Take a photo of a barcode or cover
When I first read Binti I found the novella to be a mixed bag of confusing worldbuilding and rushed storytelling tempered by a strong protagonist. I’m happy to say its sequel Home expanded upon elements from Binti I found weak and pushed this series in new and exciting directions.
Home takes place one year after the events of Binti. After surviving a harrowing trip to Oomza Uni our titular protagonist Binti is compelled back to her home country. This compulsion comes from intense homesickness and an overwhelming feeling of wrongness. Upon arrival, Binti faces scrutiny from her family for her choice to leave and the ways that changed her. Throughout the novella, Binti attempts to reconcile aspects of her warring identities.
Home shines in its thematic content. The novella unpacks the bigotry and tribalism surrounding the different groups Binti interacts with. She is a nexus of prejudice in the communities she associates with because of her intersecting identities and feels lost because of it. She’s rejected by her family because of her unwillingness to conform to misogynistic tradition and the supposedly high-minded spaces she’s drawn to see her as savage because of her heritage. Nnedi Okorafor deftly tackles the weight these intersections have on Binti’s psyche. She also conveys how deeply traditional societies harm their own under the guise of protecting the community.
In Home, Binti is also forced to confront her own bigotry as she uncovers her heritage as half Enyi Zinariya, a “savage” group of nomadic desert people. Binti navigates her ignorance and prejudice as she uncovers this lost connection to her culture. Through the relationship between Binti’s people, the Himba, and the Enyi Zinariya Okorafor explores the ways marginalized communities perpetuate bigotry despite their own marginalization. The story is given an added layer of richness as Binti is forced to choose between exploring new facets of her identity or rebuilding her relationship with her family.
As I’d hoped after finishing Binti, Okorafor clarified many of the sci-fi elements I previously found difficult to grasp. Seeing more demonstrations of the way people in this world wield mathematics as tangible energy helped solidify the mechanics of this world. Okorafor’s blend of magic and science won me over. I came to appreciate the ways she visualized the feats Binti accomplished through her use of harmonization.
This story’s weakness, however, was its plotting. It was difficult to pinpoint where the narrative was going and I felt lost for the majority of the book. The narrative structure of the series as a whole leaves me wanting because I struggle to find a comfortable rhythm in the stories. The massive, unsatisfying cliffhanger the novella ended on also wasn't appreciated and left me unsatisfied with the ending.
Home, overall, was an enjoyable read. Binti continues to be a fantastic protagonist and the themes central to the narrative were compelling. I’m excited to see how Nnedi Okorafor closes off the series.
Home takes place one year after the events of Binti. After surviving a harrowing trip to Oomza Uni our titular protagonist Binti is compelled back to her home country. This compulsion comes from intense homesickness and an overwhelming feeling of wrongness. Upon arrival, Binti faces scrutiny from her family for her choice to leave and the ways that changed her. Throughout the novella, Binti attempts to reconcile aspects of her warring identities.
Home shines in its thematic content. The novella unpacks the bigotry and tribalism surrounding the different groups Binti interacts with. She is a nexus of prejudice in the communities she associates with because of her intersecting identities and feels lost because of it. She’s rejected by her family because of her unwillingness to conform to misogynistic tradition and the supposedly high-minded spaces she’s drawn to see her as savage because of her heritage. Nnedi Okorafor deftly tackles the weight these intersections have on Binti’s psyche. She also conveys how deeply traditional societies harm their own under the guise of protecting the community.
In Home, Binti is also forced to confront her own bigotry as she uncovers her heritage as half Enyi Zinariya, a “savage” group of nomadic desert people. Binti navigates her ignorance and prejudice as she uncovers this lost connection to her culture. Through the relationship between Binti’s people, the Himba, and the Enyi Zinariya Okorafor explores the ways marginalized communities perpetuate bigotry despite their own marginalization. The story is given an added layer of richness as Binti is forced to choose between exploring new facets of her identity or rebuilding her relationship with her family.
As I’d hoped after finishing Binti, Okorafor clarified many of the sci-fi elements I previously found difficult to grasp. Seeing more demonstrations of the way people in this world wield mathematics as tangible energy helped solidify the mechanics of this world. Okorafor’s blend of magic and science won me over. I came to appreciate the ways she visualized the feats Binti accomplished through her use of harmonization.
This story’s weakness, however, was its plotting. It was difficult to pinpoint where the narrative was going and I felt lost for the majority of the book. The narrative structure of the series as a whole leaves me wanting because I struggle to find a comfortable rhythm in the stories. The massive, unsatisfying cliffhanger the novella ended on also wasn't appreciated and left me unsatisfied with the ending.
Home, overall, was an enjoyable read. Binti continues to be a fantastic protagonist and the themes central to the narrative were compelling. I’m excited to see how Nnedi Okorafor closes off the series.