Quote by Akwaeke Emezi: “Children carry their parents’ unspoken pains, sometimes without knowing why.”

This quote highlights the often unseen burden children bear from their parents' unresolved traumas and emotional struggles. It suggests that pain can be inherited and influence younger generations, even unconsciously, shaping their experiences.

In an era increasingly focused on intergenerational trauma and its impact, this novel contributed to discussions about family secrets, hidden suffering, and the long-term effects of unaddressed pain.

Nigerian-Tamil author whose debut novel Freshwater drew on Igbo spiritual traditions to tell the story of a person who contains multiple selves. Their work, including Pet and The Death of Vivek Oji, has won numerous awards and reshaped conversations about queerness and selfhood in African literature.