Death of the Author
★★★★★Read May 9, 2026
What a magical book! Was really spellbound by parts of this. What I liked best is how intensely sophisticated the narrative is, the interweaving of three storytelling modes. I also liked all the surprises in it, the bits of magic that the narrator Zelu encounters in her charmed but challenging life. Okorafor really swung for the fences with this novel and it paid off.
Goodreads readers give it 3.93★, from 27,688 ratings. I gave it 4★, +0.1, where I'm usually −0.9: I liked it more than most.
Readers call it Science Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Books About Books.
Won Locus Award 2026, NAACP Image Award 2026, She Reads Best of Award 2025, Libby Award 2026.
Also nominated for Hugo Award 2026, Nebula Award 2025, Los Angeles Times Book Prize 2025, Goodreads Choice Award 2025 and 1 more.