Freshwater is probably the most creative story you will read all year. Bursting with more imagination than a three-year-old, slippery as the python gracing its cover and as deep as the words of the title fresh water evoke, Nigerian-born author Akwaeke Emezi has created a character-driven story that will either confuse the reader or elucidate their way for deeper understanding of themselves and the universe. I suppose it depends on just how enlightened you are. I’ll let you decide what enlightened means to you.

Emezi takes the reader to that amorphous in between where mental illness and magical thinking bracket the main character, Ada, an attractive, intelligent and sensitive young woman. We do not first meet Ada as a child, rather we meet the voices or entities in her head. They are your introduction to the story, they are your introduction to the world Emezi has crafted. They see themselves as real and both they and the author wants you to see them as such as well.

If you remove the gods that live within the girl, this is a simple coming-of-age story in which deals with family conflict, moves to the US for school where she parties, goes to class and falls in and out and back into love. It’s just that there are gods in her head… so, yeah.

Freshwater is a stunning depiction of a woman caught between physical, spiritual and cultural spaces. Ada’s fractured self appears to the western reader as tragic mental illness, but her story grows more complex and less easily classified when seen through the lens of Igbo spiritual tradition. It’s a stunning depiction of cultural differences, mental illness and life in liminal spaces.

I've been trying to write this review for a while now and for some reason it just feels daunting. At first I couldn't figure out why, but I think it's in part because Akwaeke has such a deft mastery of the written word that anything I could say about her book would pale in comparison to the story itself. How do I talk about something that is so unlike anything I've ever read and spoke to me on levels I didn't even know existed within myself?

The story surrounds a woman who we know as Ada, following her journey from each of her births. You see, she is of one body, but many selves. The first part of the book is told by "we," entities without any real names that live within her flesh. Akwaeke made a point to say that the selves are plural and singular, and more importantly they are both at the same time. I believe many people who approach Freshwater from a strictly Western point of view may have difficulty wrapping their heads around it, but the complexity and fluidity of Ada's mind was incredibly enjoyable to me.

Ada faces many struggles and traumas throughout her life. When she is young it surrounds her family and troubles at home, and then once she leaves her home in Nigeria for college in the U.S., it becomes about her own relationships with lovers (both male and female). As she further removes herself from her culture, we also see her having to negotiate her reality through a completely different lens. And even though she visits a therapist, mental illness isn't really the point here. In fact, trying to talk about this book in terms of physical space just seems irrelevant since almost all of it is happening inside Ada's mind. Because of this, outside dialogue is rather limited. This is a character-driven novel in every sense and this allows Akwaeke a freedom to play with prose in some of the most wonderful ways. (Also! This was written in English, but there are distinctly not-English words and phrases that aren't translated! A personal favorite feature of mine.)

This is a truly lyrical and engrossing debut and Akwaeke's talent cannot be overstated. For those ready and willing to read books that play with edges and experiment with realities, I urge you to pick up Freshwater.

trigger warnings: rape, self harm, attempted suicide

I received an ARC from Grove via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

"...they are the truest versions of me. It’s a strange thing to say, I know, considering that they made me mad. But I am not entirely opposed to madness, not when it comes with this kind of clarity. The world in my head has been far more real than the one outside – maybe that’s the exact definition of madness, come to think of it."

Ada, born in Nigeria with “one foot on the other side,” was a troubled child who develops separate selves within her mind: a group of Ọgbanje who call themselves “We.” When Ada goes to America for college, a traumatic event causes those separate selves to manifest into Asụghara and Saint Vincent, who came through a window and solidified themselves in the white marble of her mind. As these alternate selves vie for control, Ada’s life becomes dark and dangerous.

Freshwater was an intricately woven and multifariously layered story about one girl’s struggles against mental illness, specifically personality disorder. Each of Ada’s personalities – “We,” Asụghara, Saint Vincent, and Ada herself – were unique and distinct. They were often so disparate that I forgot that they were really all part of Ada’s subconscious, but they all had Ada’s best self-interest at heart. My heart broke for Ada, but by following the narrative of, not only Ada, but of Asụghara, Saint Vincent, and the other Ọgbanje, we can see how they aimed to lessen her pain – of sexual assault and rape, of self-harm, of extreme depression, and other traumatic events in her life.

This is a book that needs to be read slowly and carefully to adequately peel back the layers of the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed gaining a new perspective about both mental illness and Nigerian culture, and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more work by Akwaeke Emezi.

I also wanted to add that I also really enjoyed listening to the author read her own work. I appreciate her dedication to preserving the integrity of her book, especially because it was such a personal story for her. Not only does the book tackle mental illness, but it also tackles gender transitioning, by both Ada and the author. Akwaeke Emezi wrote an article in “The Cut” that is definitely worth checking out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.

BROOKE’S REVIEW

Spiritual. Mystical. Gripping. This debut novel by Nigerian writer Akwaeke Emezi will take readers on an engrossing journey into the heart of Ada’s psyche. Ada’s self is fractured because she was born "with one foot on the other side."

Emezi thoughtfully wrestles with complex themes of abuse and mental health through Ada’s experiences. This is a dark, nuanced story that is sure to keep readers thinking long after the pages end. This also marks a bright future for Emezi.

PRAISE

"Emezi's brilliance lies not just in her expert handling of the conflicting voices in Ada's head but in delivering an entirely different perspective on just what it means to go slowly mad. Complex and dark, this novel will simultaneously challenge and reward lovers of literary fiction. A must-read." -Booklist, Starred Review

"[A] spiritually lush and tough yet lyrical debut . . . A gorgeous, unsettling look into the human psyche, richly conceived yet accessible to all." -Library Journal, Starred Review

"[An] enthralling, metaphysical debut novel . . . Emezi's talent is undeniable. She brilliantly depicts the conflict raging in the 'marble room' of Ada's psyche, resulting in an impressive debut." -Publishers Weekly

AUTHOR

Akwaeke Emezi is an Igbo and Tamil writer and artist based in liminal spaces. She won the 2017 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Africa. Her work has been selected and edited by Chimamanda Adichie, and published in various literary magazines, including Granta. Freshwater is her debut.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

Freshwater is the story of Ada, a young girl who is constantly battling with the spirits living inside of her. A battle that wages throughout her life. Each of these spirits has a name given to them by Ada and each of these spirits has their own wants and needs and as evidenced throughout Ada’s life, their own personalities. At times those personalities make her do things she doesn’t want to do, she may not even remember doing, taking her life into their own hands. At times they live in harmony but at other times it is simply destructive.

This is a very interesting novel. It deals with so many different aspects including sexuality, multiple personality disorders, sexual assault and spirituality. It also tackles family relationship and how we form and destroy romantic relationship. I found all of these topics worth examining and I loved the narrative and the way the language flowed on the page, but I didn’t care for the plot. From the moment I started reading this novel, I fell in love with Emezi’s prose. Her beautiful writing is what kept me reading this book, while the plot ebbed and flowed in intensity. Her choice to have the majority of the story told by the spirits residing inside Ada was a great one. They were the true main characters of the story while Ada was simply the flesh they resided in.

I liked this novel but I didn’t love it. It was too chaotic and inconsistent in places, which could be reflective of Ada’s mind throughout the story but as a plot device didn’t work for me. The moment I thought I had a handle on this story, something would happen to throw me completely off kilter. It’s reflective of Ada’s mind but it was a place I was never able to settle in to. I loved Emezi’s writing style though and would love to read another novel from her.

This is a VERY unique story. The writing style is quite amazing and imaginative hence the 3 stars. I thought it would be a book similar to Sybil. But I was way wrong! There is too much darkness here and Freshwater was a difficult read for me. I was put off by some of the sexual bits though the inclusion made perfect sense as Emezi exposes the layers of trauma and abuse. Too disturbing for me to enjoy though so I gave up at 40%.

4 fresh, imaginative stars to Freshwater! The most creative book I’ve read this year! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

I have read nothing like Freshwater before. It is hard to categorize. It is literary fiction, but what else? Magical realism? Mysticism? The author noted at the end that this was her spiritual book, so I will go with spiritual literary fiction.

I went with the literal flow while I was reading. Freshwater could be murky, even incoherent, at times. Ada was born a difficult baby in Nigeria with a “fractured self.” What transpired is hard to describe but as Ada grew up, the selves within her grew stronger and more powerful. Ada took the backseat, while her alternative selves were in charge, and her life became dangerous and volatile.

I do not want to spoil anything, so I am keeping this review brief. This is a novel, the layers, the writing, you have to experience for yourself. Keep your expectations loose, your mind open. If you enjoy gorgeous prose with profound messages of healing, hope, and truth, Freshwater is a most worthy read.

Thank you to Akwaeke Emezi (I’m eagerly awaiting your next wondrous work!), Grove Press, and Netgalley/Edelweiss for the complimentary copy.

This book is beautifully-written, although not always easy to follow. The story is often somewhat splintered, often abstract, and the use of mysticism, mythology, evil spirits - all of these are (generally) things that put me off. I have reservations about how the book deals with mental illness, but the author says it's based on her own reality, which makes me want to know more. Despite the reasons I shouldn't have liked this, however, the writing is so excellent - astonishing, in fact, given that this is the author's debut - that I could not have given it fewer than 4*.

Incredibly moving. Challenged my perceptions of our Western understanding of psychology and a smart examination of toxic masculinity.

A powerful read. This is a visceral story of trauma and the way trauma changes a person as she carries it throughout her life. This is the story of a woman referred to as “the Ada.” As a child in Nigeria, and as a college student in America, she experiences traumatic events that begin to fracture her. She fractures into personas or selves to survive her trauma, each new self being “born” from each significant traumatic life event. The story is told from the different perspectives of her fractured selves. The American world she has come to inhabit labels this dissociative identity disorder and wants to treat it. The culture from which she comes, and which still lives on in her, describes the different selves as the embodiment of several beings, or gods, struggling within one body. Only her family and friends from her childhood in Nigeria understand her state of being in this way. At a deep level, this story explores different understandings of identity and how culturally positioned our understanding of the self is.

For the full review, see: http://www.karlajstrand.com/2018/02/13/drink-it-in-a-review-of-freshwater-by-akwaeke-emezi/

Freshwater is captivating, dynamic, and wise. At once, Akwaeke Emezi is able to frighten and confound their reader with a writing style that is intense and poetic. The raw honesty with which Emezi frames their debut book grabbed me by the throat and compelled me to continue reading, catching my breath as I turned each page.

Freshwater is the semi-autobiographical story of Ada, a Nigerian girl who was always a bit different from other children. She was a challenging child for her parents, who worried about her precocious and fractured existence. Throughout her life and the book, Ada speaks through her various selves, which Emezi frames within the Igbo (Nigeria) tradition of ogbanje...

Emezi is masterfully able to evoke the dark emotions and confusion Ada experiences and bring to light her complicated codependence upon her various selves or ogbanje. At times, Emezi conjured feelings of sympathy and understanding in me for them. By the time Ada gets to the US to attend college, a being called Asụghara is the most prevalent of Ada’s selves and is the most reckless and fearless of them all. Asụghara is content to live out their sexual compulsions through Ada’s body. As she grows, Ada surrenders to her various identities but it’s important to remember that surrender is not always weakness or loss. I believe Ada is finally able to make peace with her multiple selves and work with them in order to live a balanced and authentic life. Perhaps pathological in Western views, the truth is that most of us could point to multiple identities through which we scroll and choose the one which will serve us best at different times in our lives. Some of us though, like Ada/Emezi, may be more misunderstood and challenged than others to the point where it feels as though the dark side possesses a power over us that will not let go.

At times disquieting to read, Freshwater takes on challenging topics such as identity, mental illness, self-harm, sexual assault, suicide, and more. Emezi has a style of writing that is deliberate and exacting; I felt as though each word was painstakingly chosen so as to illustrate Ada’s splintered and exigent existence.

At times the book reminded me of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Toni Morrison’s brilliant Beloved in its fearful reverence of ancestral relationships, tradition, and spirituality. Emezi uses the Igbo tradition of ogbanje as a framework for a cogent exploration into identity formation and evolution, and for how we wear masks throughout life to deal with and make sense of pain and for how we exhibit bravery in the face of fear.

In the end, I found Freshwater to be bold, challenging, and unique. It touched places of fear and pain within me but it also made me recall delicious moments of audacity and triumph. I gagged on the sticky, jagged chunks of this book and I long to read it again and swallow it whole because I know there is so much more there to be digested.

I can’t wait to devour more of what Akwake Emezi is serving up.

FRESHWATER vividly depicts what is it like to live in a mind at war with itself, seamlessly weaving in elements of Igbo beliefs. The experience of reading this novel was completely immersive, and reminded me of reading THE BELL JAR. Much as the famous fig tree passage of that book, I walked away feeling conflicted, fully aware of limitless possibilities for "reality" and the pain of living just one. My only gripe is that I felt Ada was bizarrely the least developed character, and who remained nearly blameless for all choices in a way that felt a little simplistic at times, a little passive. But then again, even feeling that way about Ada by the end could seem as an intentional move on the writer's part. An engaging, very different novel; I'll be eager to see what comes next for Akwaeke Emezi.

Their prayers have been heard and the god Ala sent them a baby girl: Ada, named in honour of the generous goddess. Yet, it comes with a plus, Ada is not alone, she has got some characters living in her mind, still asleep, but eager to wake up and take over the body given to them. The first two to arrive and take care of Ada and her siblings in their Nigerian village. Later, in America, when another of the voices awakes and takes over control over Ada‘s body, things turn out differently. For the world outside, it is hidden what is going on inside Ada‘s head, once she tries to tell a therapist, however, the voices that possess her are stronger and find a way out of this dangerous situation.
Akwaeke Emezi‘s novel „Freshwater“ was all but easy to read for me. First of all, I had some difficulty understanding who is telling the story, it took me some time to figure out that the voices in Ada‘s head are the narrators. So, we are mostly inside her mind, but sometimes we get what happens outside, too.
You cannot really say that Ada is mad even though she hears voices and follows their command. It was especially when she hurt herself to calm down the first two voices, Smoke and Shadow, that was hard to endure. The third who made her act promiscuously wasn‘t much better. They are evil, after all, misusing an innocent human to fulfil their wishes and greed. I am not sure if it works like this with people hearing voices, even if it is somewhat different, this seems to be horrible. On the other hand, Ada obviously experienced some very bad incidents and the voices were somehow able to split those memories from her normal memory thus making her forget these experiences. Maybe this is the cause why the voices could develop after all.
It is always hard to like a novel if you detest the protagonist or narrator. Thus, „Freshwater“ is not a novel I could fall for easily. Still, I consider the topic highly interesting and, ultimately, the author found a convincing way of making the voices heard for us.

3.5 stars
Right up frint I'm going to say that Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi will not be right for everyone - but then again which book is?    It took me a while to understand what I was reading,  to figure out who was narrating the story and I had to concentrate at all times.   However this effort was well and truly rewarded.    This was an incredible debut full of beautiful, thought provoking passages and it was one of the most original stories I've ever read.    (One of my notes was....omg this is a weird but wonderfully clever book)

I'm not sure even now that I fully understood everything I was reading and for that reason it's going to be hard to do justice to the story, so I apologise in advance to the author if I get it wrong.   

My uninformed opinion (pre-Google search) was that our narrator was an evil spirit, or to be more correct a collection of evil spirits.  Known as Ogbanje they inhabited and, to a very large degree, controlled the thoughts and actions of Ada a Nigerian human female.   I felt quite satisfied with my interpretation when I read "[The ogbanje are] creatures of God with powers over mortals. . . . They are not subject to the laws of justice and have no moral scruples, causing harm without justification.
 —C. Chukwuemeka Mbaegbu, The Ultimate Being in Igbo Ontology Asụghara"

As I continued reading I changed my mind and decided Ada must have a mental illness such as schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder.     Certainly many of her behaviours seemed to signify this (think self harm, anorexia, failed suicide attempts).     Even Ada began to question her sanity and described it thus " The world in my head has been far more real than the one outside— maybe that’s the exact definition of madness, come to think of it."

Whichever interpretation we go with, there's no doubt Ada had her inner demons.     Though we rarely heard from Ada herself I was saddened by her struggles through life.     It gave me a whole new perspective about what it must be like to be/have such a tortured soul.     How difficult life would be to live this way, or to love and care about someone like Ada.

Thanks to GR friend PattyMacDotComma for her fabulous review which steered me towards this book.   Thanks too to the publishers Black Cat New York and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Finally congratulations to the author for a job very well done.

Freshwater is the semi-autobiographical account of a young woman suffering from multiple personality disorder after a traumatic event. Steeped in Igbo tradition the main character Ada lives a life straddling two worlds. As the daughter of the serpent goddess Ala, she is born with “one foot on the other side” occupying the liminal spaces between the spirit realm and the flesh. What is the cause of her fractured self? Is she possessed or is she mad? What is reality? Can we accept both of these as plausible explanations?

In this rich and mystical novel Emezi explores self-identity, human frailty, sacrifice and resurrection. Freshwater is such an innovative work, the majority of which is narrated by the spirits that inhabit Ada. It is not often that you come across a book that is written so eloquently, that touches your soul in the deep parts and leaves you breathless. This is why we read books.

I would like to thank Grove Atlantic Press and Akwaeke Emezi for an advanced reader’s edition of this book in exchange for an honest review.

African mysticism takes center stage in this novel which explores growing up, mental health, and passion. Ada is born with a multitude of gods within her head, who are not locked out by the shutting of the door. As she grows, a more specific "god" steps forward in the form of her wild, promiscuous side and controls her passion and physicality. All along the gods demand blood, and we find Ada cutting with broken glass wherever she can find it, and the appearance of the blood calms the plethora of voices in her head.

I really liked the premise here. The representation of the confusion in a mind that struggles with depression, anxiety, or personality disorders is well represented with these external forces of African origin. Ada comes from Nigeria to America and brings those influences with her. I have mixed feelings about the depth of this method, because eventually you'll be reading and go, "okay, so now what?" There is some growth as the gods grow in power over Ada, but Ada herself does not grow or ever really gain control. She is always a servant to the forces within, and that sends a troubling message to those looking for hope, control, or some measure of peace. I suppose it could be trying to bring attention to the multitudes that are lost, but if that's the purpose I don't feel like the mark is hit.

Overall the book made me feel hopeless and lost, and in my current mental space that is not a place in which I necessarily wanted to be. But I suppose neither did Ada. So, point made, I guess?

It's a good book. Don't rush to it, but if you're looking for something different and sad that will make you think, consider Freshwater.

It's hard to talk about something that has no precedent. Freshwater is utterly unique, and the result is breathtaking. It's a dark, sensual, and thoughtful novel about a young woman coming to terms with and accepting the multiple identities that define her.

The details of Ada's life - raised in Nigeria, relocated to the U.S. for college - are only an elemental framework for what is ultimately an introspective story. The majority of this book is narrated by a chorus of Ada's selves - conceptualized as Nigerian ogbanje - until a traumatic assault in college causes two of these selves to take shape, as Asụghara and Saint Vincent.

What I found so stimulating about this novel is that it challenged a lot of my conceptions about health and identity, particularly in how these are often so heavily informed by western culture. The perceived objectivity of psychology is something I've always found comforting and taken for granted, but with this book, I'm reminded of the significance of the relationship between culture and identity. Steeped in Igbo folklore, Freshwater chronicles Ada's journey (and Emezi's, as the book is informed by a lot of autobiographical elements) in a way that's challenging, unexpected, and beautiful.

Emezi's prose is so assured and lyrical it's hard to believe this is a debut. This is an author to watch and a novel that absolutely everyone should read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Grove Press, and Akwaeke Emezi for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book for free as an #ARC from #netgalley.

This book is not an easy read. However it is totally worth the effort. I was not familiar with the concept of the ogbanje before I read this book and I know little about the Igbo and broader Nigerian cultures. Yet there was so much that Ada experienced that I could relate to. This story is told from varying viewpoints and the style takes a while to get used to. However I was heavily invested in Ada's story and genuinely cared about what happened to her. I would definitely recommend taking on this challenging story to anyone willing to stretch themselves outside their comfort zone.

Akwaeke Emezi’s Freshwater is a novel of layers that do not always nicely overlap; in fact, the pieces often seem to not fit together at all. It is a novel born from trauma and emotional paroxysms, a read that erupts with them throughout. You have to peel back the layers to get to what Emezi has laid underneath, to find the gems, to find the hidden well of pain and sentiment offered here, and that may not be a satisfying journey for many readers.

Freshwater is the story of Ada, a young Nigerian woman with a fractured self, or multiple personalities, due to the gods who have mistakenly taken root in her body and mind. It is a dark novel portraying the malevolence within us – that darkness at the very deepest depths of us that we hope to never have to witness of ourselves or in others. It is a novel that portrays the psychological effects of such darkness and emotional violence. When Ada comes into adulthood and leaves her splintered home for a new existence in a Virginia college, a traumatic sexual experience further shatters her mind and her multiple personalities are born. Ada fights a battle between herself, her other selves and her God she left behind, a battle to regain her equilibrium that veers her onto a dangerous course of self-destructive behavior. A path of bloodshed, tears and an equal dose of sexual trauma and exploration. Ada fights with herself, realizing something is wrong. She wants a change but her other personalities refuse to let her go.

Let me tell you now, I loved her because in the moment of her devastation, the moment she lost her mind, that girl reached for me so hard that she went completely mad, and I loved her because when I flooded through, she spread herself open and took me in without hesitation, bawling and broken, she absorbed me fiercely, all the way; she denied me nothing. I loved her because she gave me a name.

Freshwater was a novel that took a lot of patience for me to read. If you’re a reader who clings to continuity, who needs progressive character development to follow the path a protagonist’s life, or a reader who is in the least bit squeamish, this will likely prove to be a difficult read for you. Not an unworthy read – but a difficult one. The narrative leapt back and forth in time with new personalities and overlapping stories already told being retold differently. This book was a collage, a kaleidoscope, a reflection of a splintered self. Given the subject matter, the shattered quality of the narrative is understandable but at times arduous to read.

It was hard for me to fully connect with Freshwater when the moments of truth, heartbreak and the demise of entire relationships in Ada’s life were narrated, not fully shown in action. Emezi’s debut novel is more about the relationship between Ada and her other selves –internally—than it is about her outward experiences in the world. (view spoiler) It wasn’t enough for me, though some parts of the novel were absolutely gripping, and there were some lovely lines scattered throughout.

He wanted to pretend he was somehow better than he knew he was; he wasn’t ready to throw himself into sin. Humans find it easier to just lie and lie to themselves.

However, in those neglected moments (which is probably why the book is relatively short) the novel loses its soul and misses opportunities.

Other qualms:

The quote headings at the start of each chapter made no sense to me in the context of the story. Often, they made no sense to me at all though I got the feeling that they were Nigerian sayings. And I had too many WTF moments here because of the haphazard way life events and realizations were thrown into the narrative, no build-up, just dumped. I found myself reading whole passages and thinking, Where did this come from – outta thin air? That was the main issue I had with this novel: there was no real character development aside from Ada and Ewan, just a series of narrations and events.

I also never understood the title of the book. There was a reference to it at the end of the novel, but I found it to be too cryptic and unclear, so I still have no idea what it was trying to convey, why it was the namesake of the book. Because of this, I had the noteworthy experience of loving and hating Freshwater. There were moments where I couldn’t wait to turn the page and others where I skimmed past the incoherence of the We. Because of that, Freshwater’s dazzling and dreadful moments condensed down into a grade of 3 stars. ***