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A review by emma_ekb
The Deep by Rivers Solomon
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. this novella is an iteration of a story first told through song by Drexciya and clipping. essentially, the wajinru are a group of merpeople who are the descendants of enslaved pregnant african women who were pushed off boats during the transatlantic slave trade.
one of the merpeople, Yetu, is charged with carrying all the memories of her people. she can remember every traumatic moment of the wajinru’s history. meanwhile, her people live without those memories until the annual Remembering.
ultimately this story is about the importance of remembering our ancestors and our history, and the cost of being the person to hold those memories? it’s also about the beauty of being part of a collective and having a shared history and remembering where you came from. the story is told with such care and thoughtfulness and while it was hard to read at times (and hard to process), i do think this is essential reading. it makes me want to read more afrofuturism
one of the merpeople, Yetu, is charged with carrying all the memories of her people. she can remember every traumatic moment of the wajinru’s history. meanwhile, her people live without those memories until the annual Remembering.
ultimately this story is about the importance of remembering our ancestors and our history, and the cost of being the person to hold those memories? it’s also about the beauty of being part of a collective and having a shared history and remembering where you came from. the story is told with such care and thoughtfulness and while it was hard to read at times (and hard to process), i do think this is essential reading. it makes me want to read more afrofuturism