Ibi Aanu ZoboiYoung Adult · Contemporary Literature
(S)Kin
Synopsis
Ibi Zoboi's novel in verse draws on Caribbean soucouyant folklore to tell the linked stories of two teenage girls. Marisol, fifteen, is the daughter of a soucouyant: every new moon she sheds her skin and flies into the Brooklyn night as a fireball witch, feeding on the lives of others to sustain her own. She hoped her family had left that inheritance behind when they emigrated, but her mother won't let the old ways go.
Across the city, seventeen-year-old Genevieve is dealing with a worsening skin condition, sleepless nights with her infant half-siblings, and an unexplained hunger that seems tied to the mother she's never known. When a new nanny arrives to help with the twins, a hidden connection between Gen and Marisol starts to surface.
Told in verse, (S)Kin threads inherited magic through mother-daughter estrangement, immigration, and the pressure to hide what makes you different — a National Book Award finalist for young people's literature.
How it reads
Prose complexity 7/10
Genres
Characters
MarisolProtagonist
Daughter of a soucouyant who sheds her skin each new moon to become a fireball witch.
Queen GenevieveProtagonist
A teenager with a worsening skin condition and an unexplained hunger tied to her estranged mother.
Frequently asked questions
Is (S)Kin a standalone book?
Yes. (S)Kin is a complete, standalone novel in verse — it isn't part of a series.
Is (S)Kin appropriate for younger teens?
It's written for young adult readers rather than middle grade. The verse format is accessible, but the book deals with mother-daughter estrangement, body horror elements tied to the soucouyant mythology, and other mature emotional content.
