I like the interesting aliens and technology in this. The cultural aspects shine really well and make the main character both stand out but also fit in in many ways (strange, I know). I think with the shortness of the story, it's difficult to really understand some things.

How could a mud mixture possibly just cure an alien race's ailments? And how could the slaughtering of an entire ship full of people be so easily forgiven? Yes, it was over something that was stolen, but that's a large loss of life and then they offer one of the aliens a place at the university? Who helped murder tons of students?

Plus, they didn't give Binti the choice of just altering her biology. And she's just like "well, alrighty then".

As many others said, it was weak as a scifi novella overall.