Background: This was first published back in 2007, and was out of print for years. But the author wrote a sequel, and so this book got updated and reprinted. So it makes sense to me that reading this felt like reading Guy Gavriel Kay’s Fionavar Tapestry: another early work from someone still working on defining themselves as an author. This was entertaining and original, but it didn’t have the kind of depth I would normally expect from Nnedi Okorafor.
It’s set in what used to be the West African nation of Niger in 2074. I suppose I would call this book post-apocalyptic, but it’s not so much that the world experienced an apocalypse as it experienced an enormous change. The main character, Ejii, is a 14 year old girl who is what is known as a Shadow Speaker, able to see extraordinarily well in both darkness and in light and able to hear the shadows of the world speak to her. Her father had been the head of her village, and imposed a strict version of Islam barring women from any real role in society and requiring them to wear burkas outside of the house. Until the queen of the region got wind of this, and arrived to correct things via decapitation.
As a result of this, Ejii grows up simultaneously hating and worshiping the queen, and is therefore conflicted when she asks Ejii to follow her as an apprentice. Ejii is needed; other planes of existence are colliding with ours, and they are ready to make war upon Earth. The shadows have told Ejii she is needed to prevent this, and so we are off.
As I said at the beginning, this was both original and creative. It’s almost relentless in its Afrofuturism, which I appreciate and enjoy. But it’s also a bit disjointed, and uncertain of what kind of story it wants to be.
Okorafor is a great author, and one who writes powerful stories. This was fun to read, but not nearly her best.