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A review by plantbasedbride
Home by Nnedi Okorafor
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The second installment of the Binti series brought some exciting ideas to the table but ultimately left me wanting more.
Binti is returning home to her small, insular community on Earth after the explosive events of the first book. She is dealing with PTSD from the traumatic events she witnessed, and I appreciated the way Okorafor represented therapy in a positive light as well as allowing a protagonist to suffer mental trauma in ways that fictional characters often don’t (while real human beings certainly would if placed in many of these fictional circumstances). Binti is shown to be experiencing panic attacks as well as having developed coping mechanisms with the guidance of her therapist, which was representation I very much appreciated as someone who suffers from panic attacks myself.
Home is quite slow for the first two-thirds or so, and I found it difficult to get into. The plot of the second book simply wasn’t as engaging as the first, though some of the character development and dynamics had potential. I was particularly drawn to Binti’s family’s dynamics, as well as the Zinariya and their culture.
The final third of the novella was by far the most intriguing, and I can only hope the next book in the series will continue in that vein!
Binti is returning home to her small, insular community on Earth after the explosive events of the first book. She is dealing with PTSD from the traumatic events she witnessed, and I appreciated the way Okorafor represented therapy in a positive light as well as allowing a protagonist to suffer mental trauma in ways that fictional characters often don’t (while real human beings certainly would if placed in many of these fictional circumstances). Binti is shown to be experiencing panic attacks as well as having developed coping mechanisms with the guidance of her therapist, which was representation I very much appreciated as someone who suffers from panic attacks myself.
Home is quite slow for the first two-thirds or so, and I found it difficult to get into. The plot of the second book simply wasn’t as engaging as the first, though some of the character development and dynamics had potential. I was particularly drawn to Binti’s family’s dynamics, as well as the Zinariya and their culture.
The final third of the novella was by far the most intriguing, and I can only hope the next book in the series will continue in that vein!