Freshwater

A National Book Foundation "5 Under 35" Honoree
Finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award for a Debut Novel
Shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize
A New York Times Notable Book

The astonishing debut novel from the acclaimed bestselling author of The Death of Vivek Oji, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty, and Pet, Freshwater tells the story of Ada, an unusual child who is a source of deep concern to her southern Nigerian family. Young Ada is troubled, prone to violent fits. Born "with one foot on the other side," she begins to develop separate selves within her as she grows into adulthood. And when she travels to America for college, a traumatic event on campus crystallizes the selves into something powerful and potentially dangerous, making Ada fade into the background of her own mind as these alters--now protective, now hedonistic--move into control. Written with stylistic brilliance and based in the author's realities, Freshwater dazzles with ferocious energy and serpentine grace.



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240 pages

Average rating: 7.31

91 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Life By Trail and Error
Apr 04, 2025
8/10 stars
The author creates a really interesting head space to get lost in. I also like that Akwaeke Emezi narrated the audio book.
Anonymous
Jan 11, 2025
10/10 stars
this book amazed me. i went in cold and its structure and prose swept me away. the story felt so familiar and so otherworldly at the same time. wow. think inside out but elevated times a thousand

cw: SA, self harm, suicidal ideation and attempt
Anonymous
Aug 22, 2024
10/10 stars
“When you have been hiding in a great shadow, it hurts to look at the light, to be awake, to feel.”
Denyliz
May 04, 2024
3/10 stars
It was hard to keep up with the storyline for most of the book. I was expecting a lot more as it touches upon complex topics like mental health, trauma and violence. Overall, poor and confusing writing.
Anonymous
Nov 28, 2023
10/10 stars
This was a powerful and intriguing exploration of ancestry, mental stability, trauma, inner turmoil and more. I loved the way each chapter was written from a part of the main character's fractured self.

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