A Girl is a Body of Water, by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

In her twelfth year, Kirabo, a young Ugandan girl, confronts a piercing question that has haunted her childhood:who is my mother?Kirabo has been raised by women in the small village of Nattettaher grandmother, her best friend, and her many aunts, but the absence of her mother follows her like a shadow. Complicating these feelings of abandonment, as Kirabo comes of age she feels the emergence of a mysterious second self, a headstrong and confusing force inside her at odds with her sweet and obedient nature.

Seeking answers, Kirabo begins spending afternoons with Nsuuta, a local witch, trading stories and learning not only about this force inside her, but about the woman who birthed her, who she learns is alive but not ready to meet. Nsuuta also explains that Kirabo has a streak of the first womanan independent, original state that has been all but lost to women.

Kirabos journey to reconcile her rebellious origins, alongside her desire to reconnect with her mother and to honor her familys expectations, is rich in the folklore of Uganda and an arresting exploration of what it means to be a modern girl in a world that seems determined to silence women. Makumbis unforgettable novel is a sweeping testament to the true and lasting connections between history, tradition, family, friends, and the promise of a different future.

Hardcover release: September 1, 2020

InA Girl is a Body of WaterJennifer Nansubuga Makumbi takes the classic male quest for identity and turns it spectacularly on its head. Kirabos journey toward self-possession is a beautiful, wise, and exhilarating read.
–Lily King, author ofWriters & Lovers

A wonderas clear, vivid, moving, powerful, and captivatingly unpredictable as water itself.
–Namwali Serpell, author ofThe Old Drift

A Girl is a Body of Wateris captivating, wise, humorous and tender: Makumbi has come back stronger than ever. This is a tale about Kirabo and her family, and her place in the world as she searches for her mother and a true sense of belonging. But most of all, this is a book about the stories that define us, and those we tell to redefine ourselves. A riveting read.
–Maaza Mengiste, author ofThe Shadow King