Thank you @netgally and @dawbooks for the ARC! 🧂

I am officially an africanfuturism novella stan. Right away I could tell that this novella was setting up to be a prequel for another novella that’s already out, but this book stood extremely well on its own!! The author’s ability to build this vivid, post-apocalyptic world is magical. I really loved spending so much time with Najeeba, a brave and curious Osu-nu teenage girl, who broke both gender/cultural norms. I loved the journey of her getting The Call and her family’s trips to sell salt. To me, this book was about what it means to come into yourself as a young Black girl despite barriers that try to shrink who you’re meant to be.

I came into this world not really knowing what to expect, but I left wanting to know so much more about it (the salt trade market, the dead lake, her father’s family, etc). I wish this was longer!!! Def recommend if you like sci-fi/fantasy stories with dope Black girl protagonists. 4/5!!!

The novella starts with a non white girl in a village which needs salt as a form of income for the families and the village. They are the ones that can find the way to the lake of salt because of the gods of their ancestors and then they sell the salt to those who cant go. The main character awakens a mysterious power that is dangerous but can help them.

Its written in first person so that makes you feel more connected to the girl and the story and therefore is a quick read. The book takes place in the same universe and acts as a prequel to 'Who fears death' but its not necessary to read that one before 'She who knows'.

Reading this has me wanting to read more from this world that Nnedi Okorafor has so expertly crafted. I love this Africanfuturistic world and just how unique it is compared to the standard fantasy setting. Even having not read anything else already set in this world, I was able to be immersed into everything and read an incredibly thrilling plot in just 176 pages. It takes a true master of storytelling to be able to do so much in so few pages.

The pacing is perfect for this length of story and the character building and development for Najeeba are off the charts. She is so strong and capable and it is hard not to root for her as she tries to change the gender norms by doing what she feels she has a talent for.


Thank you so, so much to DAW Books and NetGalley for my ARC copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I was blown away by "Who Fears Death," so I was really excited to get an ARC of this prequel told by Onyesonwu's mother. This was a little slower moving than I was expecting, but it was a good story. I loved Najeeba's character and her determination to follow her own path despite the societal norms that she is facing. Overall, I just didn't get as excited about this one as I did "Who Fears Death."

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I have read several works by Nnedi Okorafor and what I love is that she writes in an accessible way that is still beautiful. Her writing often feels happy which is unique, and while neither fantasy nir science fiction are my preferred genres I find I enjoy her stories. This one felt a little rushed in pacing, but that was mostly in the ending. A big event, and then a few very quick things before the end (though it very clearly set up part 2.

3.5 stars

As posted to GoodReads

As always, beautiful. Nnedi Okorafor is an auto-read author for me. Her books always have such amazing worldbuilding and reading her books do feel like coming home even when terrible things are happening to these amazing characters. I'm glad to know that this story was born out of another book previously published, I will for sure be going back to check that out. It also reminded me a lot of her recently published Shadow Speaker and Like Thunder duology. And I wish we had more time with Najeeba and her fascinating family. I want to know more about the salt market trade and the dead lake. And I would love to know more about these types of witches. Really enjoyable, fast read. Highly recommend. Always want more.

Okorafor's worldbuilding is excellent as always. I do think it helps to have read Who Fears Death but it's not absolutely necessary to follow the story. I can't wait to read more of Najeeba's story.

Another brilliant story by Nnedi Okorafor. An immersive, gripping journey through a future that carries the heavy imprint of both history, technology, and beings and forces beyond human understanding. I love the way Okorafor blends myth and story with tech and characters that pop off the page.

So, I went into this not reading "Who Fears Death" first, even though this one is *technically* a prequel and I have read a couple of her other books that take place in a similar universe (I saw that nod to Noor!). I don't think anything is lost reading this first, either, with some very minor potential spoilers about the MC of Who Fears Death (MC here is her mother).

As for the book itself, I really enjoyed it! African juju/sorcery plots, vengeance, the making and breaking of a family - it has so much. Okorafor's writing always engrosses me and I can't wait for the next installment to find out what happens next. I'm such a sucker for a revenge story lol. In the meantime this one has definitely piqued my interest enough that I'll pick up "Who Fears Death".

Such a fun and speculative novella. The world building was immense for the short amount of pages that this was. Nnedi never fails to do justice by science fiction for POC.

A delightful novella set in a future post apocalyptical Africa. Najeeba is a fourteen year old girl living in a small village in the desert of what had been Africa a very long time ago. Her village survives on a journey the men make to a mystical white lake to gather salt crystals to sell at Market. Only the men are allowed to go on the trek across the desert. The Lake is a legend from a time when the sun baked the earth and dried all the water leaving only salt behind. Najeeba wants to go with her father and brothers but girls aren't allowed. She feels called and her father allows her to go but she must stay covered. Mystical things begin to happen to Najeeba along the way. They gather their salt and proceed to the Market where the impossible happens. This was a tender and fascinating story of a young girl coming of age and into her calling. This book is very similar to the author book Binti, which I also enjoyed.

She Who Knows follows Najeeba, a young girl who feels the call to go out on the salt roads to find and sell salt with her brothers and father – an adventure reserved for boys and men. With mixed reactions, she embarks on a journey that will change her, her family, and her community.

I really enjoyed this. I suspect with the youthful protagonist that it might even have some YA crossover appeal, though it definitely reads adult to me. I’ve read quite a bit of Okorafor’s work, and there is much here that one would expect on this basis – a well-developed world, beautiful prose, and a protagonist to feel invested in. Okorafor’s Africanfuturism shines in this novella.

I read She Who Knows without having read Who Fears Death or any other book previously written in the same universe, and it worked perfectly well as a standalone. I had, when it released, opted not to read Who Fears Death for ‘content warnings’ related reasons, but having appreciated this novella so much I do think I’ll plan to read that one too.

Content warnings: sexual harassment, sexism, misogyny, racism, xenophobia, death

Thank you DAW & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to review.

This was a beautiful book. The prose has a lyrical sense of peace to it, as Nnedi Okorafor’s work often does. The world is lush, and the pace is slow in a way that lets you settle into the story. I loved Najeeba, and how she embraced a path she was sure was right, even when the world is at odds with that choice.

I’ve not read the book for which it is a prequel - though I want to now - so in some parts, I felt that it was skipping information that I should know. While this is wont to happen in a series, it is a knock against reading the prequel first. However, the end did feel quite rushed, presumably as it does lead into the original novel, which didn’t work for me.

Overall, though, absolutely gorgeous, and I look forward to reading other books in the series!

If you haven't dived into Nnedi Okorafor's "Who Fears Death" series, don't worry—you can still fully enjoy "She Who Knows." This novella is a brilliant standalone that gives us an intimate look into the life of Najeeba, a young girl whose coming of age signals the dawn of a new era for her world.

Set in the richly woven universe of Africanfuturism, "She Who Knows" introduces us to 13-year-old Najeeba. Unlike the boys and men in her village who receive The Call to the Salt Roads, Najeeba's experience is unprecedented. Despite this strange occurrence, she embarks on the journey with her father and brothers, which transforms not only her life but her family's dynamic and their understanding of tradition.

Okorafor does a fantastic job building an intricate world infused with West African culture and spirituality, all within a compact 176 pages. Even though this is a novella, I felt like I got a good grasp of the world Najeeba lives in. The descriptions are beautifully poetic, painting vivid imagery that pulls you right into the story. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the Dead Lake.
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The novella tackles some significant themes, like the role of women in a patriarchal society and how subverting traditional roles can create ripples of change. It also delves into family dynamics, particularly how Najeeba's more masculine traits and behaviors are perceived differently by her family compared to the broader community. These explorations add depth and relatability to the narrative.

Najeeba is a compelling protagonist, and her journey is both unique and universal in its coming-of-age elements. I loved how the novella handled the time jumps, showing her growth and development over time in a seamless way.

Now for some critiques and the reason this didn't receive 5 stars. The magical elements in the story felt underexplained. Najeeba's sudden grasp of her powers seemed a bit too convenient, and while there’s some explanation involving her father later on, it felt a bit convoluted. I would have loved a bit more detail and clarity on how the magic works. I also struggled with pacing a bit as it seemed that the ending was rushed and the last chapter confusing and abrupt. I know that this novella is the start to a new series and based on the world from Who Fears Death, but I was still left a bit confused at the end.

Overall, "She Who Knows" is a beautifully crafted novella that manages to pack a lot into its short length. The world-building, themes, and character development are all top-notch, and the poetic imagery is a delight. The only downside for me was the somewhat underdeveloped explanation of the magic system. Nevertheless, this is a strong 4-star read and a fantastic entry into the world of Africanfuturism.

Thank you to DAW and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novella. All thoughts here are my own and enthusiastically shared!

I like how this book questions a woman’s place in society and how silly it is to have strict gender roles and question how a person expresses themselves when theirs a magic system in place that doesn’t care about that. This was my first book by this author and I can’t wait to explore more of her backlog. 5 star read.

More than anything, I like Najeeba’s ambition to be more than what her people think she should be. The power she discovered is cool. Overall, I think the plot was pretty flat. I would’ve like some more excitement and tension.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced eARC.

This is the first of a trilogy that is a prequel to Who Fears Death which I have not read (but will now). I did read and enjoy the Binti trilogy, and this is written in the same vivid and direct style as those. In a desert future Africa, Najeeba, though a girl, has heard the call to the Salt Roads and joins her father and brothers on this year's adventure. But Nejeeba is different from other girls in other ways as well, and the trip, though successful, has unforeseen consequences and completely changes the future of her people.
Like Binti, the story is novella length, and hard to describe without spoilers. The writing is splendid, sharp and powerful. The characters are memorable and easy to care about. The culture and setting are what give the story the most depth, setting it far above most fantasies. This is a place you believe. You can taste the salt and the dust, feel the wind. Outstanding. Highly recommended.

This is a novel of a post-apocalyptic fiction; though the people talk about and try to repurpose technology, the apocalypse event was so far in the past that they live completely in the story's present. The world building in what seems to be somewhere in West Africa, but is completely undefined in terms of our current world, is amazing. Like the best storytellers, the author draws you in and makes you understand the society without a clumsy explanations or a glossary or even maps.

The heroine of the story feels called to go with her father and brothers on the Salt Roads, to harvest salt from an old lake bed, and sell it in the market. This is something which supports their village, but something no woman does.

Why is she different? And what will happen next?

This is a prequel to another story in the same world which I ran to the library to find and can't wait to read.

Absolutely a 5 star story.

Thank you to DAW Books for letting me read this as an e-galley in return for my honest review of the book.

#NetGalley #SpeculativeFiction #SheWhoKnows #afrofuturism

This might be the best book about salt I’ve ever read. That said, it might just be the only book about salt I’ve ever read.

‘She Who Knows’ is a fantastically woven novella which gives insight into the backstory of Najeeba – the mother of Onyesonwu, the protagonist of Okorafor’s 2010 novel ‘Who Fears Death’. At thirteen years old, Najeeba, is the only girl to join her father and brothers in their annual trip to the salt lakes. Due to the brief length of this novel I don’t want to discuss it in too much depth, but I found both the prose and the plot to be a big step up from ‘Who Fears Death’ and I highly recommend this novella to both those who have and haven’t read ‘Who Fears Death’. With great themes and strong character work, I devoured this novella in one sitting, and although I would’ve loved a little more focus on the magic system, I’m definitely going to be reading more of Okorafor’s work in the future.

This is a novella that was a quick read, but it packed so much into less than 100 pages. The World building is exceptional, and if you've read anything by Nnedi Okorafor before, you'll recognize her lyrical, afrofuturistic vibe. I was invested in the story and the journey of the main character. It was different and unique as we learned a lot about the culture of the Osu-nu people and the complexities and brutalities of their World. The Salt trade and market was also interesting. The ending though is what I didn't love, It seemed abrupt and I still don't understand it. Still, I would recommend this book - the story was fascinating.