Review: Binti (#1) by Nnedi Okorafor

Title: Binti (#1)

Author: Nnedi Okorafor

Published by: Tor.com

Released: September 2015

Source: Library

Synopsis: Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.

Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti's stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.

If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself - but first she has to make it there, alive.

My Thoughts: What was this? I'm being serious here. I had heard so much hype about Binti and was super excited to read it, but it really did nothing for me. I don't get it. I don't get the hype.

This felt like a strange dream that someone had, and upon waking up, they wrote down all they remembered from it. I mean, we've all had those weird dreams where strange things are going on, but I wouldn't say they would make a good book. It was a novella, so it was really short. It could have benefitted from being longer. It had these weird time jumps. It was just a very weird story. Very odd. I don't know how you can go from a massacre to being friends. Am I crazy? Did I miss something?

I thought I was going to really enjoy Binti, but I didn't. I didn't hate it, but I certainly don't see what makes this story so great. I'll probably read the rest of the series, but I don't know if I'm going to be in a rush about doing so. It was just very average and strange. The writing was fine, but the story was a little too odd for me.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Odd. Very Strange.