Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.
Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti's stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.
If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, …
Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.
Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti's stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.
If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself - but first she has to make it there, alive.
In a lot of ways, I wish this was a more fleshed out novel. It's still great as a novella, but I wanted more.
I also did this with my high school creative writing class, and all of my students thought it was pretty good. A lot of my students got mad at me for not having them read the others, which I think is a good indicator of how enjoyable it is.
I loved it. It comes close to creating the optimistic feeling of science (and mathematics in particular) being great that I got from [b:The Glass Bead Game|16634|The Glass Bead Game|Hermann Hesse|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386922806s/16634.jpg|2959456]. It also deals with being from an unfamiliar culture in what seems like a realistic but still a positive way.
I listened to it in Robin Miles narration, which was amazing for this book.
My one complaint is that it's so short. (But I'm glad the stupid "3 books behind" on my reading challenge thingy goaded me into picking it up because it's short.)
Even though it's sci-fi, it feels magical. And the way that mathematics was referred to made it feel like something occult too, but, surprisingly, not in a bad way.
Another sort of complaint I might have is that the conflict is kind of downplayed, at least the violent part of it, the characters emotional turmoil …
I loved it. It comes close to creating the optimistic feeling of science (and mathematics in particular) being great that I got from [b:The Glass Bead Game|16634|The Glass Bead Game|Hermann Hesse|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386922806s/16634.jpg|2959456]. It also deals with being from an unfamiliar culture in what seems like a realistic but still a positive way.
I listened to it in Robin Miles narration, which was amazing for this book.
My one complaint is that it's so short. (But I'm glad the stupid "3 books behind" on my reading challenge thingy goaded me into picking it up because it's short.)
Even though it's sci-fi, it feels magical. And the way that mathematics was referred to made it feel like something occult too, but, surprisingly, not in a bad way.
Another sort of complaint I might have is that the conflict is kind of downplayed, at least the violent part of it, the characters emotional turmoil - not so much but I think that just adds to this books optimism and positivism.
It might help my loving thig book that Binti get's blue tentacles for hair, which just seems so cyberpunking cool to me.
Excellent science fiction novella from an African perspective.
Also covers "first generation university"
Aliens
Racism
Colonialism
Himba culture (Namibia)
This was a fascinating short read. It can be finished in an hour or two and you can even find a free preview of it at Tor. I'm always a fan of world building but frequently forget that while other species and distant planets are fine, there are plenty of exciting peoples here on Earth too. Binti is indisputably human and a hero with intriguing talents and an exotic culture that makes her that much cooler. I'm curious to learn more about her story and wonder what the other two books in the series are about.
You can find my full review over at my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2018/02/book-review-binti-by-nnedi-okorafor.html
I. Want. More.
