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outcolder's review
5.0
Intergenerational trauma is the worst kind of juju. This book won the Tiptree Award, and like Tiptree's stories, it left me wondering if there is any hope for humanity. Okorafor ends on a much more pleasant note than your typical Tiptree story but that's a low bar for pleasant notes. The main character has some real anger issues and swears she will never regret doling out collective punishments on future generations... refreshing after all the paladins in fantasy and in our heads.
Maybe the only way to really talk about intergenerational trauma is in fantasy literature.
Wonderful to have all the Africanisms and African personalities here, from the constant sucking of teeth to the magical creatures and sorcery... even if this book hadn't been full of genocide, mass rape, child soldiers, and female genital cutting, this would still be a long way from the wizard schools we're used to in epic fantasy. It reminded me that there is a world of African literature out there, not just genre fiction, and I should read more of that.
Harrowing though. It was a relief to finish it.
Maybe the only way to really talk about intergenerational trauma is in fantasy literature.
Wonderful to have all the Africanisms and African personalities here, from the constant sucking of teeth to the magical creatures and sorcery... even if this book hadn't been full of genocide, mass rape, child soldiers, and female genital cutting, this would still be a long way from the wizard schools we're used to in epic fantasy. It reminded me that there is a world of African literature out there, not just genre fiction, and I should read more of that.
Harrowing though. It was a relief to finish it.
kivt's review
5.0
The only thing I didn't like about this book was the ending, which felt a little tacked on. But the actual events of the end were great!
theillegiblevirgo's review
5.0
it's been years since i read this book, but it haunts me (in the best way) to this day. the story of onyesonwu is incredibly motivational, especially if you are looking to process how to move forward after your understanding of self has completely shifted. while it's definitely a coming of age story, this experience can be relevant at many stages of life.
i want to read it again, especially after reading the prequel, but it's an amazing stand alone and encourage it.
i want to read it again, especially after reading the prequel, but it's an amazing stand alone and encourage it.
tgibbs44's review against another edition
3.75
it started off really strong but by the end, it felt a bit rushed and not fully fleshed out. the deaths of characters didn't really have as strong of an impact and I was much more interested in the worldbuilding/magic system than the actual plot/characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Genocide
otterparty's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Started off fantastic. Halfway through, it became a rush job. Aspects of the plot and the world are not explained enough.
wolfbridge's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Science fantasy that pulls no punches of any kind and is I afraid to depict the more brutal nature of the human race.
fell4's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
1.0
I don't know why I ONLY like this author's Binti series... I hate everything else, it's so violent, and dark and I don't like either of those kinds of things, where I feel this wrongness in me even after I finish reading a page and put it down.
jenhurst's review against another edition
5.0
This book is so good. It takes place in Sahara Africa in a post apocalyptic world. The protagonist is an Ewu, a product of rape. This has also given her great power. Since I’m not familiar with a lot of African folklore, this is extremely different from anything I’ve ever read. The writing is beautiful, world building fantastic and deals with gender and racial issues in an extremely well done way. There is discussion about female circumcision; when the girls are 11 they undergo this procedure. If you haven’t picked up a book by Nnedi Okorafor, you really need to.
nataliamar's review against another edition
3.0
Eu gostei muito do livro no começo. Estava com saudades de ler fantasia e a história estava indo muito bem, até a Onye sair em sua jornada. Foi nesse ponto que o livro começou a ficar ruim. Muitas páginas de histórias desnecessárias, Mwita cada vez mais insuportável, invejoso e machista, triângulos amorosos, ciúmes, brigas de 5a série e pouca explicação para as magias, símbolos e rituais que aconteciam nas cenas de ação - aliás, muito me surpreendeu quando li que o Pat Rothfuss aconselhou a autora, ele é ótimo em explicar magia. O final foi me desapontou MUITO. Toda jornada foi feita para ter uma conclusão bem precária em apenas 2 páginas. Gostaria que o livro todo fosse tão bom quanto o começo.
jenhilg's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
1.0