The Unfortunates -- J. K. Chukwu, Hardcover

An edgy, bitingly funny debut about a queer, half-Nigerian college sophomore who, enraged and exhausted by the racism at her elite college, is determined to reveal the truth about The Unfortunates--the unlucky subset of Black undergrads who Just. Keep. Disappearing.

Sahara is Not Okay. Entering her sophomore year, she already feels like a failure: her body is too much, her love life is nonexistent, she's not Nigerian enough for her family, her grades are subpar, and, well, the few Black classmates she has are vanishing--or dying. Sahara herself is close to giving up: depression has been her longtime "Life Partner." She believes that this narrative--taking the form of an irreverent, no-holds-barred "thesis" addressed to the powerful University Committee that will judge her--may be her last chance to document the Unfortunates' experience before she joins their ranks...But maybe, just maybe, she and her complex community of BIPOC women aren't ready to go out without a fight.

Author: J. K. Chukwu
Publisher: Harper
Published: 02/28/2023
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.01lbs
Size: 9.33h x 6.31w x 1.14d
ISBN: 9780358650263

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal Prepub Alert 09/01/2022 pg. 4
Booklist 01/01/2023 pg. 28
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2023
Publishers Weekly 03/06/2023

About the Author
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.