‘[A] playful, powerful debut… A poignant reminder of how tight a hold mental illness can have’ Zakiya Dalila Harris ‘Chukwu meticulously and brilliantly balances tough topics like depression with biting comedy, crafting a narrative about a young woman trying to survive and help others do the same’ Shondaland ‘[A] playful, powerful debut… A poignant reminder of how tight a hold mental illness can have’ Zakiya Dalila Harris ‘Chukwu meticulously and brilliantly balances tough topics like depression with biting comedy, crafting a narrative about a young woman trying to survive and help others do the same’ Shondaland Dear Reader, It has come to my attention that smoking kills, along with police, loner white boys, and looks. While embroiled in the process of trying to live, I have written this honors thesis. It is dedicated to the first years who haven’t yet died from alcohol poisoning, exhaustion, or overdosing. This work has been a labor of love and of hate. In it, you will find juxtaposition, verisimilitude, French, Freud, and anything else I’ve wasted 60K a year to learn. I would like to thank my advisors: Mr. White Supremacy, Mr. Capitalism, Ms. Racism, and, of course, my Life Partner for all the guidance they have provided during this process. Set in the mind of a young Black woman who is losing it, THE UNFORTUNATES is a darkly funny debut about the realities of elitist institutions from an exceptional new writer. ‘[A] playful, powerful debut… Speaking to the pressure Black people often feel to stifle their feelings in predominantly white spaces… A poignant reminder of how tight a hold mental illness can have’ Zakiya Dalila Harris, The New York Times Book Review ‘Chukwu meticulously and brilliantly balances tough topics like depression with biting comedy, crafting a narrative about a young woman trying to survive and help others do the same’ Shondaland ‘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’ Booklist (starred review) ‘Formidable…powerful. This blistering anthem brims with rage and hope’ Publishers Weekly ‘The Unfortunates is a powerful call to arms by a promising young writer who is not afraid to take risks, and for that we are very fortunate indeed’ Bookpage ‘Required reading…What do you do when your fellow Black co-eds are disappearing, and you fear you’re next? Sahara, a queer, half-Nigerian student at an elite college, pens her opus, a no-holds-barred thesis to the racist institution that has stolen a part of her soul, but she and her community of BIPOC women won’t give up without a fight’ Ebony J K Chukwu is a writer and visual artist from the Midwest. She holds an MFA in Literary Arts from Brown University and was a 2019 Lambda Fellow. Her work has appeared in Black Warrior Review, DIAGRAM, and TAYO • A highly original and darkly comic debut novel from an exciting new voice in fiction • THE UNFORTUNATES is a fresh and humorous take on the campus novel, told from the perspective of a nineteen-year-old Black queer woman • Told in the form of a thesis, this novel’s unique format is sure to intrigue readers, and is perfect for fans of LUSTER, MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION, THE IDIOT, QUEENIE, SUCH A FUN AGE and EXCITING TIMES • J K Chukwu’s debut marks the arrival of a brilliant and refreshing new writer who seeks to make the stories of messy, queer Black women the norm • Covering issues from race, education and sexuality to familial pressure, elitism and mental health, THE UNFORTUNATES deftly both entertains and informs its readers and is sure to be a favourite of literary and literary-commercial readers Competition: My Year of Rest and Relaxation;Such a Fun Age;Exciting Times;The Idiot;Luster;Queenie;Grief is the Thing With Feathers;Memorial. Ottessa Moshfegh;Kiley Reid;Naoise Dolan;Elif Batuman;Raven Leilani;Candice Carty Williams;Max Porter;Caleb Azumah Nelson;Zadie Smith;Bryan Washington;Ocean Vuong
Publicat de: HarperCollins Publishers