Review by Booklist Review
A self-styled Angry Black Girl, university sophomore Sahara, who is half-Nigerian and half-American, is plagued by a number of challenges: a lesbian, she has a killer crush on another student, Mariah, who already has a partner; she routinely experiences a surfeit of casual racism and bigotry; she cuts herself and has a serious drinking problem, because, as she puts it, she thinks too much; and, worst of all, she secretly suffers from serious depression and is planning to kill herself, goaded into action by what she calls her LP (Life Partner), the personification of her depression with whom she has extended conversations. All of this is presented by Sahara as a faux honors thesis, which is, in fact, as she puts it, "a soundtrack to my life"; hence, each chapter is called a "Track." They record her mental and emotional deterioration, exacerbated by Mariah's death. Overwhelmed, Sahara has a serious breakdown, which just might be her salvation. Chukwu has written an extraordinary coming-of-age novel, with a fascinating protagonist and a tone that is just right for her material. The book's dark atmosphere is enhanced by the presence of the author's own black-and-white illustrations. The result is a tour de force. Oh, did I mention the Unfortunates? They are the eponymous students who have died at the university. RIP.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Chukwu's inventive debut explores the isolation of a queer Black woman at an elite university. The narrative is framed as an honors thesis (the narrative begins, "Dear Thesis Committee,/ It has come to my attention that smoking kills, along with police, loner white boys, and looks"), and it includes footnotes, a table of contents modeled on a playlist, and zine-inspired collage illustrations, all from college sophomore Sahara. She's struggled with depression and self-harm for years, dubbing depression her "Life Partner" and having imagined arguments with it. At her university, however, incessant microaggressions, institutional hypocrisy, healthcare inequities, and a relentless trend of other Black students dropping out, disappearing, or dying by suicide (the "Unfortunates" of the title) lead the troubled Sahara into disordered eating, binge drinking, and suicidal ideation. Sahara is clearly bright--her narration is playful even at its angriest--and a little bored by her coursework; depression clouds her ability not only to excel but also to clearly see those who would gladly support her if given the chance (especially her longtime best friend, called "Ride or Die"). Though the prevalence of code names for secondary characters verges on overkill, Sahara's voice is formidable, and her story powerful. This blistering anthem brims with rage and hope. (Feb.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A queer Black college student alchemizes her rage into a mixed-media document exposing how her university has failed its Black community in this inventive debut novel. In 2013, Sahara Kesandu Nwadike--her father is Nigerian and her mother African American--is a sophomore studying English in Chicago. Classes barely engage her (she dubs her intro to writing course "High School Revisited"); she feels she's mostly there to form part of a "diversity showcase" and resents rich kids like her absentee roommate. The campus culture is one of pervasive microaggressions, with buildings named after eugenicists and the Black Student Coalition headed by white Ph.D. student "Lone Caucasian." The book's title refers to Black students who have dropped out, transferred, or died--including by suicide. Sahara looks set to join their ranks: She's been drinking and cutting for years, and her substance abuse accelerates as she tries to impress a clubbing buddy. She personifies her depression as "Life Partner," who perpetuates self-destructive behaviors such as disordered eating. Trying to rescue her from the brink are her Korean American best friend, "Ride or Die," and her "constant crush," Mariah. Chukwu is matter-of-fact about Sahara's bisexual attractions and explores mental health and suicidal ideation with a sardonic but never flippant tone. The book's imaginative structure provides a lift: It takes the form of Sahara's honors thesis, inspired by her late Aunt Nita's zine, organized into "Tracks" and filled with paper collages, chat threads, playlists, emails, and imagined dialogues. Sahara addresses the thesis committee directly, and her one-liners zing. The nicknames and party scenes grow somewhat wearisome; the plot doesn't soar until a tragedy brought on by the university hospital's negligence. Still, in energy this is reminiscent of Luster and Queenie. Exciting in form; powerful in content. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
