Somadina coming April 15th, 2025 from Knopf Books for Young Readers; 304 pages
Content Warning: Death, violence, sexual assault, loss of a child, blood
About the Author: “Akwaeke Emezi is a writer and artist using storytelling to center queer indigenous Black realities and radical possibilities with the philosophy that re-indigenization is essential for liberation. Their art practice is deeply rooted in the metaphysics of Black spirit, using our indigenous ontologies as a lens to focus on embodiment, ritual, and rememory” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Akwaeke Emezi on the following platforms:
Twins Somadina and Jayaike have lived their entire lives in tandem, maintaining a powerful bond that lends them strength in times of great hardship or social scorn. However, when their magical powers begin to develop, a divide grows between them due to the seemingly dark nature of Somadina’s abilities. The twins become emotionally separated by secrets and fears, but a physical separation tears them further apart when Jayaike is stolen by the man who has been haunting Somadina’s nightmares. Spurned by everyone in her town, including her own mother, for her unnatural gifts, Somadina embarks on a quest to save her brother from evil’s grip. Joining her on this journey is her estranged sister, now a member of the mysterious magical elite known as dibias, and Uwafulamiro, Somadina and Jaiyake’s best friend, who has been similarly ostracized. Together, the group must find Jaiyake and uncover the truth of Somadina’s strange power before it is too late.
Emezi developed nuanced and vivid characters that navigated challenges with emotion and authenticity that made it impossible not to care for them. Through the characters’ experiences, the novel explores universal themes of platonic love, rejection, loss, and identity. Somadina, Jayaike, and Uwafulamiro all face rejection and otherization that affects their interactions with each other and the world, presenting a powerful and critical look at how society treats people deemed “different.” While some circumstances that separate these protagonists from their peers are rather exceptional, the feelings this estrangement evokes are not. I admired Emezi’s ability to weave these themes and social messages into a vibrant world filled with magic. Even in a place drastically different from our own, readers can identify with the tribulations faced by the characters and their society at large. Something I take issue with in many fantasy novels is the rushed feeling at the end, when major conflict occurs and so much is revealed in the final pages. While the last section of this book moved at a rapid pace not reflected earlier in the story, this did not impact my understanding of the plot. Emezi wrapped up this part of Somadina’s story well; not everything ended perfectly for the characters, who all have far more to do and learn, but I saw satisfying growth for each character throughout the novel. I loved Emezi’s beautiful prose and compelling world, and I look forward to reading more of their work.
Somadina releases on April 15th, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Sam Parker, Pine Reads Review Social Media Manager