Genevieve
Wade in the Water by Nyani Nkrumah is such a strong debut. I really enjoyed it.
The story is told through multiple POVs. We follow Ella, a 12 year old Black girl who feels unseen and unwanted by her family. She forms an unexpected friendship with Katherine, a white woman who moves into their predominantly, all Black neighborhood and gives Ella the attention she’s missing at home. Katherine has a complicated past and plenty of secrets she’s carrying with her.
I loved how thoughtful the storytelling was. It’s not super fast paced or overly dramatic, but it digs deep into themes of race, trauma, colorism, white supremacy, love, and community.
I also really enjoyed the writing style. The first person perspective for Ella, and third person for Katherine felt fresh and worked beautifully. Every side character was needed, and the character development was so well done. This was a great book and I can’t wait to see what else she writes.
Wade in the Water by Nyani Nkrumah is such a strong debut. I really enjoyed it.
The story is told through multiple POVs. We follow Ella, a 12 year old Black girl who feels unseen and unwanted by her family. She forms an unexpected friendship with Katherine, a white woman who moves into their predominantly, all Black neighborhood and gives Ella the attention she’s missing at home. Katherine has a complicated past and plenty of secrets she’s carrying with her.
I loved how thoughtful the storytelling was. It’s not super fast paced or overly dramatic, but it digs deep into themes of race, trauma, colorism, white supremacy, love, and community.
I also really enjoyed the writing style. The first person perspective for Ella, and third person for Katherine felt fresh and worked beautifully. Every side character was needed, and the character development was so well done. This was a great book and I can’t wait to see what else she writes.