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A review by seyoban
Edge of Here by Kelechi Okafor
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I feel really frustrated by this book. I love the concept and the aspirations behind it. The themes explored in each chapter are interesting and it lives up to its promise of being a good choice for Black Mirror fans.
The execution/writing is the downfall. To be fair to Okafor, it’s her debut and the short story format presents its own challenges. The phrase “show, don’t tell” came into my mind repeatedly as I read because of the lack of subtlety or subtext throughout. I first noticed it in the Ally-Chip chapter when everything was being over-explained to the point of it being irritating but was almost hoping it was a stylistic choice to mimic the effects of the Ally-Chip itself. It continued though and alongside a lot of clunky dialogue, it took some enjoyment away for me.
I did however love the more spiritual chapters and it’s actually the final chapter that ended up being my favourite, Blue being a close second.
I’d like to read whatever Okafor may produce in the future because I value what she’s wanting to do with her writing and I want to support it, I hope she builds on some of the issues that came across with this book.
The execution/writing is the downfall. To be fair to Okafor, it’s her debut and the short story format presents its own challenges. The phrase “show, don’t tell” came into my mind repeatedly as I read because of the lack of subtlety or subtext throughout. I first noticed it in the Ally-Chip chapter when everything was being over-explained to the point of it being irritating but was almost hoping it was a stylistic choice to mimic the effects of the Ally-Chip itself. It continued though and alongside a lot of clunky dialogue, it took some enjoyment away for me.
I did however love the more spiritual chapters and it’s actually the final chapter that ended up being my favourite, Blue being a close second.
I’d like to read whatever Okafor may produce in the future because I value what she’s wanting to do with her writing and I want to support it, I hope she builds on some of the issues that came across with this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia