A review by andynorth
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer

2.0

Didn't finish this one! I wanted to re-visit it because I remember enjoying it as a kid, and most Newbery award winners have has something to offer me even when re-visiting it as an adult. In this case, I think the selling point (Newbery-wise) is that the book incorporates afro-futurism, takes place in a future Zimbabwe, and has non-white protagonists. But those elements felt like shallow set-dressing to me as an adult; they're so non-central to the story that very little would change by setting this on a different planet and updating the relevant references. The fact that the characters live in Africa rather than on Mars is as impactful as the characters carrying "Nirvana guns" instead of pistols. I think it would still be a good read for the intended age group, though!