Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor (18-Mar-2014) Mass Market Paperback

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. At times, I read for hours because I couldn't put it down. Okra for takes us to strange new worlds, modeled after very old worlds, but explains them so beautifully that you can't help but get sucked into the story.

From the very first page I was spellbound. The author's use of myth, magical realism and real social issues created the perfect blend for a good read. I bought this on my 12 year old son's Kindle after watching a television interview with the author of whom I had never heard. My son was also in the middle of reading a novel and I unashamedly jostled with and even sent him off to bed as early as I could so that I could take possession of the Kindle! A definite 5 stars in my book!

Nnedi Okorafor is everything. This books is like nothing I have ever read and I have read a lot of science fiction/fantasy. If you want to get lost in a world that makes you think and question everything... you should give this a read!

Truly a great piece of sci-fi/fantasy work. Everything about this novel is different: the location (post-apocalyptic Africa), the lead (female outcast) and blend of futuristic and fantasy elements. I had difficulty putting the book down. A definite read recommendation

This book is really fantastic- a wonderful blend of fantasy and sci-fi, set in a post-apocalyptic Sudan.

Onyesonwu is a really interesting character- full of fire and anger and drive, and endlessly fascinating. Watching her as she grows into an adult, and discovers the truth about herself, is powerfully engaging.

I don't know how to describe this more without spoiling it too much, but it's really just a fantastic book. I highly recommend it.

The world Nnedi Okorafor creates around Onyesonwu is really interesting, and it left me longing for more stories from this setting.

All in all, social norms aside, Who Fears Death was a very new kind of story – to me. It was very messy in it’s drama, but very clean in the way that it ended. This story is very much informed by real world happenings, considering that the main character is a child of violent rape. However, there’s a major sci-fi/fantasy tint to it. The book is 99% over before we find out that the land Onye spent the whole book traveling used to be the Kingdom of Sudan, so we can go ahead and file this one under dystopian future as well. Still, I loved it, and I look forward to reading Okorafor’s next book, Binti.

For the full review, please click here: http://eurydicehowell.com/2015/08/29/review-nnedi-okorafors-who-fears-death/

I love Nnedi Okorafor. After reading her other works, I was excited to read this story about a strong female character in a world as foreign and fantastical as the Africa portrayed in this book. I have struggled to find YA fantasy novels with black protagonists and writing to satisfy my reading hunger. Time and time again, Nnedi delivers for me with novels that are more than just good stories; they are good stories that give readers something to talk about. This book is not intended for the YA audience, but I would love to discuss it in a lit. class.

Despite the fact that I found the main character a bit unlikeable, a good book. If you're looking for something different, look no further. Covers some intense and highly emotional issues. Has a bit of a magic realism feel to it, though it is a solid fantasy novel as well.

I love Nnedi Okorafor. After reading her other works, I was excited to read this story about a strong female character in a world as foreign and fantastical as the Africa portrayed in this book. I have struggled to find YA fantasy novels with black protagonists and writing to satisfy my reading hunger. Time and time again, Nnedi delivers for me with novels that are more than just good stories; they are good stories that give readers something to talk about. This book is not intended for the YA audience, but I would love to discuss it in a lit. class.

Despite the fact that I found the main character a bit unlikeable, a good book. If you're looking for something different, look no further. Covers some intense and highly emotional issues. Has a bit of a magic realism feel to it, though it is a solid fantasy novel as well.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover the story was different than my expectations. I found myself drawn into the lives of the characters and humbled by their show of inner strength.
It's a tragic story, but I came away feeling hopeful. Very well written story.

"Who Fears Death" is an amazing post-apocalyptic vision engaging magic, faith, and culture in sub-Saharan Africa. I purchased this book for a course on African American writers in speculative fiction and found it to be my favorite on the reading list. Though the novel is long, I was thoroughly engaged throughout the story. Some of the content is difficult to digest (senseless violence is always hard to read), but the journey of the protagonist and her companions is inspiring. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy literature. Well worth the read!

This is not your ordinary YA fantasy novel. Nnedi Okorafor skillfully invents mythologies and weaves a classic young-wizard-finds-her-power story into a virulently sexist, racist, post-apocalyptic environment. Strong subject matter, including rape and other acts of violence, make this inappropriate for the younger YA audience, but older teens should be fine with it.