“Remarkable and daring . . . Poetic and disturbing . . . Rooting Ada’s story in Igbo cosmology forces us to further question our paradigm for what causes mental illness and how it manifests.”
NO MAJOR SPOILERS
This is a story of mental illness as told by the demons that control the body of Ada, a young African female who, when she is born, the door doesn’t close from the other side and demons are in her body, protecting her in some ways, manipulating and damaging her in others.
The story is told almost completely from their perspective. We, as they call themselves, are the original demons that cross at birth but their are stronger demons who will control Ada through bouts of self mutilation and loose morals. Ada will occasionally attempt to fight these demons, and it is sad to watch her as she fights against a tide that she just can’t compete with.
Their are Gods in Ada’s body. Asughara and St. Vincent will struggle for her sexuality and Yshwa will fight for her soul.
This books tells the tale of this type of illness in a very different and unique way, helping to give some sort of understanding of what a person might go through in their own mind as they struggle to exist day to day and find themselves to a point where they can exist with their family, friends and loved ones in a manner consistent with normal everyday life.
Well written, it is an excellent first effort by this new author. Recommended.
Reviewed by:
Richard Franco
Added 8th April 2018
