Akata Woman

I wanted to like this more but it was tough to get through, I almost quit halfway through. I liked the previous two books much more. Something about this narrative failed to really grab me. I think because she picks up her 4 main characters running, with no reminders from previous books or introductions. Maybe if I'd read this right after the first two I would have followed it more easily.

Also embarrassed to admit I had a hard time following it for the West African culture and mythology. She brings in archetypes in the adventures like the spider god Udide or various trickster men and women who pose challenges and riddles along the way. These are entirely unfamiliar to me and that's exactly why I'm reading these books! I enjoy reading fiction drawn from other cultures. But it's also disorienting and I didn't feel like the writing helped me orient to it. And I couldn't tell if the antagonists she introduces are well-known folk characters anyone raised in Nigerian culture would understand or inventions of Okorafor's from some broad cultural themes I'm not familiar with. I learned via web searches that at least a few of them are drawn from Okorafor's other writing.

Anyway, once the book got going I was able to follow along well. I enjoyed the basic quest structure, it felt a whole lot like Wizard of Oz (in a good way). Really don't care for her character writing though. Sunny is mostly the only character who feels really fleshed out, although there's a nice section on Chichi's family history I found quite moving.

I probably won't read any more books in this series. Would love to read some other Okorafor though.