Spring Break Reading #4

1. We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
2. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
4. Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
5. Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson

Well, Spring Break is over starting tomorrow, a truth that makes me rather sad.  Especially since I might not be able to get to Red Mars this month, since I must return to reading for school.  On the other hand, I did read three and a half books in eight days, so that’s a break well spent.

Who Fears Death is the meaning of the name of the main character, Onyesonwu.  She is a powerful sorcerer who is also an Ewu, a child of rape.  The story of her upbringing and her emergence into her own powers is a gripping tale of magic and emotion, as she grows up, makes friends, falls in love, and journeys across the desert to take revenge on her evil father.  Touching on politically and socially important themes such as female circumcision and genocide, this novel’s base in the atmosphere and mythology of Africa makes it some of the most original science fiction (or, fantasy?) I’ve ever read.

While the character of Onyesonwu has plenty of pathos, I did find the narrative a bit meandering.  The specific roles of the wide cast of minor characters was sometimes confusing, and I was impatient to get through the first half of the book, during which Onyesonwu grows from a child to age twenty, to the second, where she finally begins her epic journey of discovery and vengeance.  I was so invested in her struggles and battles with her father that I wanted the final confrontation to be much longer–the parts of the book I happened to be most interested in did not seem to get as much emphasis.

Another criticism I have is understanding the exact limits of sorcery: while Onyesonwu’s teacher warns her to embrace contradictions, I wished for a little more specificity in exactly what sorcery is, who could have it, and why Onyesonwu was able to keep discovering new powers even up until the very end of the book.  I have several other specific objections, but they all relate to said ending, and since I do recommend reading this novel, I’ll not spoil the experience with any of my confusion or skepticism.

If I were to compare this novel to Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (Spring Break Read #2), I would say that Who Fears Death is a more difficult read, including many scenes of anger and violence, but treats more Important themes, such as sexuality or racial identity.  Although I liked Boneshaker better (because who doesn’t enjoy a good quest through historical zombie-infested Seattle?), Who Fears Death is a book I would be more likely to read again.