ROSEWATER

Suhaiyla Hippolyte gives a quietly emotional performance of this coming-of-age novel about Elsie, a Black, queer 20-something living in London who dreams of making it as a poet. When she's evicted from her apartment, she moves in with her childhood best friend, an arrangement that brings up old hurts and new feelings for both of them. Hippolyte's narration is understated yet engaging; she captures all of Elsie's shifting emotions as she struggles to make a place for herself in the world. Much of Elsie's slam poetry is scattered throughout the book, and Hippolyte delivers it beautifully. It's easy to imagine being there with Elsie as she performs her work in a series of crowded cafés and queer open-mic nights. L.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2023]