo de transição de gênero – já removeu seus seios e órgãos reprodutivos. Elementos como esse aparecem na narrativa ficcional de Freshwater, mas a autora vai além de um romance calcado em sua experiência, e com uma prosa lírica – no começo difícil de seguir, mas depois...

Brazil on Apr 26, 2018