I read a few stories by Nnedi Okorafor and liked every one of them. So I was really looking forward to "Shadow Speaker".

I don't know the original publication from about 15 years ago but what I read in this eBook lines up exactly with the amazing writing style and composition of stories that I already know and love.

I really liked the idea of speaking with shadows and how a Change got some people magical abilities. Also the fact of a human induced Change and the explanation for it is really interesting. At some points the information could have been distributed more evenly but it never seemed to much.

What I also love in Okorafors stories is that there are often young protagonists that hold the book together. I felt quite connected to Ejii and her friends. Her struggles and motivation felt real and her solutions to situations were unique.

I only felt once uncomfortable: As the big meeting at the end of the book came to be and we were introduced to Ette. He was the antagonist and fat. I feel it is a overused trope to make the antagonist fat and even his backstory didn't make it feel less offending for me as a fat person myself. So I have to give it less stars because it made me feel unwell.

Nethertheless I'm looking forward to reading the second installment.

Peace bombs. A phrase that only makes sense in the context of the future history of the world that leads to this story, as told by the chaotic trickster the Desert Magician about the coming of age of the titular Shadow Speaker, Ejii Ugabe, and her friend, the rainmaker Dikéogu Obidimkpa. It’s their story, but the Desert Magician is the one bringing it to us. Also messing with them and it at the same time.

The Desert Magician is not exactly a reliable narrator – but then trickster avatars seldom are. After all, the story is more fun for them if they get to mess with the protagonists a bit. More than a bit. As much as they want.

As Ejii describes the world in which she grew up, the Earth as it exists after the ‘Great Change’ brought about by those Peace Bombs, it’s not hard to think that the event was as much of a eucatastrophe as it was the regular kind. A whole lot of things seem to be better. More chaotic, but better. Certainly the climate has improved, even if entire forests sometimes spring up overnight, while the technology imported from other, more advanced worlds has made living with the remaining extremes considerably easier.

None of which means that humans are any better at all. Whatsoever. Because humans are gonna human. But it does mean that there are more possibilities, both in the sense of seemingly magical powers and animals, and in the sense of more opportunities for more people to rise above their circumstances – even if some people are still determined to fall into the traps laid by theirs.

Which leads the Desert Magician to Ejii’s story, and leads Ejii to Jaa, the great general who swept into Ejii’s village of Kwàmfà and struck off her father’s head with her sword, setting Jaa and Ejii on a collision course that will either save the world – or end it.

Shadow speaking, the ability to hear the voices of the spirits, is one of the many gifts that have arisen after the Great Change. Ejii is the shadow speaker of the title, and at fifteen is just coming into her power. A power that is telling her to follow Jaa to a great meeting of the leaders of the worlds that have merged into one interconnected system as a result of the change.

Jaa is going to the meeting to start a war in the hopes of preventing worse to come. Ejii has been tasked with finding a way to make peace. Neither task is going to be easy – and only one of them is right. The question is, which one?

Escape Rating A-: This version of Shadow Speaker is an expanded edition of one of the author’s out-of-print early novels. The original version of which, also titled Shadow Speaker, was a winner or finalist for several genre awards in the year it was published, as a young adult novel. Which it still both is and isn’t.

It is, on the one hand, aimed at a young adult audience because its protagonists are themselves in that age range, being merely fifteen when the story begins. As a consequence of their age, both Ejii and Dikéogu clearly still have a lot of growing up ahead of them in spite of the life-changing and even world-altering experiences that have led them to undertake this journey.

At the same time, Ejii at least is very much on the cusp of adulthood, and this is a journey that forces her to make adult decisions about, with no sense of hyperbole whatsoever, the state of the world. Howsomever, a good chunk of what she brings to those decisions has the flavor of the naivete of youth, particularly in the sense that the world SHOULD be fair, people SHOULD do the right thing, and that if only people would communicate honestly a peaceful solution SHOULD be within reach.

It’s not that she doesn’t know the world and the people in it are often stupid, self-centered, greedy and downright mean, it’s that she hasn’t yet been jaded enough by her experiences to truly believe that there can’t be a better way. Even though her personal experiences thus far in her life have seldom shown it to her.

Dikéogu is not nearly as mature as Ejii is. He whines a LOT. Not that his complaints aren’t justified, but it’s so very clear that he still has a lot of growing up to do and that expresses itself in a kind of ‘pity poor me’ whining that gets hard to take – particularly in audio as he’s voiced in a higher pitch to distinguish his speech from Ejii’s. Which works very well indeed as characterization while driving me personally nuts as I find high-pitched voices jarring. (I recognize this is a ‘me’ thing and may not be a ‘you’ thing, but if it is also a ‘you’ thing, you have been warned.)

While the Desert Magician is presenting this story, he’s not an omnipresent presenter. We see the story through Ejii’s perspective except at the very beginning and end. She is the person we follow, although the story is not told from inside her head. Rather, the story unfolds around her and her actions, and we only see what she sees and know what she knows and get as confused as she does at what she doesn’t.

Which means that while the narrator, Délé Ogundiran, does an excellent job of standing in as Ejii’s voice, that won’t be true for the second book in the duology, which will be Dikéogu’s story. Hopefully by the point in Dikéogu’s life when that story takes place, his voice will have dropped.

As much as Ejii comes of age and into her power through her riveting adventures in Shadow Speaker, her world and all the worlds that have become interconnected as a result of the ‘Great Merge’ that was part and parcel of Earth’s ‘Great Change’ also have a great deal of maturing to do – or at least negotiations towards that goal – as this first story ends. Whether the merged worlds will survive that change or destroy each other is part of the subsequent story in this duology that I’m really looking forward to seeing. Or hopefully hearing.

Dikéogu’s story may have started here but his true coming-of-age-and-into-power story, Like Thunder, is coming just after Thanksgiving. And I’ll be very grateful to read it – or hopefully have it read to me like Shadow Speaker – over the holidays.

We meet and follow Ejii, who lives in a city in what is now Nigeria. After a previous leader, Jaa, left town, Ejii’s father took over. He tried to reinstate older ways, including women having to stay covered, but not everyone loved his ways. When Jaa returned, she cut off his head.

Ejii is also a Shadow Speaker. She was not allowed to hone her craft – or even know what it was – until after her father’s death. So we, too, learn about these events and Ejii’s gifts as she recounts her history.

Now she is a teen, and her mom has been running things fairly smoothly until Jaa’s return. Jaa is interested in taking Ejii with her as an apprentice, but her mother forbids it. There is a part of Ejii that is scared of Jaa, but there is also a part that wants to go with her.

Of course, she ends up going. And this becomes a road trip narrative.

She meets up with Dikéogu, who has recently escaped from slavery. They are both traveling with animal companions who help them along the journey. Eventually, these four also meet up with Jaa and her entourage.

The entire group is heading to a different plane/world. Apparently there are five, but the veils between the worlds has eroded. Now people can pass freely between worlds. So, representatives from each of these are having a meeting to decide how to handle things.

Of course, the king of the world where the meeting is taking place does not like Earthlings, so things go awry pretty quickly. Will Ejii choose violence, like Jaa so often does? Or will she discover another way?

I was excited to read this to prepare for the upcoming sequel. I will be interested to see how Okorafor's writing has grown between the two as this did feel like an earlier work compared to some other works I've read by Okorafor which I found myself loving a bit more than this.

Nnedi Okorafor's "Shadow Speaker" is a breathtaking journey into a world where magic and technology merge seamlessly. This five-star read is an absolute gem, and I can't recommend it enough.

The protagonist, Ejii, is a remarkable character who embodies strength, resilience, and a profound connection to the mystical world of the shadows. Her journey from a humble village to the heart of political intrigue is nothing short of captivating. Okorafor crafts Ejii's growth with skill, allowing readers to witness her transformation into a powerful Shadow Speaker.

The world-building is unparalleled. Okorafor's ability to blend African mythology with futuristic elements creates a setting that feels simultaneously familiar and exotic. It's a testament to her talent that the world of Ginen feels so rich and vibrant.

The narrative is a thrilling mix of adventure, political intrigue, and personal discovery. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, and the pacing is spot on.

"Shadow Speaker" is not just a story; it's a beautifully woven tapestry of cultures, beliefs, and the human spirit. Okorafor's writing is a masterpiece, and this book is a must-read for anyone who craves a spellbinding and thought-provoking journey.

Who doesn't like a good expanded re-release?

"Shadow Speaker" by Nnedi Okorafor takes place in a wild future. Technology is not right, there is undefined mystism occurring, and physics isn't so constant. Plus the spill over from other worlds thing. We follow Ejii Ugabe, a Shadow Speaker, child of that kind of a politician. She saw him cut down before her eyes, life is better for it, and she is coming to grips with that. But the Shadows tell her she must follow her father's killer to prevent war.

And the finale "Like Thunder" is re-released at the end of November.

Narrated by Délé Ogundiran, fantastic work. Rather enjoyed the different animal voices from ones I've worked with before.

Reasons to read:
-Wild future where peace bombs altered the planet to prevent nuclear war, and gave some people powers
-Being haunted by something, but knowing it really is better this way
-Threats that can be dealt with in multiple ways
-Hurt people healing

Cons
-It is such a bummer that when people can literally fly or create rain folks are still going to try to put them down

Shadow Speaker is set in 2074 in Niger. The world has changed and people have gained some abilities. The main character, Eiji, is a rare shadow speaker, and we follow her journey as she travels through the desert and into another world to stop an impending war. This book is aimed at a younger audience but nevertheless, it was such a fantastic read. Nnedi Okorafor's writing style made it easy to get lost in the story, and the world she created was both imaginative and unique. Also, I loved how there were subtle references to her other works in the story. I can't wait to read the final book in the series and learn more about the world and its characters. Overall, I highly recommend the Shadow Speaker to everyone.
Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for an ARC in return for my honest review.

3.5 stars

There is something about Okorafor's writing that always resonates with me. I love the creativity of the world, and never knowing what will happen next. Some of my favorite things are found here; a young person with powers and talking animals. I was a little surprised to see some of the rough edges of this early work not smoothed out a bit, like the fatphobia with the villian.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

DAW acierta de lleno con la reedición de The Shadow Speaker, una novela de tinte juvenil que Okorafor ya publicó en 2007 pero que ahora veremos en una versión extendida con prólogo de la propia autora. Aunque hace ya 16 años de su primera publicación, ya se veían las semillas de lo que será el africanfuturism, en un libro que mezcla ciencia ficción y fantasía, con un marcado mensaje ecologista y muy completo.


Hay veces en que ves los ingredientes de una receta y no te explicas cómo es posible que tantas cosas tan distintas mariden bien, pero al final el resultado es muy agradable al paladar. Pues algo así pasa con The Shadow Speaker, una novela en la que Nnedi Okorafor mezcla un escenario postnuclear, humanos transformados con poderes, viajes entre mundos y cultura y tradiciones ancestrales.

Ejii es una joven que habla con las sombras (de ahí el nombre del libro) que asiste a la decapitación de su padre por los abusos que este llevaba a cabo desde su posición de privilegio como mandatario de su ciudad. A partir de este momento partirá en un viaje con una compañía bastante variopinta, en un rito de madurez que puede servir para salvar al mundo de sus propios fantasmas.

El personaje de Ejii es cautivador, porque es creíble. A pesar de los grandes poderes con los que está investida, lo cierto es que no los conoce y desde el principio no es capaz de controlarlos, por lo que asistiremos a su lucha interior hasta que consigue conocerse a sí misma. Pero lo realmente atractivo del mundo son los personajes con los que se irá encontrando, desde creadores de lluvia a animales parlantes, desde traficantes de esclavos no demasiado disimulados a seres de otros planetas. Resulta bastante complicado resumir una experiencia tan variada como es la lectura de The Shadow Speaker, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta que es la primera parte de una duología, pero se podría definir como la quintaesencia de Okoraforismo. Aquí vemos la semilla de lo que luego expandirá en Binti, con una protagonista femenina joven que viaja para alcanzar la madurez, el misticismo de Remote Control con una ciencia ficción de profundas raíces culturales africanas o el aire postapocalíptico de algunos relatos de Kabu Kabu.

This reads more like Middle Grade voice-wise, so wasn't what I was looking for unfortunately. Not for me.

Shadow Speaker is a new expanded edition of a young adult africanfuturist fantasy novel first published over 15 years ago by renowned author Nnedi Okorafor (before the renown part). The novel is being republished in new form this fall by DAW, together with a sequel that Okorafor had previously planned but never apparently had gotten the opportunity to write. And well, if you're familiar with Okorafor - writer of Binti, Who Fears Death, Akata Witch and so so much more - you might understand why this is an exciting thing - Okorafor is one of the more well known Africanfuturist authors for a reason, using African myth, religions, culture, and realities to create strong and interesting science fiction and fantasy with some really interesting themes throughout her books (even as the books range in subgenres). So yeah, I was super excited to get an early chance to read this novel.

Shadow Speaker is another very solid novel, although it's one that certainly feels like it was written before some of Okorafor's earlier works, almost like it is a predecessor to the Akata Witch/Nsibidi Scripts series which it resembles to a certain extent (with a hint of the post apocalyptic world of other Okorafor books). The story features a future Africa after magical Peace Bombs were unleashed upon the world causing a great change, resulting in persons being born with powers, and parts of our world and other worlds beginning to merge. Such is the world where 15 year old Ejii, who can talk to Shadows (amidst the other hard to explain powers she has), grows up and has to go on a journey to seemingly avert a war between the various other worlds out there and our own. The result is a story dealing with power, oppression and greed, misogyny, and the struggle to make things better through means other than violence, and it works pretty well thanks to its excellent main duo of characters. At the same time, it is kind of scattered and not super focused, so readers may find it a little unsatisfying.

Obvious disclaimer: As a White Jewish American reader its always possible I'm missing something in a book that is different from my cultural experience - with the book being based in the culture, history and myth of Africa, particularly both African Muslims and other African religions. So be aware of how my perspective affects my review, as opposed to a reader who comes from such cultures.

Plot Summary:
The year is 2074, in the town of Kwàmfà in what was once known as Niger, West Africa, years after the Great Change changed the world. 15 year old Ejii Ugabe is not just any 15 year old girl in Kwàmfà - she is a Shadow Speaker, one of four such humans in Kwàmfà, able to see through the darkness and to hear the whispers of the Shadows. But perhaps just as significantly, she is the daughter of the man who took advantage of a power vacuum in Kwàmfà to seize power and to use that power to restrict the rights of women and girls like Ejii, such that they are only allowed to be wives and tools of other men. Or at least that's how it was until the legendary warrior woman Jaa came back to Kwàmfà and took off her father's head and restored things to how they were...even if not everyone is so happy about that.

Now, years later, an Earthquake has been felt, one which everyone can feel is a strange sign of things to come. And rumors abound that Jaa is planning on leaving Kwàmfà once again, such that Ejii and others fear what might come next for Kwàmfà. And then there's the strange feeling Ejii is beginning to feel, that she must go with Jaa...or else something bad will happen. It's a feeling Ejii can't ignore, despite her mother's refusal to let her travel, and soon Ejii will find herself out of Kwàmfà for the first real time in her life, on an unknown quest through strange and dangerous lands...lands that are parts of various parts of Earth...and might even be from worlds beyond Earth, filled with strange peoples and beings. And Ejii may be the only one who can stop all of the peoples of these lands from a devastating war....
Shadow Speaker is preceded by a prologue written as if it's the challenging speech of the Desert Magician (whose name is in the title of this duology, The Desert Magician Duology) as he challenges the reader to experience this African future world and to understand it despite it being different from their normal expectations (the book's plot summary online is similarly written as if he's the speaker). The Magician is himself a character who shows up at a certain point, but other than that prologue the story is simply told from Ejii's third person perspective, as she finds herself changing as she struggles on her uncertain adventure and journey to a place and with people she doesn't quite understand.

And well Ejii struggles internally with it all. Here is a girl whose father was cut down in front of her - a father she knows was a bad man, who led people to treat girls like her (and Shadow Speakers or magically inclined people even moreso) as if they were lesser - and who fears that she may have some of his power hungryness inside of her. She's also a girl with a power she doesn't understand, which calls to her in ways she can't quite hear, and despite having some friends and a mentor shadow speaker in town, doesn't quite have anyone who knows everything she needs to learn to whom she can cling. Ejii is a kind goodhearted girl at heart, but she struggles with all of these conflicting emotions and unknowns, especialy as she faces conflict even in town from her half-siblings and others who supported her father and wish to reinstate his Order as soon as Jaa leaves.

And then there's Jaa herself, this paragon of virtue....whose main method of trying to make things better does tend to be chopping at things with a sword, something Ejii just can't come to grips with, even as she admires Jaa deeply. Add in a secondary character who joins for most of the book, the mysterious boy Dikéogu, who contains marks of a slave and a weird connection to lightning, and you have a strong cast who challenges Ejii throughout to come to terms with who she is and what she can and wants to do. And you have a setting which constantly puts Ejii into contact with beings straight out of African (and possibly Islamic, as Ejii is muslim) myth and culture, whether those be on Earth or in other worlds, ala some of Okorafor's Nsibidi Scripts works, and you have a very vibrant and full book here to carry its plot and themes.

All of this is in service of a story that deals with issues of power, of fear of others, of colonialism, oppression and greed, and more. Despite the setting using magical Peace Bombs to change the world's status quo, which have given people magical powers and eliminated the powers of modern weapons and pushed peoples magically closer together, struggles of power and greed and oppression remain. Just as much too we see conflict due to lack of understanding between peoples, such as when a group of human ambassadors from Earth stupidly ignore advice (ignorance is a big common factor here among people) and try to take human technology into a place where tech is entirely biological...such that the pollution from Earth is harmful and inadvertantly devastating. And in all of this, where all of these negative aspects of the world still exist and are magnified, Ejii and the book argue that the way forward is not merely violence or trying to chop off the heads of the worst of the worst, but to find a new bargain to hopefully find a way through.

Shadow Speaker doesn't simply carry a single plot from beginning to end, dealing with little instances and events from time to time, and it's a bit scattered. Like I said above the jump, it feels very similar to Okorafor's other works (which came after she first wrote this novel), so in some ways you may think you've seen much of this before if you've read her works. And so the scattered nature of this book, which doesn't give it that feeling of a cohesive plot from beginning to end, may not fully satisfy some readers (and not because this book ends on a cliffhanger, because it really doesn't). But Shadow Speaker generally works pretty well and is an excellent place for both new readers of Okorafor and old ones to pick her work up, so definitely give this one a try if you're interested in pretty solid Africanfuturist literature.

My Thoughts:
Nnedi Okorafor is the best science fiction/fantasy contemporary author. That she happens to be Nigerian American, that she happens to be black, that she happens to an Afrofuturist author in the vein of Octavia Butler has nothing to do with what makes her such a memorable storyteller. Let us not belittle her talent by calling her a Black science fiction/fantasy author. She is a storyteller that continues to both entertain and provide a cautionary tale to humanity in the same way that all great science fiction and fantasy books do.

Shadow Speaker is book one of a duology taking place in a postapocalyptic Saharan landscape. Okorafor is very good at coming of age stories with strong female characters and this is no exception. Like her other books she also weaves in magic, technology, power struggles and war. The difference in this book is that the writing is more complex in a great way. Okorafor as a storyteller still pulls me in with the fast twists and turns, but she also takes the time to round out the characters, including Onion, the talking Camel. I dare you to not cling to Onion as a main character.

One of the most beautiful scenes, and one that I cannot talk too much about because it is a spoiler, opens up the idea that pain and death can really just be a metamorphosis to clarity and growth. It was almost like the author, like many other science ficiton/fantasy authors is starting to talk about religion in her own way (Pullman, Golden Compass and even Butler, as examples). Either way, it does not matter. As a story teller, Okorafor is getting better and better with every book. That scene earned the last star. I know that this is an expanded edition of an out of print early novel, so perhaps it is not about her maturing voice, but either way, in the order in which I have read her pieces (Binti then the Akata series), this was is the best at character development. I definitely will read her next book, Like Thunder.

From the Publisher:
Niger, West Africa, 2074

It is an era of tainted technology and mysterious mysticism. A great change has happened all over the planet, and the laws of physics aren’t what they used to be.

Within all this, I introduce you to Ejii Ugabe, a child of the worst type of politician. Back when she was nine years old, she was there as her father met his end. Don’t waste your tears on him: this girl’s father would throw anyone under a bus to gain power. He was a cruel, cruel man, but even so, Ejii did not rejoice at his departure from the world. Children are still learning that some people don’t deserve their love.

Now 15 years old and manifesting the abilities given to her by the strange Earth, Ejii decides to go after the killer of her father. Is it for revenge or something else? You will have to find out by reading this book.

I am the Desert Magician, and this is a novel I have conjured for you, so I’m certainly not going to just tell you here.

Publication information:
Author: Nnedi Okorafor
Publisher: DAW (September 26, 2023)

On an Earth beginning to merge with magical worlds, Ejii embarks on a journey through the desert to try and prevent war.

I'm a huge fan of Nnedi Okorafor, so I was thrilled to pick up The Shadow Speaker. This book beautifully lived up to my expectations. Okorafor did an excellent job crafting a world that blends advanced technology with magic, allowing the two to be distinct. I feel like often when looking at magic and tech, the two end up being conflated as magic just being another form of advanced technology. In this world though, the two are definitely separate. I think that's an excellent touch, especially since this is more of a near-future than a distant-future.

In addition to the great sci-fi fantasy elements, I was incredibly impressed with how culture was woven in to this world. Ejii, our protagonist, will alternate between wearing niqab and going without for various reasons, often having to do with her own comfort level about being visible in a particular situation. I think this is a perspective that isn't usually seen in literature, and I loved seeing Ejii exercise her autonomy in this way. I also felt like I was learning a lot about West African culture in a way that beautifully served the story.

Aside from all of that technical stuff, this book was really just fun to weird. The magic is often beautiful, and I fell in love with the characters quickly. I'm very much looking forward to reading the next one.

I usually enjoy Nnedi Okorafor’s writing, and this was no different. It’s an expanded edition of an earlier work by the author, and the first book in The Desert Magician’s Duology- although, it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. The story hooked me right away. It takes place in an interesting Africa in the near future, following a shadow speaker who is going on a journey, meets a new friend along the way, and watches her power grow as she travels to another world to try to stop a war.

It comes out September 26. I’m looking forward to reading the next book! Thank you to DAW and NetGalley for the eARC.

Shadow Speaker is a wonderful book full of magic, perseverance, and trusting oneself. The main character must come into her powers, navigate a precarious world on the brink of war, deal with loss and grief, and grow up as she faces an adventure full of peril and sometimes doubt of herself and others. There is a lot to learn about accepting your place in the world, and doing what you can to make it better. I recommend Shadow Speaker with no reservations. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ejii Ugabe is a young woman living in a small Nigerian village. She goes to school, spends time with friends, does homework and fights with her family, especially her brother. But the Earth Ejii inhabits is not like our Earth, at least not anymore. After the world descended to nuclear warfare an enviro-militant group known as the Grand Bois launched their 'Peace bombs' that triggered global change and disasters. Inhabitants of Earth, be they people, plants or animals now have powers they did not before. Carnivorous plants or forests that appear or disappear at will, talking camels, and humans who can fly or see at night and talk to shadows. Nnedit Okorafor's Shadow Speaker follows Eji on a heroes journey to master her mysterious powers and find her role and how the woman who killed her father may be the key to it all.

Nnendi begins as though we are being told this story by the Desert Magician, and the adjustment to the world is gradual. Ejii lives her life in a small village, she has friends, goes to school and visits the market. Her parents were separated, and her father had several wives leading to a large family with lots of half siblings. There are tensions between the family with the oldest son often treating Ejii poorly causing fights. Ejii's father was killed by Jaa after he had taken control of the village, letting it be ruled by more traditional means playing off their fears of change.

Ejii's journey is driven by a last fight with her family and she meets Dikeogu and saves him from a conscious sandstorm. These two then continue their journey in search of Jaa to complete Ejii's quest and learn about themselves.

A fun, but series science fictional dystopia. Technology still, mostly, works with a lot of being more plant or renewable based. Ejii is conflicted in her mission, particularly as other people with her powers have been known to die mysteriously when they are called to wander.

A coming of age journey that should appeal to fans of dystopias, non western settings, female focused heroes, or the science fiction possibilities of the future.

3.5 STARS

CW: mention of slavery, blood, violence, death (including of animals & children), mention of an execution, murder

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I generally enjoyed this book but some elements of it dampened my enjoyment, which I will get into later. Overall though, this was a nice story and I was reminded that I have to continue with Okorafor's other series sometimes. The story is set in Niger in 2074 and we follow Ejii, a fourteen year old girl who is a shadowspeaker.

First off, I loved it being set in West Africa in the future. The worldbuilding was interesting, though there were some chunks of info-dumping in the beginning of the book to let readers know what had happened during the Great Change etc to make this future version of the world different. Ejii's essay about her father's death was one such info-dump and I was torn between really liking how cleverly the supplication of background info happened within the narrative (through an admittedly very philosophical school assignment) and being annoyed at how much information was put into just a couple of pages... I can definitely see the advantages of this but it definitely bothered me enough to repeatedly think about it while reading.

The characters were another interesting encounter for me because I don't think I really loved any of them (with the exception of Onion and Kola). I still think that each of their arcs worked within the world and story but I was a little disappointed to not have at least one character I absolutely loved (maybe that's also the point though).

Further into the book and story, I found myself losing interest and only skimreading some chapters. Nevertheless, there were many aspects I found interesting, especially the construction of the world of Ginen which would be very interesting to examine through an ecocritical lense. Okorafor's creativity really shone through this entire story and although right now I'm not making it a priority to read the second book when it comes out, I will definitely pick it up sometime after release to find out how this story continues.

If you enjoy writing that is going to take you to a futuristic place that will have your imagination going wild, then you need to read and experience Nnedi Okorafor. Her writing is like no other that I have ever read thus far in my reading journey . The way she world builds is absolutely amazing and unmatched. This story does not disappoint. We follow 14 year old Ejii who is a born shadow speaker. Ejii’s home Kwamfa, has been hit by an earthquake that has left her community wondering what is to come . The feeling is that something is coming to destroy Ejiis home and its people. In the story we will see Ejii travel outside of her home, across the Sahara with her companion ,to see if what the shadows have said to her are true but also if she may be the one to save her home . I loved this story so much. It did start a little slow for me but I have yet to read a Nnedi Okorafor story that didn’t immerse me into the pages quickly. This was an Arc I received . All opinions are my own and honest.

Okorafor’s writing is simple, beautiful, and elegant. The voice is clear and easy on the metaphorical ears.

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the ARC.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve read a few Nnedi Okorafor books in the past, although I missed Shadow Speaker when it first came out. Like with Okorafor’s previous work, I was immediately drawn into the unique premise and take on Afrofuturism.
The world building isn’t super complex, although you can see the Nigerian influence in the setting, albeit a futuristic version of it. There’s also a great balance of technical and mystical, giving it a feel that sits in the intersection between sci-fi and fantasy.
Okorafor manages the perfect balance of creating a sense of there being a story being told through the prose style, while also engaging you in the narrative of the story itself. The introduction, written in the context of the world, welcomes you in, preparing you for what’s to come. It’s fast-paced and engaging, and I was never bored.
Eiji herself is compelling, informed by shadows she must leave home in order to prevent a war. Her journey and growth felt believable, and I loved seeing her come into her own in spite of coming from a place of having to make herself smaller for the sake of others. It’s familiar in the sense that it has some similar tropes of the coming-of-age narrative, but written in an interesting, original way.
This is a great read, and I’m looking forward to reading more from this world/series. If you’re interested in African-inspired SFF, I’d recommend checking this out!