On average, a lot of POC female author books I'm interested in have romance and thus I don't read them. Which is a shame cause a lot of my books I read look like I'm a white trash when it's not like that. It's just, when I do seek out POC authors and the plot looks interesting, I see what it is...Either it turns out to be:

1. Romance

2. Smut

or

3. Romantasy

Now let me be clear, I do not care if you like these topics and I have nothing against anyone who does like them.
It's just when it's said and done, all romance is "Do they get together or not or partners with benefits" summed in a nutshell, with smut or fantasy shit.
That's it.

So as such, I veer away from these categories as much as I can because I'm actually interested in the PLOT, not just "plot" (which is fine). Now here's finally a POC book that the main topic of is NOT romance but hones in on being a sci fi/fantasy by being creative.

We're seeing a rise of environmental fantasy and Okorafor is heading that way (at least with this novella, didnt read her other works yet).
The fantasy here is a dead salt lake and the way she weaves around it is interesting AF. The scifi aspect is a post apocalyptic world on Africa where the environment changed drastically and a primary source of water became a salt lake that is now the main source of the mineral of it for surrounding villages and markets.

Top that off, there's a magic system that I won't spoil that was interesting when we encountered it and I'm curious to see how she works this in the next novella.

Still, READ this book, don't just listen to it. Let your brain have enough time to soak in what was said cause if you need a sci fi but don't like sci fi and are a fantasy nerd.

HERE, TAKE THIS NOW

CW: A cat is hit by a stone, but it doesn't die. There is brutality against women as well and the unfair justice of politics. That's all I can really think of here. Nothing is really graphic either way.
Edit: Spoiler here about a death(view spoiler)

Prose: It isn't clunky, it does the job and for the most part, doesn't bog you down with so much tech you're lost trying to figure out wtf is happening. It's neither flowery or functional but a good medium of both. Props, Okorafor

Plot: Don't read this for the plot necessarily. If I summed up the plot, it will just spoil the whole book. The plot is slowly unraveled in this book and you're here for the journey. Salt lake and there's a girl. There's feminine rage but it's a lot more (sadly) realistic. That's all you need to know.

Pace: It kinda just buzzes along. Like any good book, if the book didn't seal you within the first chapter or so, the pace will slog or run depending how much you like it. Either way, it's steady.

Characters: Our MC, Najeeba, is a 13 year old girl but this is not a YA book. I maintain this is still adult. I want to say she has a few facets but everyone else around her kinda is 2D. I would dock some points but I feel like this book is not really about the side characters but a mark in a memoir of Najeeba's life that you're only scratching the surface of it. Do not go in for the characters, go for the NaCl

Vibe: Salt bae, but post apocalyptic Africa

Worldbuilding: Very interesting environment and magic system we're presented. I'm not going to spoil much else by describing it, you'll have to find out yourself

-

I also need to note that this novella might make more sense if you read "Who Fears Death" as this novella is a prequel, however, you can still enjoy it as a standalone (as I did, didn't read the other book yet).

Still, I don't know how I slept on Okorafor, but no longer.

I'm awake, bitch

5/5