Description

A sweeping YA fantasy inspired by indigenous Igbo culture from the Sunday Times bestselling author – dibias, deities, magic and a twin hunting down her kidnapped brother.

We had done and survived unimaginable things. Our world was so much bigger than our town, the river full of crocodiles, and these forests we’d grown up in. There was an entire sea out there to prove it.

Somadina and her twin brother, Jayaike, are practically the same person: they finish each other’s sentences and make each other whole. When the twins come of age, their magical gifts begin to develop, but while Jayaike’s powers enchant, Somadina’s cause fear to ripple through her town.

Always an outsider, Somadina now faces blatant – and dangerous – hostility. And things go from bad to worse when her brother, the one person she trusted, vanishes. Somadina knows that no matter the dangers, she must track him down. Even if it means entering the Sacred Forest. Even if it means gruelling, otherworldly travel she may not survive. Even if it means finding the hidden places where those closest to the spirit world don’t dare to go.

Does Somadina have the strength – within both her body and her soul – for the trying journey ahead?

Sunday Times bestseller Akwaeke Emezi masterfully weaves a tale of identity, family, and the power of the past, in a world where the extraordinary is ordinary.

‘Magic is packed into every corner.’ Kirkus Reviews

Readers love Akwaeke Emezi:
‘Exceptional . . . a powerful magic.’
‘Unforgettable . . . will stay with me for a long time.’
‘Phenomenal . . . just wow.’
‘I love Emezi’s writing.’
‘One of the best YA novels I have ever read.’
‘This is something special.’
‘A must read for ALL.’
‘One of the best books I have read this year, easily.’