#1 Binti ★★★★★
#2 Home ★★★★☆
#3 The Night Masquerade ★★★☆☆
#1-3 Complete Trilogy Edition ★★★★☆

There was always so much I didn’t know, but not knowing was part of it all.

Despite how much I loved the first novella in this series, the second one fell flat for me in a few ways and I struggled to get through it at times. The lack of world-building that mildly bothered me before ended up being a big obstacle for me in this sequel, as I still feel like there's very little depth being given to the setting or the occurring events. The characters, thankfully, are a little more complex, and I would say this is probably the most character-driven sci-fi story I've ever read, which would be great for anyone who prefers that style in their SFF reads.

On a happier note, just like I mentioned in my review of the first installment, there's so much goodness here when it comes to Binti's relationship with her culture and the Himba people, as well as our introduction to the incredibly fascinating and lovable 'Desert People' or Enyi Zinariya (I'm endlessly fascinated by the descriptions of their hand motions). I also was absolutely amazed by the PTSD rep as Binti worked through her panic attacks and nightmares from what happened in the first book. We really get to see her struggle through her friendship with Okwu and question some of her own coping mechanisms, and it's tough to read about at times because it feels so real and heavy, but it's beautifully crafted.

While I may not have enjoyed Home as much as Binti, I feel like this one picked up towards the end and renewed my excitement to see how the whole thing ends in The Night Masquerade!

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!