Author: Nnedi Okorafor
Genre: Sci-Fi
Release Date: January 2017
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Home is the second book in the Binti series, which started off with the first book of the same name following a young woman as she traveled from Earth to an alien university called Oomza Uni in hopes of expanding her world view and applying her skills as what is known as a harmonizer to the galactic community. Binti left behind her traditional community, the Himba, on Earth, and hopes to find a place for herself in space. During her journey, her ship is attacked by the Meduse, a jellyfish-like alien race known for being violent and tapping in to a hive mind. I won't go too in depth into the plot of the first book, but basically Binti proves herself and it's clear that she belongs at Oomza Uni where she can share her skills with the academic community, and that she represents new collaboration and cooperation between cultures that in the past have been enemies.
In Home, Binti is still dealing with the trauma of her experiences in the first book. I love the way that Okorafor examines trauma, as Binti is a character who is growing and evolving, rather than a ready-made do-no-wrong heroine. She is trying to reconcile her friendship with Okwu, one of the Meduse who had previously brought violence into her world (Okwu is awesome, btw), and her anxiety attacks that she experiences due to the attack on her ship. In an attempt to heal, Binti tries to go home again and immerse herself in the culture of her people, by going on a pilgrimage with other young women from her community. Her family still hasn't forgiven her for abandoning the traditions of her home, however, and resents her for trying new things by attending Oomza Uni instead of taking over the family business. On Earth, Binti is faced with confronting the parts about herself that are imperfect or maybe not the type of person that she wants to be.
Both books in this series are considered novellas, as they are fairly short in length, but Okorafor packs so much world building, character development, and emotional conflict into these slim volumes that the short length works in favor of the storytelling. In Home, we meet a Binti who is a bit broken and unsure, and I found it refreshing to read about a heroine who isn't perfect and already good at everything. Instead, Home charts Binti's inner journey to find her identity and better understand both where she comes from and where she is going. I highly recommend this series if you enjoy science fiction that features well-developed characters, a unique world, and excellent pacing. The final novella is slated to be released this fall, and I can't wait!
No comments:
Post a Comment