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A review by teapoweredrobot
Binti: The Complete Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor
adventurous
emotional
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
3.5
3.5 stars
I have a weird mix of enjoyment and annoyance at this series. I can't tell if I just wasn't in the right headspace for a YA novel, if I wanted more hard sci fi, or some other niggling thing I can't put my finger on.
I really enjoyed the universe it was set in, the diversity of the populace, and the core characters. The people were well described and it was really easy to visualize them and why they would take certain actions. The inner turmoil experienced by Binti when she leaves home and later returns to find everyone cold and angry at her is something I've heard repeated many times by the Native American tribal members in the upper midwest. That part really rang true to me, despite this being set in Namibia (or what I assume is future Namibia). I would like to do a bit of research to find out how accurately the Himba were portrayed in this book and if there are any reviews by a Himba.
Things that annoyed me were the vague handwaving of treeing, how Binti used math to do it or used it to calm herself, and Binti's status as a master harmonizer sometimes just felt like a "ez auto resolve" mechanic - though that also trivializes Binti's pain and heartbreak during those climatic points and that's not fair either. Again, this could just be wanting more of a hard sci fi novel and a math nerd who is feeling grumpy about things.
I have a weird mix of enjoyment and annoyance at this series. I can't tell if I just wasn't in the right headspace for a YA novel, if I wanted more hard sci fi, or some other niggling thing I can't put my finger on.
I really enjoyed the universe it was set in, the diversity of the populace, and the core characters. The people were well described and it was really easy to visualize them and why they would take certain actions. The inner turmoil experienced by Binti when she leaves home and later returns to find everyone cold and angry at her is something I've heard repeated many times by the Native American tribal members in the upper midwest. That part really rang true to me, despite this being set in Namibia (or what I assume is future Namibia). I would like to do a bit of research to find out how accurately the Himba were portrayed in this book and if there are any reviews by a Himba.
Things that annoyed me were the vague handwaving of treeing, how Binti used math to do it or used it to calm herself, and Binti's status as a master harmonizer sometimes just felt like a "ez auto resolve" mechanic - though that also trivializes Binti's pain and heartbreak during those climatic points and that's not fair either. Again, this could just be wanting more of a hard sci fi novel and a math nerd who is feeling grumpy about things.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Panic attacks/disorders