Deep Condition

by Elle Jeffries

Nia is a storyteller with a chip on her shoulder. Through storytelling, she sets people free. But in this pursuit, she is forced to reckon with the trauma of her own truth and must free the prisoner she’s become inside of her own story. In three parts, Nia wrestles with the power of a narrative.

In part one, Nia’s first year at Monroe University is riddled with racism. To fight back, she weaponizes her voice and writes for a controversial student magazine. Later, she finds herself at the intersection of her identities – blackness and womanness – and must determine which is most important for her survival.

In part two, Nia is at war with herself. After witnessing a traumatic event and breaking up with her boyfriend, she wades through writer’s block and stands at the edge of depression. With the wisdom of women she admires, Nia finds her way back – closer to whole and closer to healthy.

In the final part, Nia learns that she isn’t very good at managing grief. Especially when she’s mourning the death of a father she barely knew. Stagnant in her career as a journalist, and searching for the meaning of life when she’s suddenly surrounded by death, Nia decides to leap.

Deep Condition uncovers the discrepancies between the stories that we tell others and the version we reserve for ourselves. From stolen virtues to grieving the death of an absent father, Nia journeys through womanhood with little grace and a lot of mistakes. An ode to self-preservation, the debut novel will push readers to consider how their own stories exist to harm or to heal.

176 pages, Paperback

Published August 14, 2018

Reviews

[Amaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told in three parts, Deep Condition is a story about brokenness, love, self-reflection and most importantly, growth. As a writer, Nia has a knack for bringing other women’s stories to the forefront on her online platform, Brown Girl. Instead of confronting her own issues, Nia becomes the go-to person to shed light on dark situations, a job she soon learns cannot be done adequately without her own self- actualization. With the guidance of her therapist, Nia gathers the courage to “confront her comfort” and face reality head-on.

[Michelle Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

" "You have to put in work consistently to stay healthy - to thrive.' I folded my arms and shrugged. A smirk crept onto her face and she pointed to my hair- a dry, disheveled puff I'd shoved to the top of my head this morning and tied with a bow.
'It's like maintaining your hair. If you don't moisturize or get your ends trimmed, it'll be brittle, uneven and hell to deal with. Life is like that- you have to deep condition.' "

"In our relationship, Quentin made me his sun and rain. He wanted me to be the necessary condition for him to blossom into the type of man I needed. He planted himself in my soil, let his roots took hold. But after a while, we discovered that my soil was bad for planting, leaving both us with little to harvest."

"Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter - African Proverb"

"To write was to resist.
To write was to exist."

If you couldn't tell by the plethora of quotes, I LOVED THIS BOOK. From the poetic writing to the relatable crises we as black women experience, I forgot at times that I was reading a book and instead felt like I was talking to a friend over drinks. Don't let the small size of this book fool you: It packs a punch.

The story chronicles the life of Nia, an inspiring writer and journalist, who faces (and writes about others) many obstacles both physically and mentally. From racism at a PWI school, first love, rape, first jobs, hair issues, relationships/friend's all getting married and having kids, and ultimately finding what makes you happiness ALL WITH ZERO CORNINESS.

Elle weaved together a story that had me caught up in how beautiful, simple, and poetic it was. This is a must read for everyone especially all my sises out there. I can't wait to read more from this author: She set the bar really high with this one.

[Smileitsjoy (JoyMelody) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in three hours.
I think Jeffries did an amazing job at telling a story that was necessary.
I do think at times it was a bit confusing but it didn’t stop me from giving it 5 stars
I truly enjoyed the analogy of “deep conditioning” your life.
I found myself upset with the main character not because she was a bad person but because Jeffries did a great job of conveying the nuances of pain and suffering and how we push folks away.
I was rooting for her at some points and waiting for her friend to cuss her out at others.

[Kim G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nia is a young woman who struggles with being abandoned, violated, and traumatized by an incident in college and dealing with racism. A load of Nia troubles keeps her from having a loveable relationship with men. It's ok to seek counseling to help overcome your issues. I felt the male characters were strong, but I didn't particularly like them. The book is very well-paced. Elle Jeffries's writing is beautiful kept me reading to see how Nia developed.

[Tyler J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in two days. You can really get caught up in this narrative. The chapters were short and intentional and although I wanted to shake Nia sometimes for her self sabotage, I saw myself in her. I liked that Elle tied in attachment styles and brought about therapy and how Nia’s earliest memories of trauma were indeed shaping her adult relationships. Great read and relatable for many.

[TMA Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Miller's Review:

A great book about a young woman learning about the relationship between herself and her hair while she navigates her first year in college.

[Chika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such great writing. You can’t help but feel immersed in her love and pain.