Somadina (novel)

Somadina
AuthorAkwaeke Emezi
LanguageEnglish
GenreYoung Adult (YA) Fantasy and Magical Realism
PublisherKnopf Books for Young Readers
Publication dateApril 15, 2025
Publication placeNew York
Media typePrint, e-book, audiobook
Pages304
ISBN9780593309100

Somadina is a 2025 young adult fantasy and magical realism novel by Nigerian writer Akwaeke Emezi. It was published by Knopf Books for Young Readers in the United States and Faber and Faber in the United Kingdom.[1]

Plot

The novel follows teenage Somadina and her twin brother, Jayaike, who share a deep connection, often completing each other's sentences and existing as two halves of a whole. They also share the same supernatural abilities. When Jayaike is kidnapped, Somadina embarks on a journey to find him, even if it means venturing deep into the sacred forest and the otherworldly realm beyond, all while learning to navigate her newly discovered powers.[2][3]

The novel is further enriched by Emezi's distinct queer perspective. Through the experiences of Somadina, Jayaike, and Uwafulamiro, the story examines rejection, exclusion, and othering, offering readers a poignant reflection on how society often treats those considered "different" or outside accepted norms.[4]

Reception

Writing for Locus Magazine, Alex Brown described the novel as characteristic of Emezi's work, featuring lush, lyrical prose and vivid, distinctive storytelling. Brown noted that, "in a publishing landscape dominated by a specific strain of romantic fantasy and fantasy romance featuring older teens, it stands out as fresh and unusual."[5]

Kirkus Reviews described the novel as "magic is packed into every corner of a lush, if unevenly developed, tale,"[6] while Alexandra Quay, writing for School Library Journal, compared it to Nnedi Okorafor's Nsibidi Scripts series (Akata trilogy).[7]

Awards

Source[1]

  • Nominated for the 2027 Pennsylvania Keystone to Reading Book Award[8]
  • Selected for the 2026 Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books[9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Archived from the original on 2025-09-26. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  2. ↑ "Somadina | Harvard Book Store". www.harvard.com. 2026-04-14. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  3. ↑ "Somadina – Author Akwaeke Emezi". Random House Children's Books. Archived from the original on 2026-06-24. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  4. ↑ Parker, Sam (2025-04-10). "Somadina | Akwaeke Emezi | Pine Reads Review". Archived from the original on 2026-02-17. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  5. ↑ "Sọmadịna by Akwaeke Emezi: Review by Alex Brown". Locus. 2025-06-24. Archived from the original on 2026-01-11. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  6. ↑ Sọmadịna | Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on 14 May 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  7. ↑ Akwaeke, Emezi. "Somadina". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2026-02-16. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  8. ↑ "TeachingBooks | Keystone to Reading Book Award, 2026-2027, High School List". school.teachingbooks.net. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  9. ↑ Emezi, Akwaeke (2025). Sọmadịna (1st ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-593-30907-0. Archived from the original on 2026-02-17. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
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