Gather Me by Glory Edim was one of my favorite reads of 2024!
In Gather Me, Glory welcomed me into her world from the very start-- describing a kitchen filled with rich spices and Nigerian delicacies. She gave me a written tour of her home and community, filled with books, books, and more books. My eyes grew wide at all the discoveries and vivid descriptions. I was in awe of the way her father weaved stories from the objects around their home and grew sad when he left suddenly for Nigeria.
And as I continued to read, I learned that Glory and I had a few things in common. We both owned the same yellow bible story book that materialized from thin air one day. We both found safety and comfort in the library. And most importantly, we both grew a habit of seeking solace in the written word. Like Glory, I was often reading novels as a kid, hoping to find direction and instruction within the paragraphs.
I found it endearing to read the story of a woman I admired with similar experiences to mine. She too, was trying to find her place in the world around her so often. She was also making room for herself in the books she devoured at the local library. I find it so beautiful that she references the books she was reading during pivotal moments in her life as well. I always say that books find us at just the right time and each instance was a testament to that. The magic of words carry so many of us through the good times as well as the bad and Gather Me was a poignant reminder of that.
Glory champions for those of us who found safe spaces in libraries, novels, short stories and poems.
Glory, thank you for all the love, honesty and transparency you poured into this book. For all the books you've seen yourself in, I'm grateful you've allowed me to see myself in parts of yours.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 💫
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of Gather Me.
HAVE YOU ADDED GATHER ME TO YOUR READING LIST YET?
