By Ahtiya Liles
What is divinity? The most accurately used definition relates something to God or God-like, having special abilities that put you above the rest. The more informal definition, however, simply means excellent or delightful. I had these two differing definitions swirling about my head as I curated this list of books that I thought perfectly captured the idea of divinity. When I think of a book as divine, that means the book fed my soul in some way: I was moved emotionally or intellectually, I can’t stop thinking about the book days or weeks or perhaps months after I’ve read it, and I just want to shout to the rooftops that everyone EVERYWHERE should read that book. Here are three woman authored books that I find absolutely, deliciously, and without a doubt DIVINE.
- The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna: The Gilded Ones is a Young Adult Fantasy novel by debut author Namina Forna. It’s set in a world where a girl’s purity is determined by the color of her blood during a ceremony once she turns sixteen. Our protagonist Deka desperately wants to bleed red and prove that she’s pure to the people in her community. Due to her recently deceased mother, Deka’s complexion is darker than her primarily pale neighbors, and she is treated as inferior because of this. When Deka’s blood runs gold instead of red, she is deemed an impure demon and is subjected to the Death Mandate. However, Deka and other girls like her are sent to train instead so that they may be part of an elite killing team for the Emperor to help kill monsters who are plaguing the nation. I am so glad that a novel like The Gilded Ones exist in the world. It’s a Black, feminist fantasy that features an awesome girl gang, female friendships, and the direct confrontation of a patriarchal society that is literally killing girls. Namina Forna doesn’t hold back in her astute and scathing examination of how the idea of purity in girls strips young women of their agency and relegates them second-class citizens whose value is determined by the will of men who don’t know them. Not only is Forna’s book excellent because of the social commentary, but because it’s truly a splendidly crafted piece of literature.
- Take A Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert: The second novel in the Brown Sisters romance series, Take A Hint, Dani Brown follows Dani and Zaf, two co-workers who have a friendly and humorous rapport. Dani is an esteemed professor at the college they both work at, and Zaf is one of the security guards in the building where Dani has class. When Dani panics during a fire drill and ends up stuck in the elevator, Zaf goes in and ends up saving her…in front of a whole bunch of people who then begin to think they are in a relationship. The story goes viral, and the two friends decide to go along with the idea that they are in a relationship in order to drum up good publicity for Zaf’s non-profit. It’s a truth universally known…that Talia Hibbert writes some of the best characters and budding relationships ever, and she absolutely does not disappoint in this one. I found myself CACKLING out loud every to her page, and books rarely garner that reaction from me. The character of Dani is such an expert portrayal of how a confidant woman can easily be insecure about one specific thing, and one does not cancel out the other. Zaf is a testament to being so concerned with coping and moving on that you don’t actually deal with what’s hurt you. These two characters together are SIZZLING hot and hilarious, but they stand as solid and complex characters on their own, as well. Also, Dani’s intelligence is celebrated throughout this entire novel, and Zaf is bold in his love of romance novels, so this book is essentially perfect in my eyes. There’s bisexual representation (Dani) and Muslim representation (Zaf). There is also representation for depression and anxiety in Zaf which I found to be incredibly accurate and relatable, as someone who deals with both.
- Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers: Recent Astronomy PhD grad Grace Porter wakes up one morning with a key necklace around her neck, memories of an enchanting woman, and a new relationship status: married. After a drunken night in Vegas to celebrate her accomplishment of graduating leads to marrying a random girl from across the country, Grace begins to rethink her trajectory. Her relationships with both her parents are frayed and rocky, she’s realizing that perhaps she’s overworked, and she feels the walls closing in. What better way to deal with all this than pack up and spend the summer in New York City with her new wife to get some time away from her life and figure out who she is? I absolutely love this book and think about rereading it quite often, even though it just came out this month. There are so many incredible lessons about mental health, expectations, and what we as Black women sacrifice for the sake of “the best.” Honey Girl fed my soul in the best way possible. I felt so seen in Grace. I related immensely to Grace’s feeling of being bone-tired and just wanting the world to stop. Rogers touches on many themes throughout the novel, including loneliness in a room full of people, friendship, mental health, and being a minority in academic settings. I absolutely loved the portrayal of friendship in this book and how the importance of having a strong support system was crucial to Grace’s journey. This is definitely a coming-of-age novel for those in their 20s who are freaking out and feeling adrift. Roger’s writing is beautiful and mesmerizing. I was constantly rereading lines and passages. Plus, Yuki and Grace’s relationship was so tender, realistic, and fulfilling. I loved Yuki’s character and how unafraid she was of asking the hard questions and diving deep into the abyss of loneliness. Yuki’s radio show episodes were also some of my favorite passages, as I felt that her exploration of the idea of loneliness and our own humanity as being so close to monstrous was intriguing.
Happy reading!
