You know, a while back I read Who Fears Death and it was excellent, and I read some more from Okorafor but Who Fears Death remained my favourite. Then I read The Shadow Speaker and it became my favourite. I've just finished reading Zahrah the Windseeker and now it's my new favourite of Okorafor's novels. I'm almost afraid to read another one because I don't want anything she writes to beat this out, although I can't imagine how much I would enjoy it if it did.

Suffice to say I love this book lots. Lots. It is gorgeous in every respect. Okorafor's best writing talent, I've always thought, is her gift for imagery, and this book is stuffed full of it, and the magical denizens of the jungle Zahrah travels through are fascinating. (The gorillas are my favourites.) But even more than the imagery, I enjoyed the sense of bravery and gentleness here, and the constant emphasis on the need for curiosity and the scourge that is ignorance. It's just the best book I've read in ages, and though I have to return this as it's a library copy, I can look forward to getting a copy of my own, because I will be reading this again and again. It's going on my shelf next to The Secret Garden. They are not at all alike, but the favourites should sit together.