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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-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
"I felt a sting of shame as I realized why I hadn't understood something so obvious: my own prejudice. I had been raised to view the desert people, the Enyi Zinariya, as a primitive, savage people plagued by a genetic neurological disorder. So that's what I saw."
"I felt a sting of shame as I realized why I hadn't understood something so obvious: my own prejudice. I had been raised to view the desert people, the Enyi Zinariya, as a primitive, savage people plagued by a genetic neurological disorder. So that's what I saw."
4.5 stars
This was a completely heart-filling story for me. Binti returns home only to find that she no longer really knows who she is or what home should mean to her. Change is an inevitable part of growth, but is always painful because it involves giving up one thing in order to gain another.
An incredibly moving story exploring the question of identity, and one that will stay with me for a long time.
This was a completely heart-filling story for me. Binti returns home only to find that she no longer really knows who she is or what home should mean to her. Change is an inevitable part of growth, but is always painful because it involves giving up one thing in order to gain another.
An incredibly moving story exploring the question of identity, and one that will stay with me for a long time.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Xenophobia
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, Sexism
Minor: Death, Blood, War
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
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
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
“The three days passed, as time always does when you are alive, whether happy or tortured” (47, Launch).
The second book in the Binti trilogy is a captivating continuation of Binti’s journey, blending themes of identity, belonging, and trauma. This story explores the aftermath of the events from the first book, where Binti is left grappling with the trauma of the massacre she survived. Her PTSD is portrayed with striking realism, particularly in Binti’s anger at herself for not being able to control her panic attacks.
A significant theme in this book is the exploration of prejudice–both external and internal. In the first book, Binti faces ostracization and discrimination from those around her. In this sequel, she begins to uncover her own biases, which prevent her from fully embracing the truth about herself and others. Okorafor brilliantly illustrates how a person can simultaneously be a victim of discrimination while harboring their own prejudices. The duality adds rich layers to Binti’s character, showing that the journey of self-awareness is complex and multifaceted.
Binti herself is a wonderfully contradictory character. Her resistance to the traditions of her tribe, coupled with her relentless curiosity, creates an interesting dynamic. Especially because for most of the novella, Binti wants to be a part of her tribe for the sense of belonging, but she aches for knowledge well past what her people can provide. Not to mention, most of the Himba see Binti as an outsider already.
As a “harmonizer,” Binti is supposed to keep the peace, but this role becomes increasingly challenging as she wrestles with the intense anger brought on by her newly acquired Meduse DNA. This contradiction–between her identity as a peacemaker and the violent impulses she now experiences–is striking. The story becomes not just a coming-of-age tale but also an exploration of how conflicting aspects of one’s identity can coexist.
“The details had long been blasted away by violence and death, and the angry, most likely incorrect, tales of heroism or cowardice depending on the teller” (59, At Home).
[3 stars, ebook from Libby]
[#9 of 2024 New Reads]
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No