“I swiped otjize from my forehead with my index finger and knelt down. Then I touched the finger to the sand, grounding the sweet smelling red clay into it. ‘Thank you,’ I whispered”

‘Binti’ by Nnedi Okorafor has got to be one of the greatest books I have ever read in my entire life. I’m joking I think this book might be in my top 5 now. I’ve never read a book that mixes the long traditions of a people and space travel, and aliens. Okorafor does an incredible job of making her story feel like it’s from the past, present, and future.

‘Binti’ tells the story of the titular character and her journey to Oomza University, one of the most prestigious schools in the entire galaxy. It’s a long journey that her family warns her not to take. As a Himba woman, her traditions are strong. She has never left her home and is anti war. Binti faces tragedy, gets involved in a war between the Meduse and Khoush, and sacrifices one of the most important things to her and her people.

Binti also faces prejudices from Khoush and other people who are ignorant to her traditions. They ridicule her otjize, which is a red clay made up the water and the sands of her home. But little do they know of the power that these substance holds.

I highly recommend reading this, and I can’t wait to read the next two books in Okorafor’s trilogy.