{"id":2174,"date":"2016-09-19T20:20:18","date_gmt":"2016-09-19T14:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fableandi.com\/?p=2174"},"modified":"2020-04-04T20:11:28","modified_gmt":"2020-04-04T14:41:28","slug":"fears-death-nnedi-okarafor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebooksatchel.com\/fears-death-nnedi-okarafor\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okarafor – Journey of the ‘Chosen One’"},"content":{"rendered":"
A quest by a girl born of violence in search of her biological father who wants her dead. Who Fears Death<\/em> is set in post-apocalyptic Sudan where the tribes are ruled by Testament books in spite of their technological advancements<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The tribes of Nuru and Okeke detest each other. The Nuru have always wanted to wipe out the Okeke by violent acts on women in addition to slaying of the tribesmen. Onyesonwu has lighter coloured hair and skin, because of such an act of violence on her mother by a Nuru man, which brands her as a social outcast or ‘Ewu’. She is brought up by her parents in the most ordinary way possible. When Onyesonwu (her name means ‘Who Fears Death’) starts displaying magical powers such as the ability to shape shift into a bird, and later when her non-biological father dies, the hidden truth about her birth surfaces.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She discovers that her biological father is a sorcerer who wants her dead because she is a girl. Struggling against age old restrictions among women to learn magic, she sets out on a journey with the love of her life, Mwita, and her friends to seek revenge for her mother\u2019s honour and slay her biological father.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1. The pacing <\/p>\n 2. Writing is tell-not-show <\/p>\n 3. The fantastical elements <\/p>\n 4. Diversity in YA Quest fantasy <\/p>\n 5. Originality <\/p>\n 6. Flawed heroine <\/p>\n 7. Feminist novel <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I think I would have loved the novel more if the following points were addressed in the story. <\/p>\n 2. A bit violent <\/p>\n 3. Lengthy climax <\/p>\n The book is not perfect, but the story, pacing and representation is, which makes it one excellent read. The book is a hybrid between a quest narrative of preventing genocide and saving the world, and a YA story of friendship, bullying and teenage love. I would highly recommend the book if you are looking for a fantasy read that mixes old school magic in a dystopian future world. To those who are looking for diverse reads, this is a good one to add to your shelf.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nReview<\/h3>\n
What I Liked<\/h3>\n
\nThe pacing is excellent. The book is a phenomenal page turner. Once you start you can\u2019t just stop reading.<\/p>\n
\nUsually I like books that show a particular scene that tell it. Nnedi uses spare prose and often the writing falls into the bare skeletal structure of \u2018he told, she told\u2019 and yet this works so beautifully to aid the story.<\/p>\n
\nShape changing abilities, meditative powers and old African magic\u2013 this book has everything that tickles your imagination.<\/p>\n
\nNnedi has brilliantly incorporated themes of friendship, love, gender divides in the narrative. This must be my first book with charaters that are diverse in nature presented in a believable way.<\/p>\n
\nThe world is completely original. A post-apocalyptic Sudan where beliefs are ruled by Testament books even though technology is advanced well enough \u2013 brilliant!<\/p>\n
\nThe heroine, Onyesonwu, is not heeded in society because of being born as a result of rape by a Nuru on her Okeke mother. She has a terrible temper too. I thought this worked really well unlike the mainstream YA where the heroine is an epitome of everything good.<\/p>\n
\nThe man who can teach Onyesonwu to control her magical powers refuses to teach her at first because she is a woman. Mwita becomes angry because he failed to be accepted by this master, but Onyesonwu is eventually accepted which is a threat to his masculinity. Nnedi comments on real life practices such as circumcision ceremony, victimisation of those who are raped and acceptance of certain customs by women in order to blend in society, through her characters.<\/p>\nWhat I Disliked<\/h3>\n
\n1. Lack of world-building
\nThe story focussed more on dialogues between characters and plot than describing the world it is set in. The story has an interesting mix of old world magic and new world scientific devices. So without the ample world building that was needed I often felt lost.<\/p>\n
\nI found the long descriptions of circumcision rituals a bit brutal for my taste. This might be a personal opinion.<\/p>\n
\nThe whole book has a steady and fast pace from the first few pages. But the inevitable fight in the end felt a bit stretched out in length. It could have been crisper.<\/p>\nFinal Verdict<\/h3>\n