It is giveaway time!

Let’s talk about Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi. 

Trigger warnings HERE

I really don’t even know what to say about this book. Little Rot was one of the most intense stories I have ever read. I am not one who typically has to put a book down or someone who flinches at a story’s content, but Little Rot had me doing both at times. In fact, it shocked me so deeply that, when I finished reading, I had to stop and really reflect on whether I was ok! It is that intense. But not without a reason. 

Little Rot follows a group of people who have all been dragged into the same dangerous and complicated situation, each from a very unique position. The situation is precipitated by two of our main characters ending a serious relationship, sending them both searching for comfort. Each of them turns to old friends/relationships. For one of them, however, that looks like attending a sex party where, in the heat of the moment, someone tells them a secret they weren’t ready to hear. Which leads to them making a decision that comes with some pretty heavy consequences. Not just for themselves, but for everyone else in close proximity. 

I left this story with three major takeaways:

First, that we are always one intentional look away from seeing the trauma and pain of the world around us. We spend our lives focused ahead, aware that we have very little power to meaningfully engage with the systems of abuse and oppression around us. We know that people are hurting, but we give ourselves permission to not truly notice because there is so little we can do about it. So, instead of wrestling through our powerlessness together, we pretend that suffering isn’t happening right in front of us constantly. That is a major theme in this story. Every single person’s entry into this situation began with one Man’s choice to look. Which brings me to my second takeaway… relationships connect us. Not only to our communal power, but to our communal suffering. Which means that ultimately, it is our division that empowers us to look away from one another’s suffering. And my third take-away was that, even when we choose to look, suffering is often bigger than us. We will not always have the power to create change. But that does not determine whether we have a responsibility to look and to face that suffering together.

If you have read Emezi’s other work—particularly Pet and Bitter—you are no stranger to their ability to effectively expose your complicity in systems of suffering. And this book is no exception. I walked away from this book deeply challenged by how willing I am to ignore suffering around me. And I want to be clear: This book is not talking about the suffering you see. It is talking about the suffering we all know is happening all around us that we choose to not turn and actively look at. In this story, our main character has to make a conscious choice to open a door and look for the suffering they suspect is happening. They could have chosen to tell themselves their friends are incapable of causing real suffering and left the door closed.

And that is exactly the point… that is a choice that many of us make.

We would rather believe our friend is a better parent than we are than to question why their children are so compliant. We would rather believe our preacher is blessed by God than wonder why they drive a better car than the majority of their congregation. We would rather believe a teacher over our children. And a parent over their own. In all of these situations, we are choosing to not look. We know the suffering might exist. But we also know that our lives will become incredibly complicated if we look. And so we don’t. 

That is what this book addresses…and I could not be more impressed with that. Akwaeke knocked it out of the park. Little Rot is equal parts traumatizing and inspiring and I cannot recommend it more. 

So…the giveaway! Here is what you need to know:

• This giveaway is in partnership with the publisher, Riverhead Books. 

• I will be drawing TWO winners this Friday, February 21st. I will then reach out via email for your mailing address and will supply that address to Riverhead. They will ship your book directly to you.

• To be eligible for this giveaway, you must be subscribed to this Bindery community. (All Bindery tiers are eligible)

• To enter, drop a book recommendation that challenged your worldview in some way. Any genre.

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