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awoodenbird's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ethias's review against another edition
1.0
I received this book for free from a prize drawing.
It felt like a high schooler wrote this book and I would be very surprised if anyone actually edited it. Very juvenile feeling and everything was extremely over simplified. Some interesting ideas that were utterly under executed, would have loved to be able to delve into some of these concepts and really enjoy them. Very disappointing. Even though it was only 210 pages it felt like it took forever to get through. Characters were basically nothing, they all had the same personality. The stakes should have been incredibly high but I didn’t feel them once.
If the ending was meant to be a twist it did not succeed as I figured it would be the case from the very first explanation of the noor.
Very anti-medication, anti-prosthetics, anti-GMO for some reason. Felt conspiratorial, as if all disabled people were made that way by an evil corporation or government. I have also simply never been a fan of “fixing” disabled people by making it so that their disability is actually now their superpower. Strangely ableist for a book that’s supposed to evoke disability pride.
Very unpleasant book that boiled down to the angsty and juvenile ramblings of a bland and whiny main character fighting an extremely on the nose big bad evil corporation complete with evil monologues. I will be donating it as soon as I can.
It felt like a high schooler wrote this book and I would be very surprised if anyone actually edited it. Very juvenile feeling and everything was extremely over simplified. Some interesting ideas that were utterly under executed, would have loved to be able to delve into some of these concepts and really enjoy them. Very disappointing. Even though it was only 210 pages it felt like it took forever to get through. Characters were basically nothing, they all had the same personality. The stakes should have been incredibly high but I didn’t feel them once.
If the ending was meant to be a twist it did not succeed as I figured it would be the case from the very first explanation of the noor.
Very anti-medication, anti-prosthetics, anti-GMO for some reason. Felt conspiratorial, as if all disabled people were made that way by an evil corporation or government. I have also simply never been a fan of “fixing” disabled people by making it so that their disability is actually now their superpower. Strangely ableist for a book that’s supposed to evoke disability pride.
Very unpleasant book that boiled down to the angsty and juvenile ramblings of a bland and whiny main character fighting an extremely on the nose big bad evil corporation complete with evil monologues. I will be donating it as soon as I can.
haylee_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Nnedi Okorafor had one of my favorite short stories in Out There Screaming, so it’s no surprise that I really enjoyed Noor! The world building was really lush for such a short story. I loved AO as a character and thought she was really well fleshed out. I did find the technology part a bit confusing, so I wish that was explored a bit more. This book did throw a lot at you from the start, so it was a bit confusing at first, but once I figured out what was going on that didn’t bother me. This was super fast paced and I was hooked from the start, despite the confusion. I can’t wait to read more by Okorafor, though.
ohboysidd's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
aardrian's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
melodys_library's review against another edition
3.0
I was a little worried when I realized the story leaned more toward fantasy than science fiction, but it still held my interest without overwhelming world-building. The beginning meandered a bit, trying to build some back story, so I only slowly got into it. (It feels like there could be a whole book 0 for that back story.) It’s a slim, action-packed novel that heavily criticizes capitalism, and there’s not much time for character development. I liked the characters just fine, but it really bothered me how much the protagonist romanticized her own death.
villainos's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Noor is great because it utilities science fiction through the lense of reality by raising the conversation of over-consumption of technology, manupulative governmental control and comfortability together in a well written novel. It also has an inspiring MFC and talks about the power of will and being an outcast doesn't mean your alone.
olivi_yeah's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Very minimal writing style, which I didn't mind. The book definitely drags a bit in the middle - only the beginning and end hit the sweet spot for pacing. The author is great at writing fast-paced action scenes.
There is a frustrating lack of development on a lot of the major plot points. It feels like things come up and are never quite explained again. Much of the middle section felt contrived to just get the characters from one point to another.
It felt like much of the world was never really fleshed out. I feel like the setting had so much untapped potential.
There is a frustrating lack of development on a lot of the major plot points. It feels like things come up and are never quite explained again. Much of the middle section felt contrived to just get the characters from one point to another.
It felt like much of the world was never really fleshed out. I feel like the setting had so much untapped potential.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Gun violence, Car accident, and Hate crime
magerman's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
If this is your first Nnedi Okorafor book make sure you have this in mind, her books are in the same universe and that some of the books in the case of Noor is a "slice of life". We are just getting a glimpse into this part of this Africanfuturistic world that Okorafor has created.
When you have these things in mind her books open up to you and the more books in the universe you read the more each slice of life book unravels the mystery of a futuristic West Africa.
When you have these things in mind her books open up to you and the more books in the universe you read the more each slice of life book unravels the mystery of a futuristic West Africa.
prof_chronotis's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0