The Aquatics
The Aquatics by Osvalde Lewat, published by Coffee House Press in 2025, is a novel that explores themes of loyalty, strife, and empowerment. Set in the fictional African country of Zambuena, the story follows Katmé Abbia, who navigates her privileged life as the wife of Tashun, the prefect of the capital. As she grapples with her increasingly stagnant marriage and seeks connection with her childhood friend Samy, a struggling artist facing severe societal penalties for his sexuality, Katmé’s world becomes increasingly complex and fraught with tension.
Readers will find a narrative that delves into the intersections of personal and political struggles, as Katmé is faced with a heart-wrenching decision when Samy’s art exhibition challenges the status quo of Zambuena. The novel addresses critical issues within contemporary African society, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ rights and the dynamics of power and friendship. With 240 pages, this edition presents a compelling exploration of the absurdities and harsh realities of life in Zambuena, inviting readers to reflect on the choices that define loyalty and identity.
Official synopsis Publisher
An extraordinary novel of loyalty, strife, and empowerment from Peabody Award-winning Cameroonian filmmaker Osvalde Lewat.
In the fictional African country of Zambuena, Katmé Abbia enjoys a life of privilege and influence married to Tashun, the powerful prefect of Zambuena’s capital. Yet after years spent playing the obedient, demure wife to a husband who has ceased to notice her, Katmé grows increasingly restless. Her one source of connection is Samy, a childhood friend, struggling artist, and gay man–an offense punishable by law in Zambuena. When Katmé discovers that Samy’s new exhibition, funded by herself and Tashun, boldly critiques Zambuena’s inequities, her public, married life is set on a collision course with her one true friendship. Political rivals descend and threaten Samy with incarceration, forcing Katmé into an agonizing choice: abandon her friend or destroy her family.
Mixing compassion with clear-eyed fury and a keen sense of the absurd, The Aquatics confronts one of contemporary Africa’s most entrenched societal issues in a story as immersive and inevitable as a quickly rising tide.
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