Apa dulce, de Akwaeke Emezi (Editura Vellant, 2019)

Apa Dulce a facut toata valva necesara in 2018 si 2019 pentru a fi pe lista must read a tuturor publicatiilor importante.

Un roman despre “frumoasa nebunie”, construit in jurul personajului Ada si al ideii de identitate fracturata, Apa dulce a aparut in limba romana in traducerea lui Cristian Fulas, in colectia Endorfiction a Editurii Vellant.

Inspirandu-se din mitologia nigeriana, intr-un stil cand colocvial, intim, senzual, cand poetic, incantatoriu, Emezi transforma intregul roman intr-o camera de marmura, in care rasuna memorabil vocile acestor zei sangerosi, in cautare de teritorii umane demne de locuit. Cum va reusi o singura fiinta umana sa le contina? Cea mai noua endorfina literara, a se citi in apropierea unei fantani.

Roman nominalizat la PEN / Hemingway Award si la Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019. Tradus in 10 limbi.

Lista premiilor si a nominalizarilor:
– A National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” Honoree
– Shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize
– A New York Times Notable Book
– Named a Best Book of the Year by the New Yorker, BuzzFeed, Literary Hub, Amazon, NPR, Chicago Public Library, Electric Literature, Bustle, Refinery29, Entropy, BookPage, Shelf Awareness, and Globe and Mail
– Named a Best Debut Novel of 2018 by Entertainment Weekly
– Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal
– Longlisted for the Apsen Words Literary Prize
– Longlisted for the Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize
– A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice
– A New York Times Book Review Paperback Row Selection
– An Amazon Top 10 Book Pick (February 2018)

“Un roman de debut remarcabil, care interogheaza puternic paradigma occidentala a bolii psihice, oferind o perspectiva complet diferita. Visceral, rafinat, construit impecabil.” – The New York Times

“De inspiratie autobiografica, oferind o bogatie spirituala si franchete sexuala rare, acest text nu pare a fi fost scris, ci transmis de Akwaeke Emezi, preluat dintr-un fond la care doar cautatorii, poetii si profetii au acces.” – Taiye Selasi

AKWAEKE EMEZI s-a nascut in Umuahia si a crescut la Aba, in Nigeria. In 2018, a fost pe lista “5 sub 35” a National Book Foundation, iar romanul ei de debut, Apa dulce (Freshwater, 2018), a fost nominalizat la Lambda Literary Award si Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019, marcand o premiera in istoria acestuia, ca primul roman scris de o persoana trans non-binara selectionat vreodata. Tradus in 8 limbi, Apa dulce a fost nominalizat la premii literare prestigioase: Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize, PEN/Hemingway Award, Carnegie Medal of Excellence, The Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize, The Wellcome Prize, the Aspen Words Literary Prize, si numit “Cea mai buna carte a anului” de catre New Yorker, NPR, the Chicago Public Library si Buzzfeed. Primul roman young adult al lui Emezi, PET, este in curs de aparitie, iar cel de-al doilea roman literar, The Death of Vivek Oji, este in curs de finalizare. Povestirea lui Emezi “Who is like God” a castigat Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Africa. Ca artist video, Emezi a luat o bursa Global Arts Fund in 2017, iar proiectul sau The Unblinding a ramas accesibil publicului in Harlem, din 2016 pana in prezent.