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A review by ihavetosay
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
4/5 ⭐️
As seen at ihavetosay.blog
SYNOPSIS
Binti is the first Himba person to be accepted into Oomza University. Himba people don’t leave their planet and are looked down upon by the other people. Binti’s family acknowledges her talent and intelligence, but they don’t want her to go across the galaxy to the top university.
Binti sneaks out to attend, only to have the ship overrun by Meduses, aliens who are at war with humans. They’ve slaughtered everyone on board and she has to figure out how to survive.
What could possibly happen?
RECAP AND REVIEW
This novella is the first in a trilogy. It’s told in the first person by Binti, the sixteen year old protagonist.
I came into the book, not sure what to expect. It opens with Binti running away and kept my interest from there, getting straight to the point about her experience. It’s a quick read; it only took me about an hour or so to get through it.
Although it’s short, I felt like it covered a lot- from the customs of Himba people, to the racism and microagressions she faces, to her talent of treeing, math, and creation, to the Meduse taking over the ship.
The story touched on Binti’s relationship with her hair and how it, as well as a clay salve her people use, affect how she views herself. It mentions going down a different path than her family wants and the guilt associated with it. We see Binti broaden her horizons and navigate staying alive.
The story ends happily, which I wasn’t expecting. Some reviews I’ve seen critique it, and though a part of me agrees it’s a little naive and unrealistic in our world, I can appreciate its hopefulness and lightheartedness.
OVERALL
Overall I give this a 4 out of 5 stars. If you like sci-fi, I definitely recommend this story. It’s an easy read and helped with my slump. I will be reading the next one.
As seen at ihavetosay.blog
SYNOPSIS
Binti is the first Himba person to be accepted into Oomza University. Himba people don’t leave their planet and are looked down upon by the other people. Binti’s family acknowledges her talent and intelligence, but they don’t want her to go across the galaxy to the top university.
Binti sneaks out to attend, only to have the ship overrun by Meduses, aliens who are at war with humans. They’ve slaughtered everyone on board and she has to figure out how to survive.
What could possibly happen?
RECAP AND REVIEW
This novella is the first in a trilogy. It’s told in the first person by Binti, the sixteen year old protagonist.
I came into the book, not sure what to expect. It opens with Binti running away and kept my interest from there, getting straight to the point about her experience. It’s a quick read; it only took me about an hour or so to get through it.
Although it’s short, I felt like it covered a lot- from the customs of Himba people, to the racism and microagressions she faces, to her talent of treeing, math, and creation, to the Meduse taking over the ship.
The story touched on Binti’s relationship with her hair and how it, as well as a clay salve her people use, affect how she views herself. It mentions going down a different path than her family wants and the guilt associated with it. We see Binti broaden her horizons and navigate staying alive.
The story ends happily, which I wasn’t expecting. Some reviews I’ve seen critique it, and though a part of me agrees it’s a little naive and unrealistic in our world, I can appreciate its hopefulness and lightheartedness.
OVERALL
Overall I give this a 4 out of 5 stars. If you like sci-fi, I definitely recommend this story. It’s an easy read and helped with my slump. I will be reading the next one.