Member Review
Review by
Harare B, Reviewer
Nnedi Okorafor’s latest release ‘Death of The Author’ is a deeply introspective novel that interrogates the complexities of professional authorship at the highest level in America, juxtaposed against an African-futurist and speculative novel set a post-apocalyptic Nigeria.
Initially, readers are introduced to Zelunjo Onyedele-, a Nigerian-American adjunct university professor and her large family of 5 siblings who come from a mixed Yoruba-Igbo background. Zelu is a layered character; disabled, abrasive, sensitive, difficult, detached, yet deeply curious and loving. Okorafor quickly sets out Zelunjo’s family dynamic - which was forever altered by an accident she had as a child that left her paralysed and a wheelchair user. Readers get a look into a westernised Nigerian family that despite its relative progressivist positioning, mimics the paternalistic and often abusive treatment of persons with disabilities.
It is Zelu’s physical and psychological isolation that enhances her unique point of view. Okorafor wonderfully explores how storytellers with disabilities ie the “othered”, can dare to fashion magical worlds beyond the limitations of society. ‘Rusted Robots’ features Ngozi The Last Human, a futuristic android Hume called Ankara, and a NoBody digital Ghost called Ijele. These characters navigate a world where each species is at war with another. Yet the three main characters create harmony and fine refuge amongst each other. These avatars embody Zelu’s wildest dream - a world without limit:
"Zelu opened her eyes and smiled. Fifteen minutes had flown by while she reread parts of her novel in her mind. The rusted robots in the story were a metaphor for wisdom, patina, acceptance, embracing that which was you, scars, pain, malfunctions, needed replacements, mistakes. What you were given. The finite. Rusted robots did not die in the way that humans did, but they celebrated mortality. Oh, she loved this story and how true it felt."
‘Death of The Author’ deftly switches between the two narratives, usually at points where the protagonist faces a particularly difficult emotional moment - of which there are many! ‘Rusted Robots’ quickly becomes an international best-seller. In a relatively short period of time the “runt of the litter”, is catapulted into global fame (infamy?) and immense wealth. While this is the realisation of Zelu’s wildest dreams, her life begins to unravel.
The immediate success of ‘Rusted Robots’ happens fairly early on in the narrative, the impact on the author’s life takes up the bulk of the story. This is where I felt in two minds about ‘The Death of The Author’. While the premise is intriguing the story feels over-crowded with events. It is in significant part a story about family - Zelu’s contentious relationship with her parents Secret and Omoshalewa, siblings and extended family. I found this repetitive after the fourth or fifth iteration of the same confrontation between characters. Whilst I appreciate this reflects tangible family dynamics, the cruelty and verbal abuse reigned on Zelu became boring. Yet, I must note that Okorafor’s focus on these relationship always had a pay-off.
There is a lot of high concept sci-fi allegory in ‘Death of The Author’! This at times felt jarring - the transition between real world vs book world did not always go smoothly for me. I do feel this was an intentional choice by Okorafor, which has an interesting pay off at the end. In my opinion, the main character simply had too much happening to them/going on. This set against the slow burn pay-off in ‘Rusted Robots’ left me alienated as I struggled to fully grasp the fictional storyline. It took me about 1/4 of the book to “get” what Okorafor was angling for. She does manage to deftly stick the landing with a beautiful tie-in between the two worlds. I was left wanting more of Rusted Robots, and less of Zelunjo’s reality.
‘Death of The Author’ has enough real-world grounding to entice readers outside of science-fiction and speculative fiction corners. Okorafor presents quite a stinging critique of the book industry, cultural erasure through commercialisation, distasteful American capitalism, and the prejudicial Nigerian mindset. Indeed, Okorafor takes a big swing with this one. Overall, an intriguing conceptual novel, I am sure it will incite deep and thoughtful conversations around the vast thematic scope Okorafor takes on.
Initially, readers are introduced to Zelunjo Onyedele-, a Nigerian-American adjunct university professor and her large family of 5 siblings who come from a mixed Yoruba-Igbo background. Zelu is a layered character; disabled, abrasive, sensitive, difficult, detached, yet deeply curious and loving. Okorafor quickly sets out Zelunjo’s family dynamic - which was forever altered by an accident she had as a child that left her paralysed and a wheelchair user. Readers get a look into a westernised Nigerian family that despite its relative progressivist positioning, mimics the paternalistic and often abusive treatment of persons with disabilities.
It is Zelu’s physical and psychological isolation that enhances her unique point of view. Okorafor wonderfully explores how storytellers with disabilities ie the “othered”, can dare to fashion magical worlds beyond the limitations of society. ‘Rusted Robots’ features Ngozi The Last Human, a futuristic android Hume called Ankara, and a NoBody digital Ghost called Ijele. These characters navigate a world where each species is at war with another. Yet the three main characters create harmony and fine refuge amongst each other. These avatars embody Zelu’s wildest dream - a world without limit:
"Zelu opened her eyes and smiled. Fifteen minutes had flown by while she reread parts of her novel in her mind. The rusted robots in the story were a metaphor for wisdom, patina, acceptance, embracing that which was you, scars, pain, malfunctions, needed replacements, mistakes. What you were given. The finite. Rusted robots did not die in the way that humans did, but they celebrated mortality. Oh, she loved this story and how true it felt."
‘Death of The Author’ deftly switches between the two narratives, usually at points where the protagonist faces a particularly difficult emotional moment - of which there are many! ‘Rusted Robots’ quickly becomes an international best-seller. In a relatively short period of time the “runt of the litter”, is catapulted into global fame (infamy?) and immense wealth. While this is the realisation of Zelu’s wildest dreams, her life begins to unravel.
The immediate success of ‘Rusted Robots’ happens fairly early on in the narrative, the impact on the author’s life takes up the bulk of the story. This is where I felt in two minds about ‘The Death of The Author’. While the premise is intriguing the story feels over-crowded with events. It is in significant part a story about family - Zelu’s contentious relationship with her parents Secret and Omoshalewa, siblings and extended family. I found this repetitive after the fourth or fifth iteration of the same confrontation between characters. Whilst I appreciate this reflects tangible family dynamics, the cruelty and verbal abuse reigned on Zelu became boring. Yet, I must note that Okorafor’s focus on these relationship always had a pay-off.
There is a lot of high concept sci-fi allegory in ‘Death of The Author’! This at times felt jarring - the transition between real world vs book world did not always go smoothly for me. I do feel this was an intentional choice by Okorafor, which has an interesting pay off at the end. In my opinion, the main character simply had too much happening to them/going on. This set against the slow burn pay-off in ‘Rusted Robots’ left me alienated as I struggled to fully grasp the fictional storyline. It took me about 1/4 of the book to “get” what Okorafor was angling for. She does manage to deftly stick the landing with a beautiful tie-in between the two worlds. I was left wanting more of Rusted Robots, and less of Zelunjo’s reality.
‘Death of The Author’ has enough real-world grounding to entice readers outside of science-fiction and speculative fiction corners. Okorafor presents quite a stinging critique of the book industry, cultural erasure through commercialisation, distasteful American capitalism, and the prejudicial Nigerian mindset. Indeed, Okorafor takes a big swing with this one. Overall, an intriguing conceptual novel, I am sure it will incite deep and thoughtful conversations around the vast thematic scope Okorafor takes on.
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