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celia_thebookishhufflepuff 's review for:
Akata Woman
by Nnedi Okorafor
I'm so glad I finally picked up with the rest of this series as the third one was coming out, after rereading the first one for years and years, since it came out. This most recent (final?) installment was truly amazing.
I was surprised that there were multiple journeys in this one (at least two) instead of one big one leading up to a final battle the way there had been in the first two books. I've always had a bit of trouble with fantasy series where the villains change, and I was even worried about that after the battle in the first book, even after five rereads (maybe why I was so hesitant to pick up [b:Akata Warrior|18746776|Akata Warrior (The Nsibidi Scripts #2)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484628903l/18746776._SX50_.jpg|26630088] for such a long time). But that one did have a good setup for [b:Akata Woman|57841497|Akata Woman (The Nsibidi Scripts, #3)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629547586l/57841497._SX50_.jpg|90613235] that both hinted at what was to come and also ended one story arc on the right note.
All of this sets up for a lot more guesswork and surprises on the part of the reader than I feel the first two did, although it's hard to tell from [b:Akata Witch|7507944|Akata Witch (The Nsibidi Scripts #1)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347794798l/7507944._SY75_.jpg|9695029] since it is one of the few books I am so familiar with after so many years and rereads. I really like books that keep me on my toes, and [b:Akata Woman|57841497|Akata Woman (The Nsibidi Scripts, #3)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629547586l/57841497._SX50_.jpg|90613235] definitely does this.
The character growth in this was also excellent. I was surprised that another two years had passed since the events of the previous novel. In a way, though, I really like how not everything is back-to-back, and we have to do some guesswork and filling in the blanks about previous events between the books. It also makes things feel less mundane. I've never seen this style before, but I really like it. It sets up for the books to grow with their readership, considering the time gaps between publication. All four major characters have gone through a lot, both together and individually, and it really shows. Then there's the whole Sunny and Anywanyu thing, which it still takes a while to wrap my head around, and I think I'll have to reread both [b:Akata Warrior|18746776|Akata Warrior (The Nsibidi Scripts #2)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484628903l/18746776._SX50_.jpg|26630088] and [b:Akata Woman|57841497|Akata Woman (The Nsibidi Scripts, #3)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629547586l/57841497._SX50_.jpg|90613235] to wrap my head around all of that.
I don't know whether there will be a fourth book, and I'm of two minds about whether I want one. On the one hand, I'd love to see how they deal with things in the real world along with the Leopard world, but on the other hand I think this was an okay stopping place. Plus, with all the worlds they've traversed, where else can they go? Regardless, a series reread, especially if I can do it all at once, is definitely something necessary for this series, probably more than once.
Now that I've finished this series, I plan to dive into the [b:Binti|25667918|Binti (Binti, #1)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1433804020l/25667918._SY75_.jpg|45491127] trilogy as well, and maybe also read [b:After the Rain|53590505|After the Rain|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590705415l/53590505._SX50_.jpg|75888176] this year, making [a:Nnedi Okorafor|588356|Nnedi Okorafor|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1507148868p2/588356.jpg] my most read author through different series over the same year (and maybe ever). I have definitely found a new favorite author.
I was surprised that there were multiple journeys in this one (at least two) instead of one big one leading up to a final battle the way there had been in the first two books. I've always had a bit of trouble with fantasy series where the villains change, and I was even worried about that after the battle in the first book, even after five rereads (maybe why I was so hesitant to pick up [b:Akata Warrior|18746776|Akata Warrior (The Nsibidi Scripts #2)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484628903l/18746776._SX50_.jpg|26630088] for such a long time). But that one did have a good setup for [b:Akata Woman|57841497|Akata Woman (The Nsibidi Scripts, #3)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629547586l/57841497._SX50_.jpg|90613235] that both hinted at what was to come and also ended one story arc on the right note.
All of this sets up for a lot more guesswork and surprises on the part of the reader than I feel the first two did, although it's hard to tell from [b:Akata Witch|7507944|Akata Witch (The Nsibidi Scripts #1)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347794798l/7507944._SY75_.jpg|9695029] since it is one of the few books I am so familiar with after so many years and rereads. I really like books that keep me on my toes, and [b:Akata Woman|57841497|Akata Woman (The Nsibidi Scripts, #3)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629547586l/57841497._SX50_.jpg|90613235] definitely does this.
The character growth in this was also excellent. I was surprised that another two years had passed since the events of the previous novel. In a way, though, I really like how not everything is back-to-back, and we have to do some guesswork and filling in the blanks about previous events between the books. It also makes things feel less mundane. I've never seen this style before, but I really like it. It sets up for the books to grow with their readership, considering the time gaps between publication. All four major characters have gone through a lot, both together and individually, and it really shows. Then there's the whole Sunny and Anywanyu thing, which it still takes a while to wrap my head around, and I think I'll have to reread both [b:Akata Warrior|18746776|Akata Warrior (The Nsibidi Scripts #2)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484628903l/18746776._SX50_.jpg|26630088] and [b:Akata Woman|57841497|Akata Woman (The Nsibidi Scripts, #3)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1629547586l/57841497._SX50_.jpg|90613235] to wrap my head around all of that.
I don't know whether there will be a fourth book, and I'm of two minds about whether I want one. On the one hand, I'd love to see how they deal with things in the real world along with the Leopard world
Spoiler
Akata Virus has a nice ring to itNow that I've finished this series, I plan to dive into the [b:Binti|25667918|Binti (Binti, #1)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1433804020l/25667918._SY75_.jpg|45491127] trilogy as well, and maybe also read [b:After the Rain|53590505|After the Rain|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590705415l/53590505._SX50_.jpg|75888176] this year, making [a:Nnedi Okorafor|588356|Nnedi Okorafor|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1507148868p2/588356.jpg] my most read author through different series over the same year (and maybe ever). I have definitely found a new favorite author.