Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor is a story within a story. When Zelu loses her job at the university where she teaches, she decides to focus on writing the book she's always wanted to write. And that story is included within her own story in this book. This was a fascinating look at Zelu's family culture, her disabilities, and the way that all relates to the publishing industry. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

For fans of Percival Everett. Zelu is struggling, her adjunct professor job is pretty much a dead end, she hasn’t really written anything in a very long time, and her family continues to treat her as the little kid that can’t do anything right but also is unable to do anything right. And inspiration hits. A spectacular sci-fi tale that changes her life and everything around her some for better and some for worst. But isn’t the truly brave who can touch the face of God? Nnedi Okafor writes a beautiful, strong, vulnerable character in Zelu instantly dropped into the world of fame and success that can be nothing but herself.

OMG this is good. I loved our disabled black professor. I love everyone actually.
To me this is a book to be savored and read a chapter at a time so I took a little longer with it. There is a lot to think about on every page, unlike my usual thriller read.
It is good.

Not my normally a story that I would be interested in however, the concept was mind blowing and sucked me in after about the first 50 pages or so. As far as genres, I’ll classify it as a mix not truly science fiction but something else entirely. At some points I was lost in the story but I believe that was part of the point getting lost in the storytelling. There was cultural aspects, family drama, life dilemmas and so much more in this one story. If you can wrap your head around multiple stories in one, I think you’ll truly enjoy this book. If you’re interested, in futurism, AI, and robotics you’ll also enjoy this book. All in all, it’s different abd I’m happy I gave the story a chance instead of making assumptions. Thanks for the ARC.

“Stories are what holds all things together. They make things matter, they make all things be, exist.”

Sometimes I struggle to write a review because a book just leaves me speechless. A beautiful genre-bending book, Death of the Author beautifully blends contemporary literary fiction with science fiction. It’s a book about stories, about family, about technology, and about the best and worst of humanity.

The format of the book is wonderful, with half of it following our protagonist, a Naijamerican writer named Zelu. We see her navigate life as a daughter of Nigerian immigrants from very different backgrounds, a sister who has complicated relationships with her many siblings, a writer dealing with sudden fame, and a person with a disability striving for autonomy.

The other half is made of excerpts from her book, the writing of which has changed Zelu’s life. Humanoid robots clash with bodiless AI, and through this we explore the importance of story and the legacy of humanity in a post-human world.

The stories’ ideas are woven together in beautiful ways, circling around an overarching theme of what it means to be human in the best and worst of ways.

Some other aspects of the book I loved included:

✔️ A fascinating look at how family members view each other and themselves in relation to the others.

✔️ An engaging and dynamic protagonist who I didn’t always agree with, but is such a force of nature.

✔️ A variety of sci-fi elements that are accessible and uniquely interesting.

✔️ Excellent intersectionality in the characters and their individual and collective back stories.

✔️ Many topics addressed that include ableism, social media fame, complex family dynamics, technological advances, and humanity’s tendency to put off solving problems until it’s too late.


This is the first book I’ve read from this author, but it certainly won’t be the last! Thank you so much for the advanced e-book, William Morrow and Netgalley!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book. I knew the author was mainly a sci-fi writer? But the premise of this book had me curious so I decided to dive in.
I LOVED this book.
The premise: Our novel starts when Zelu, loses her job as a professor after offering lets say harsh feedback in class. She is a disabled Nigerian American writer who most recent novel has been passed over by numerous publishing houses, So she sits down and writes the book within the book, Rusted Robots, makes her an overnight sensation.
It kind of reminded me of Erasure in a way ( the novel within the novel that goes viral) but there is where the similarities stop.

I loved this book even though it got a little slow in the middle.
I highly recommend.

Death of an Author by Nnedi Okorafor blurs the lines of genre to great effect, something hinted at from the title. As a fan of Okorafor's Binti novellas, I was eager to dive into the newest novel, intrigued by a novel about a writer. The main character, Zelu, loses her job as a writing professor at the start of the novel after offering straightforward feedback in class. A disabled Nigerian American writer who most recent novel has been passed over by numerous publishing houses, Zelu sits down and writes the book within the book, Rusted Robots, a novel about Earth after humanity which makes her an overnight sensation. I enjoyed how the novel moves between these two narratives, exploring storytelling, disability and ableism, and authorial intent. I really liked how both of these narratives mirrored each other, stories of what it is to be human from two different perspectives. While the pacing lagged a bit in the latter third of the novel, I was invested in all the stories woven together in this novel.

Death of an Author is a brilliant fusion of literary and science fiction, following Zelu, a disabled woman who, after losing her job and facing rejection from the publishing world, moves back in with her parents. In a bold move, she writes Rusted Robots-an Afrofuturist novel about a human-shaped android navigating a post-human world. This story, unlike anything she's written before, resonates deeply with her.
The novel weaves Zelu's personal journey with the evolution of her robot protagonist and adds depth through interviews with Zelu's relatives, friends, and colleagues. These perspectives highlight the disconnect between Zelu and her family-who struggle to recognize the value of her work-and the societal pressures shaping her identity and ambitions.
As Zelu's story and her android's quest for meaning intertwine, the novel becomes a meditation on humanity, storytelling, and legacy. While the pacing occasionally wavers, the bold blend of genres and cultural insight makes Death of an Author a powerful exploration of disability, authorship, and identity. It's an intimate character study and a sweeping speculative tale-perfect for readers ready to embrace its layered, thought-provoking storytelling.
All the stars for DEATH OF THE AUTHOR!

I was introduced to Nnedi Okorafor through the Levar Burton Reads podcast, and I was excited to read this novel. Zelu is at a crossroads in her life. She has lost her career, her novel has been rejected, and there's drama at her sister's wedding. Disabled from a childhood accident, frustrated by the overprotectiveness of her Nigerian family, Zelu writes a science fiction novel about robots, AI, and the fall of humanity.

That summary barely scratches the surface. This is a story of love, loss, identity, connection, and the power of story. Zelu is multilayered, complicated, and raw. Her relationships with her family & other loved ones are wonderfully crafted, poignant, and real. Her lived experience speaks volumes about the life of a disabled, African American woman and how American and Nigerian societies view both women and people with disabilities. The interwoven novel only highlights the story. The perspective of this story was informative, enlightening. It's a thought provoking novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the opportunity to read & review this title. The opinions here are mine & freely given.

This is such a unique perspective of storytelling. A book within a book. I really enjoyed it. It did get slow a little in the middle but i think that’s just due to the length and trying to intertwine 2 stories. I wasn’t expecting the ending.

I’ve never read Okorafor before and was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. The main story starts unfolding so slowly that it was hard to get invested, and the book within the book, while really well written, just wasn’t to my taste. I tried hard but gave up just shy of 13%.

I don’t like to give star ratings to books I don’t finish, but this site requires me to do so. I’d rather you not draw any conclusions from it.

I am late to the party on "Death of the Author" by Nnedi Okorafor, the curse of being a mood reader. Thank goodness I was not spoiled for anything because this was a treat.

Zelu has a rough hand, legs are paralyzed at 12, large family of high powered professionals, and she wants to write. When her life is flipped on its head and she hits a low point the words pour out and she crafts a book that takes the world by storm. "Rusted Robots" launches a bidding war with publishers, movie options, the whole deal. But that isn't all this story is. We get chapters from the story in the story so we see that story. These stories touch on each other and weave together so you get invested in both. Once I started I couldn't stop.

Reasons to read:
-A point of view and frame of story I don't think I have ever encountered before
-Zelu dealing with where she fits in her family, in the world as a Nigerian American, how her family sees her and what they think she can do, damn
-Got wrapped up in the stories on the stories, will always mark out at that
-I laughed, I cried, I felt waves of anger
-The food, got so hungry

Cons:
-Noooo bad adaptations in the fiction! Escape is impossible!

This book was a great combination of science fiction and literary family drama. We first meet Zelu, the main character, soon after she has been fired from her job teaching writing at a university. She is driven that night to sit down and write a novel different than anything else she’s written before.

This story then follows Zelu as she deals with the success and spotlight that the book brings. It also includes a story within a story, of a dystopian world with robots.

I loved the layers that this story had with Zelu and her family and the dynamics around her family here in America and also Nigeria. How Zelu was often seen as different and less-than because she is in a wheelchair. How her success both did and didn’t change that. Sometimes the choices Zelu made were frustrating, but Okorafor did a great job of explaining the why behind those choices.

Thanks to Bill from @anunlikelystory story for highlighting this book on @currentlyreadingpodcast Indie Press List episode. It was a good read that took me out of reality for a while.

Death of the Author tackles several themes, it's speculative, thought-provoking and uncomfortable. The key to this book are the dynamic very real and flawed characters. This reads as more literary fiction with sci-fi elements and it's different from her other work and it was well done. The story within a story can get trippy but it's worth the ride.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the ARC.

Thank you William Morrow, Nnedi Okorafor, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Death of the Author is a unique, genre blending novel that follows Zelu, a Nigerian writer who skyrockets to fame after publishing a sci-fi novel in the middle of a dark time. The book within a book structure was intriguing, I enjoyed the layered storytelling! At times, the sci-fi elements felt jarring and rushed, but I appreciated the overall journey. Zelu is a sharp, complicated protagonist who's tale brough many issues to light; family, power, identity, and who really gets to tell a story.

I wanted to like the book, since Nnedi Okorafor is a highly acclaimed author, and I love science fiction, but I just didn't enjoy the writing or the characters. I stopped reading the book at 30%.

I love Nnedi Okorafor! To me, she's a modern-day Octavia Butler, who I believe has a lot more to offer, and I look forward to all of it. Literary mixed with genre is definitely in my wheelhouse. Our main character, Zelu, is an outcast in a successful Nigerian-American family. She is wheelchair-bound due to a childhood accident, recently let go from an unfulfilling teaching job, and dreams of being an author. Fed up with her situation and fed up with her judgmental family, Zelu writes a sci-fi book that propels her into overnight success, a success which introduces her to people working on a new scientific discovery that may help her walk again, so a bit speculative as well. The book within a book is not something I typically enjoy, but it is spread out enough not to bog down the original story. This has it all: plot, character development, imagination, and stellar writing.

This book was so captivating and such an intricate read, exploring themes of cultural struggles, identity, and the pressures of pleasing both audiences and critics as an author. The story, rich with hidden meanings, is told through interviews, Zelu's perspective, and the viewpoint of the robot Ankara, offering multiple layers of interpretation.

The characters, especially Zelu and the side characters like her family, love interest, and doctor, are deeply developed, and the cultural insights into Zelu’s experiences were particularly helpful in understanding her character. The narrative does an excellent job of showcasing her complexities and personal growth.

I highly recommend this book for fans of both science fiction and literary fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Nnedi Okorafor for the ARC.

Quite honestly, I had really high expectations for this book, but it ultimately fell into the category of being poorly marketed. Given the author’s previous works, I was expecting a sci-fi novel with heavy, transportive world-building. I was really intrigued to see where the story would go, especially since it was marketed as a sci-fi book some months ago.

I always aim to be honest in my reviews and reflections, and I have to admit—I read about 60 to 70% of this book, took a moment to predict the ending, and then skimmed the rest. Come to find out…..the big twist was exactly what I thought it would be. I won’t spoil it outright, but as someone who went in this read expecting sci-fi and instead got an immigrant story/toxic family drama/character-driven literary fiction, the minor sci-fi elements stood out in a way that made the direction of the story really obvious.

This is a story within a story. We follow an author, Zelu, who has just lost her job and commits to writing something completely new. Her book, Rusted Robots, becomes a huge hit, catapulting her to success. But what tipped me off early on was the excessive amount of hype surrounding Zelu’s book. The way it was being praised didn’t align with how Rusted Robots was being presented to us. I also found the interviews interwoven throughout—featuring people in Zelu’s life—felt hyperbolic at times. While they ended up serving a purpose by the end, these also played a part in my disconnect and prediction of the large twist.

I think readers who go into this without expectations might enjoy it more. The cover is stunning, and I can see people picking it up for that alone. For readers who enjoy messy family dynamics or unlikable characters, this book will likely be gripping. They’ll be drawn into Zelu’s life, her choices, and the overall messaging behind the story within the story. However, for those who, like me, were expecting a true sci-fi novel, the execution may feel mismatched. I plan to revisit this book with the knowledge I have of it now. I hope that reread will increase my enjoyment.

DNF @20%

I need to preface the review with this: I L O V E this author. Absolutely adore her. With the exception of this book and one other [that I need to reread because I found I read it out of context], every book I have read by this author has been outstanding [ I started with Binti, was blown away and immediately dove into whatever I could find or was available to me], and I have been anxiously awaiting this audiobook so I could dive into this book and fall in love again.

Ummm...no?

In the 20% I read, I kept wondering if someone else [like a ghostwriter] had written this [until the first section of the the "Robot Story <--the book within a book, and then I *KNEW* it was truly Ms. Okorafor as that "voice" I knew/loved just came flooding out until it was over and the jarring "voice" of "now" yanked me back to the parts I disliked], and I struggled with the characters [who are truly just awful people], the story itself [which is insipid and surprisingly, very boring], the multiple narrators, and the gratuitous vulgar language until I found I just couldn't continue, and I am left confused and very disappointed. This was a book I was highly anticipating and it just didn't work for me and even now, a couple days after deciding to DNF, I am sad over the loss of this book.

I will say that I will keep reading Ms. Okorafor because I know that not every book is for everyone and not every book will work for all, even huge fans of an author's previous work. I have loved her books before and I will love them again; even in my disappointment, I am already thinking of what else of hers I can read [to make up for this] and I look forward to her new book in April.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and William Morrow for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.