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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
slow-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
Poorly constructed, lazily-written, frequently sexist, sometimes racist, with some of the blandest prose I've encountered, this is the only book I've read in my entire life that I believe truly qualifies as objectively bad. Despite world-building that often left way too much to the imagination, the only question on my mind when I reached the end of this book was "How did this even get published?"
I really wanted to love this book, but I just kinda liked it. The dialog in particular felt very unnatural, and I did not care for most of the characters. But the ending was beautiful and I enjoyed the way the author alluded to the end of the world as we know it without explicitly telling the reader what happened. Some of the sorcery and the mythology behind it was really fascinating.
Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death is a book that it should have been a lot harder to read, given the subject matter. The author wrote in the afterword that she was inspired–if that’s the right word–by a 2004 article about “weaponized rape” in the Sudan. It’s amazing and horrible to think that such an interesting book could come out of that kind of source material. This book took some serious chutzpah to write, and I have to admire Okorafor’s courage...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
'Who Fears Death' by Nigerian American author Nnedi Okorafor is a total must read if you one wants to explore new voices and perspectives outside the excessively white dominated genre of fantasy and sci-fi. Set in post apocalyptic Sudan, this YA fantasy explores the mystical and difficult journey of its titular character, Onyesonwu
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Onyesonwu, whose daring name translates to 'Who Fears Death', is a product of a weaponized rape in a land torn apart by ethnic conflicts between the Okeke and the Nuru. Borrowing heavily from Igbo and Sudanese traditions and mythologies, the novel spins a complicated and tragic narrative for Onyesonwu who is still learning to control the magic gifts that came as a result of the special circumstances of her birth
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In many ways, the premise of the story resembles that of Harry Potter. But the book is much deeper and darker than that as it deals with difficult issues of rape, violence, genital mutilation, gender inequality, slavery, alienation and untouchability. Moreover, the ending does not lead to an automatic victory of good over evil, but is instead an optimistic opening to a more better and peaceful future
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I really liked this book despite some useless meandering in between, and I was particularly fond of how it ended. It stayed true to the spirit of Onyesonwu bold and free self!
#nnediokorafor
#whofearsdeath #africanfuturism #ownvoices #readingchallenge2019 #readinglist2019
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Onyesonwu, whose daring name translates to 'Who Fears Death', is a product of a weaponized rape in a land torn apart by ethnic conflicts between the Okeke and the Nuru. Borrowing heavily from Igbo and Sudanese traditions and mythologies, the novel spins a complicated and tragic narrative for Onyesonwu who is still learning to control the magic gifts that came as a result of the special circumstances of her birth
.
.
.
In many ways, the premise of the story resembles that of Harry Potter. But the book is much deeper and darker than that as it deals with difficult issues of rape, violence, genital mutilation, gender inequality, slavery, alienation and untouchability. Moreover, the ending does not lead to an automatic victory of good over evil, but is instead an optimistic opening to a more better and peaceful future
.
.
.
I really liked this book despite some useless meandering in between, and I was particularly fond of how it ended. It stayed true to the spirit of Onyesonwu bold and free self!
#nnediokorafor
#whofearsdeath #africanfuturism #ownvoices #readingchallenge2019 #readinglist2019
It's a pretty heavy book. You'll need trigger warnings for how often certain words are repeated in the first 50 pages.
I was quickly invested in the story of the main character. And her little posse is interesting enough, though they don't develop too much.
The pacing of time speeds up and down, but it usually wasn't too difficult to adjust. The general structure has her character/powers developing and showcasing step by step with a final showcase of it all at the end.
I was quickly invested in the story of the main character. And her little posse is interesting enough, though they don't develop too much.
The pacing of time speeds up and down, but it usually wasn't too difficult to adjust. The general structure has her character/powers developing and showcasing step by step with a final showcase of it all at the end.
Some lady cut ahead of me in the library check-out line. This is not something I generally let happen without a few words, but I decided to open this book instead. Heck, within paragraphs I was hoping that the lady ahead of me would take longer, so that I could spend more time reading this book before having to drive home.
When I arrived home, I immediately devoured this book. It deals with difficult subject matter, but Onyesonwu, as the protagonist, was such a strong center--she was the one going through the tough times, and yet I felt she was the one calming me with her inner strength.
Things stalled a little during the final journey, but this was still one of the best books I've ever read.
When I arrived home, I immediately devoured this book. It deals with difficult subject matter, but Onyesonwu, as the protagonist, was such a strong center--she was the one going through the tough times, and yet I felt she was the one calming me with her inner strength.
Things stalled a little during the final journey, but this was still one of the best books I've ever read.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-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
Trigger warning: rape, genocide and female genital mutilation content
Who Fears Death has been on my radar for awhile, especially with the news it's being adapted for the screen in conjunction with GRR Martin. I was quite absorbed in the first bit of the book. The rape scene, while extremely difficult to read, showcases womens' authentic reactions to the violent act. So many fantasy books especially of the grimdark subgenre include rape as a by-thought or part of the scenery ("gritty") or to propel the male protagonist's journey. Onyesonwu, meaning 'who fears death,' is a product of rape and bears the physical characteristics of the mixing of Nuru and Okeke tribes. This is a coming of age story and discovery of her magical powers.
Like others have noted, it's not readily obvious this is a post-apocalyptic novel. There are occasional unobtrusive mentions of electronic devices or modern inventions. The setting is somewhere in Africa and I like that the author showcased the complex issues surrounding female genital mutilation - that it brought shame to the families of girls who chose not to participate in it, that senior respected female leaders were involved in the ritual. Since this is fictional fantasy book, some liberties are mixed real life facts are taken such as a wizard putting 'juju' on the knife such that everytime the mutilated girls tried to have intercourse they would experience intense pain but later Onye manages not only to regrow her own clitories but those of others in her coterie.
I think I lost interest sometime when they had embarked on their trek into the desert. There were a lot of teen sexual shenanigans, giggling, cliques, social pressure, squabbling - all your average high school fluff. Disappointing because there had been some interesting mature issues raised like prejudice, genocide, misogyny.
Who Fears Death has been on my radar for awhile, especially with the news it's being adapted for the screen in conjunction with GRR Martin. I was quite absorbed in the first bit of the book. The rape scene, while extremely difficult to read, showcases womens' authentic reactions to the violent act. So many fantasy books especially of the grimdark subgenre include rape as a by-thought or part of the scenery ("gritty") or to propel the male protagonist's journey. Onyesonwu, meaning 'who fears death,' is a product of rape and bears the physical characteristics of the mixing of Nuru and Okeke tribes. This is a coming of age story and discovery of her magical powers.
Like others have noted, it's not readily obvious this is a post-apocalyptic novel. There are occasional unobtrusive mentions of electronic devices or modern inventions. The setting is somewhere in Africa and I like that the author showcased the complex issues surrounding female genital mutilation - that it brought shame to the families of girls who chose not to participate in it, that senior respected female leaders were involved in the ritual. Since this is fictional fantasy book, some liberties are mixed real life facts are taken such as a wizard putting 'juju' on the knife such that everytime the mutilated girls tried to have intercourse they would experience intense pain but later Onye manages not only to regrow her own clitories but those of others in her coterie.
I think I lost interest sometime when they had embarked on their trek into the desert. There were a lot of teen sexual shenanigans, giggling, cliques, social pressure, squabbling - all your average high school fluff. Disappointing because there had been some interesting mature issues raised like prejudice, genocide, misogyny.
I liked Nnedi Okorafor's work on Marvel's SHURI, plus her themes fit in with some of the recent "LeVar Burton Reads" podcasts that I have enjoyed. Needless to say, I thought I would give this a shot, as it comes with numerous positive reviews.
While I enjoyed the world-building and the characters presented, I began to lose some interest about 45% into the book. I felt Onyesonwu's set-up, and subsequent chapters leading to where I stopped, felt like a car ride: I enjoyed the view, I enjoyed the companions on the ride, but I wanted to be at the destination already.
I think Ms. Okorafor is very talented. Her depiction of Africa felt like I was truly there, as if I could feel it. The backstory of the rape and genocide, clearly taken from what was barely a blip on the radar of American news broadcasts, was eye-opening, it helped to illustrate what it must have been like. For these two aspects of the book, I was quite impressed.
Unfortunately, the journey began to feel too long, and I had to "pull the car over". I may revisit it at a later date, but for now, I must take my leave it.
That said, I will give other works by Ms. Okorafor a try for sure.
While I enjoyed the world-building and the characters presented, I began to lose some interest about 45% into the book. I felt Onyesonwu's set-up, and subsequent chapters leading to where I stopped, felt like a car ride: I enjoyed the view, I enjoyed the companions on the ride, but I wanted to be at the destination already.
I think Ms. Okorafor is very talented. Her depiction of Africa felt like I was truly there, as if I could feel it. The backstory of the rape and genocide, clearly taken from what was barely a blip on the radar of American news broadcasts, was eye-opening, it helped to illustrate what it must have been like. For these two aspects of the book, I was quite impressed.
Unfortunately, the journey began to feel too long, and I had to "pull the car over". I may revisit it at a later date, but for now, I must take my leave it.
That said, I will give other works by Ms. Okorafor a try for sure.