Binti was a fresh & engaging read - aimed towards younger readers - that expressed a deep desire for tolerance. My feelings were a little complicated here.

 

We follow Binti, a 16 year old who has just received a life-changing offer: to study at Oomza University, the most revered school in the galaxy. But accepting the offer means leaving her people & culture & family behind to be part of a community that doesn’t respect her customs. And on top of all that, she’s journeying to a planet at war.

 

The world was certainly imaginative, but it felt like an outline that was ultimately underdeveloped. I love novellas, so this wasn’t a problem of length for me. But the story rushed towards its “neat” ending and message in a way that detracted from the storytelling.

 

It felt a bit too naive - too young for even a teenage audience. This was a tale of pure optimism. I can appreciate a message of openness and hope, but this felt like simplistic problem-solving without acknowledgment of pain or consequence. I think the issues sparked in this novella could have been set up to continue as a thread for the rest of the series instead of a cute little conclusion.

 

Additionally, some of the writing felt disjointed and clumsy. Since this was so short (around 90 pages) every word needed to count - and I was often removed from the flow.

 

But the ideas were beautiful! I’m certainly open to reading more from this author and more pieces set in this world.

 

CW: death (incl. child death), murder, violence, blood, gore, war, suicide, genocide, racism, xenophobia, confinement, grief, body horror, panic attacks, colonization, medical trauma, cultural appropriation