Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by booksblabbering
Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
3.25
I was more interested in the lit fic real life story than the sci fi robots, who am I?
Zelu is a paraplegic literary writing professor who is fired from her job and then ends up writing a very popular science fiction novel, (which is also interspersed in the book).
Think Yellowface, Africanfuturism, and the future of art when we’re so reliant on fans, social media, and influencers.
<b>In the last days of humanity, humans cultivated a growing disdain for their own soul. Many didn’t even believe in the sanctity of the creative process anymore; they wanted to eliminate it and usher in automation to do the work. But it didn’t go the way the humans wanted or expected; creativity meant experiencing, processing, understanding human joy and pain.
</b>
Zelu is not a likeable character and that was the point. She was who she was and who cares what other people may think - readers, reviewers, even friends and family.
There is a clashing of cultures, futurism, genres. It should be very difficult to pull off, but Okorafor pulls it off well.
I found that most characters here were toxic and mostly unsupportive. This makes Zelu seem vindicated in her own thoughts and behaviour, but I wish this book was less framed around arguments and defying expectations because of this.
What did make me go - ummm: there is someone who appears to be a mix of Bezos and Musk and it seemed like a blunt critique which lacked the usual nuance Okorafor employs.
Zelu is a paraplegic literary writing professor who is fired from her job and then ends up writing a very popular science fiction novel, (which is also interspersed in the book).
Think Yellowface, Africanfuturism, and the future of art when we’re so reliant on fans, social media, and influencers.
<b>In the last days of humanity, humans cultivated a growing disdain for their own soul. Many didn’t even believe in the sanctity of the creative process anymore; they wanted to eliminate it and usher in automation to do the work. But it didn’t go the way the humans wanted or expected; creativity meant experiencing, processing, understanding human joy and pain.
</b>
Zelu is not a likeable character and that was the point. She was who she was and who cares what other people may think - readers, reviewers, even friends and family.
There is a clashing of cultures, futurism, genres. It should be very difficult to pull off, but Okorafor pulls it off well.
I found that most characters here were toxic and mostly unsupportive. This makes Zelu seem vindicated in her own thoughts and behaviour, but I wish this book was less framed around arguments and defying expectations because of this.
What did make me go - ummm: there is someone who appears to be a mix of Bezos and Musk and it seemed like a blunt critique which lacked the usual nuance Okorafor employs.