Some writers like to finesse you with their stories. They like to paint you a pretty picture and then let you figure out all the gruesome details which lie beneath. Nnedi Okarafor… is not one of those writers.
I love reading, and I especially love reading speculative fiction, particularly SFF (sci-fi and fantasy). So when I first heard of Nnedi Okarafor – a trailblazing afrofuturist, Naija-American writer – I couldn’t throw my money at her work fast enough. I initially wanted to read Who Fears Death, but couldn’t find it in my nearest bookstore. Thankfully, the internet came to my rescue and I bought a copy of the prequel, The Book Of Pheonix, on Google Play Books.
I inhaled every word. Okarafor has a gripping way of telling stories. And by that I mean her stories grip you by the collar and stare you down – aggressively. Whilst many writers opt to show you horrifying things in subtle and occasionally pretty ways, she tells you horrifying things with horrifying words and then never deescalates. It’s uncomfortable and also magical.
And as far as a comprehensive overview goes, I can’t really do any better than the GoodReads synopsis, so I’m just going to link you to it here.
Author
Linda, AKA TAGG herself, loves great music and terrible movies. Find her being geeky on Twitter @ThatLFM
The African Geek Girl 