Somadina

Award winning Nigerian born author, artist and poet Akwaeke Emezi identifies as queer and trans. They passionately believe that ‘reindigenization is essential for liberation’ in a troubled world. They have gained many accolades for their visionary writing, which explores their heritage and philosophies. Their startling speculative Science Fiction debut YA novel Pet received a Stonewall Honor, a Walter Honor, and an Otherwise Award Honor. Emezi’s third YA project is equally vivid.

Set in a Nigerian village isolated by a terrible split, Somadina maps the harsh reality of the ravages of war through a fragmented fantastical landscape. Deeply personal, it was first conceived as an entry for the New Visions Award. Revisited and reshaped by the author after a decade, the book became a reflection of a vibrant Igbo culture, influenced by the postwar and precolonial history of Nigeria and the horrors of the Biafran genocide while also wrapped in an ethereal world of deities, dibias, shape shifting and transcendent magic.

At Somadina’s heart is the impact of inter-generational storytelling and the relationship between othered twins Jayaike and Somadina, their gifted sister Nkadi and their albino friend Uwafulamiro. Touched by a primordial spirit, the twins have a destiny to fulfil which will take great courage, an understanding of their identities and a trust in each other.

With a cast of dynamic and diverse characters it is a tale of a fragmented family scarred by the past and of traditional beliefs conflicting with fear of the unknown. The pain of bereavement, abusive relationships, the fragility of mental health, the sting of exile and social ostracism, the duality of good and evil and the corruptible nature of power are all explored. Its overall effect is a deft communication of visceral horror juxtaposed with a hope for healing.

Told from Somadina’s perspective, her quest will appeal to young adults looking for trans and queer representation within stories rooted in African culture and myth and fans of Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone, another fantasy world influenced by a true conflict narrative. Above all Emezi’s ability to hold up a mirror to prejudice through a liminal lens is a mark of their strength as a writer. They explain how the book’s dichotomies reflect their truths and how they have written it for ‘African spirits, queer and trans folk, those in flesh and not, those on the continent and in diaspora, who hold the line with me because we belong to our cultures and our cultures belong to us.’

Trigger Warnings- References to attempted rape, execution, torture and violence.