Remote Control, Nnedi Okorafor

Received to review via Netgalley

I keep trying out Nnedi Okorafor’s work, because there’s so much about her work that appeals, but it’s never quite clicked with me. (I’ll admit here that I interacted with her a couple of times on social media and found her unpleasant, for reasons that are not really relevant to reviewing her books but do mean I’d never call myself a fan of hers. So take my opinions with a grain of salt.) This is… honestly maybe the closest to a hit for me? I was intrigued by the way the story was told, the stuff that was held back, the little sensory details like the scent of shia butter.

Plus, Movenpick is a pretty awesome sidekick.

My only disappointment is that we didn’t really learn the why of it — it was more on the level of a fable, from the narrative to the repeated line about her sandals slapping her feet as she walks, so it makes sense… but darn it, I was curious.

Rating: 3/5

Binti: Home, Nnedi Okorafor

This would probably have got a higher rating from me if I’d reread the first novella. As it was, I couldn’t tell what was supposed to be new to me and what was just part of me remembering the first book poorly. Things just kept happening, and I couldn’t make any guess about the next event — and then it suddenly ended. I forgot the basics. So if you were wondering about reading this as a standalone, I would say: don’t.

I really want to find the Okorafor novel/la that will work for me. Binti hasn’t been it, with either instalment. I do enjoy the worldbuilding, the mix of cultures, and the feeling of warmth I get from the story, from Binti’s courage… but I found the movement through the story a little too bewildering. I probably won’t read any more books about Binti; I just don’t seem to “get” it.

Rating: 2/5