Freshwater

Freshwater is an autobiographical fiction novel that explores the surreal experience of a fractured self through the life of Ada, a young Nigerian woman born with one foot on the other side. The narrative follows Ada from her childhood in southern Nigeria to her college years in America, where the various entities residing within her grow in power. Following a traumatic assault, these selves crystallize into two primary personas, As\u1ee5ghara and Saint Vincent, who seize control of Ada's life and lead her in a dangerous direction. Narrated from the perspectives of these internal selves, the novel examines the metaphysics of identity and the impacts of trauma, as detailed in the Freshwater overview.

The story utilizes the Igbo concept of the ogbanje, which refers to spirit children who reincarnate repeatedly, often bringing misfortune to their families. In Igbo cosmology, the ogbanje is seen as a repeater, or one who comes and goes, providing a non-Western lens to understand psychological dissociation and mental health. This cultural interpretation of reincarnation is central to the novel's exploration of how identities are constructed and maintained, reflecting a specific spiritual framework found in Igbo traditions.

Akwaeke Emezi is a Nigerian fiction writer and visual artist who studied at New York University. They are known for their work in speculative fiction and romance, having won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Africa in 2017. Emezi identifies as a non-binary trans person and as an ogbanje, and they draw heavily from these personal realities and Igbo spiritual traditions in their writing, as noted in their interview with The Rumpus.