Excellent storytelling, engaging and believable characters. I came away from the story wishing I could read more of Zelu's work, which is a testament to how well the story-within-a-story was executed.

First, thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this book. I loved Zelu and her boisterous, noisy, loving, and confusing family. I loved her partner and all of the characters we meet along the way. I LOVE that we get not just one book, but BONUS--a SF novel too! The one our main character writes at the lowest point of her life. I did often feel frustrated by her family whose love threatened to smother Zelu. It seemed unrealistic to me that everyone of them would be so negative about her achievements, dreams, and desires. But I was so caught up in her story, that I forgave them and just enjoyed the ride.

I read the eBook, but I would love to listen to an audiobook version of this. I'm sure I mangled most of the names (in my head). Like Zelu's fans in the book, I am already longing for a sequel, but I'll satisfy myself with seeking out another of Okorafor's books. I was delighted to learn that she is a resident of Phoenix, AZ as am I. Maybe she'll turn up at a Changing Hands Bookstore doing a reading one of these days.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style--very clear, visual, with many passages I found so compelling I had to highlight them to ponder later. There's so much in this book, it's hard to discuss it all. It's a book that deserves another reading. Maybe I'll listen to the audiobook--please make one!

As for the sequel, I think I want two books--one to carry on the Rusted Robot story and one to see what Zelu does next!

I was not crazy about the book until the very end. It may be novel for some readers but I am a little tired of the story within a story device. But then the two stories got tangled together in an infinity loop and you arent quite sure which story came first. That was magnificent.

Nnedi Okorafor always centers humanity within her science fiction and I love that so much! I am not a science fiction reader but I adore everything she writes and this was no exception. My only sadness is that it is too short.

This was my first time reading a book by Nnedi Okorafor so I really didn't know what to expect. Obviously, I've heard of Nnedi Okorafor and I've heard of how wonderful of a writer Okorafor is. Somehow, I just never got around to reading one her books before, which is an oversight on my part that I am happy I was able to correct with this arc.

Death of the Author was a beautiful blend of literary and contemporary through a book within a book frame. Sometimes, I do not like stories that do this because it can be difficult to tell which story you are reading. However, Okorafor has visual clues (including cute little robot emojis in the chapter headings) when the story has shifted and the writing is distinct enough. I'd classify this as a piece of metafiction that doesn't necessarily read as metafiction at first. You're thrown into the world of the main characters Zelu/Ankara and the story moves rather quickly while also taking its time, if that makes sense.

From reviews I had seen before reading my own copy of the arc, I already knew that the book had some aspects of social commentary, but I wasn't sure what it would be like. I was worried it would be didactic, but that didn't necessarily happen until the very end. I found the characters enjoyable, even when they got on my last nerves (although Chinyere and Amarachi were pushing it). I felt for Zelu and I felt for Ankara. Zelu, in particular, is a well-written character. I obviously feel more for her because of how she is framed as the main character of one of the storylines in the book, she is not without flaw and she is not always likeable. That makes her real in a way that made me care more about her and her desires, even when they were asinine to me.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and an excellent introduction to Nnedi Okorafor for me.

I absolutely loved this book! From start to finish, it had me hooked. The story was captivating, the characters were well-developed, and the pacing was perfect. I couldn’t put it down! The author’s writing style is fresh, engaging, and truly immersive. This is now one of my favorite reads, and I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next. They’ve easily become one of my top favorite authors. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great read. Five stars, without a doubt!

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor is a fascinating blend of literary fiction and Afro-futuristic sci-fi. The story follows Zelu, a 32-year-old writer who faces creative challenges and personal hardships. After being fired from her university job and having her novel rejected, she pens a far-future epic called Rusted Robots. This book projects her into literary stardom, but also brings unexpected challenges.
Okorafor masterfully combines razor-sharp commentary with heartfelt humanity, creating a meta-drama that explores the relationship between writer and reader. The book is both funny and deeply poignant. If you enjoy stories that challenge conventional narratives and delve into the complexities of identity and creativity, this book is a must-read.

This is the first book that I've read from Nnedi Okorafor, I was surprised to learn how many books she has written already. After reading 'Death of the Author' I will be checking out her earlier books. This latest book is a fascinating story of a paraplegic Nigerian-American woman and her relationship with her extended family.

I continue being a fan of Nnedi Okorafor and am adding "Death of the Author" to my favorites list.

I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and the opportunity to get to know the other characters from their chapter with Zelu being the primary human voice, grounding the story. Okorafor gave me all of the emotions and I was forced to read slower as I processed them. I didn't realize until the end that I was holding my breath, hoping that nothing bad was going to happen to my favorites. And, speaking of the ending, I love it.

This book was a great read! It is well-written and it draws the reader into the story. You feel that you are actually there. I enjoyed reading this so much that I plan to check out more of Okorafor's writing.

Death of the Author started too slow for me to get even halfway through it. What I did read was ok, but I couldn’t connect to any of the characters. It seemed to me to be such an interesting premise. It just wasn’t for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Like Zelu, I'm not a fan of Sci-Fi... Or, at least, not hard SF. I do love grounded, relationship-based SF like Ishiguru's Never Let Me Go. This book is primarily literary fiction, about a Nigerian American author who is paralyzed and on a journey to find herself (within her career, within the world, and within her family), with SF chapters interwoven-- although in the end, which one is the framing story is cleverly called into question.
The entirety of Zelu's world, from her family to the food they enjoy with each other, her budding romance, and her relationship with her body, is all rendered in vivid language so that it has a visual and emotional resonance. My only gripe with the literary part of the story is that I struggle to believe the level of fame Zelu is purported to experience. Perhaps she'd be recognizable in Nigeria, or in certain niche circles, but it's exceedingly rare that any artist experiences constant recognition the way Zelu does.
While I do see the importance of the SF chapters, and the parallels between Zelu's journey and the Rusted Robots story. However, I definitely would've preferred far less of the SF chapters. Had they been pared back significantly, I'd have enjoyed the book more. But overall, the book is very unique and unpredictable, and I really loved the meta approach to writing-- an author who is writing a version of herself and then seemingly begins to start altering herself to become more like the robot character. Fans of literary intersectionality and AfroFuturism will surely enjoy this book.

Nnedi Okorafor may be one of my new favorite writers, I loved her novel Lagoon and now Death of the Author is also a must tell everyone to read this book as well. Death of the Author is a book within a book, centered around Zelu, a misfit Nigerian American woman who is an adjunct professor/author/paraplegic. However, when she loses her job, she writes a book, Rusted Robots, that quickly becomes a massive phenomenon. The book switches between Zelu and the book Zelu authored, but the switches are seamless, which is not easy to do well. This book is an amazing ouroboros of a work and I loved it.

This was my first by this author and it won't be the last! The storytelling was exquisite and Zelu was an incredibly well crafted character. I loved the fresh take on the sci-fi genre.

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor hooked me in from the first chapter and continued to reel me in until I finished the book. How creative and ingenious. this book was. I love a book that I cannot tell what is going to happen. The author creates a tale of a boisterous loving family with so many characters that it takes a bit to remember everyone. I love how the book intertwines the sci fi book Rusted Robots that the main character Zelu is trying to write and then follows her life and family.
I also found the interview parts with all that know Zelu (the main character) and how you get their point of view of how they feel about Zelu or what is going on from their side of the events. I was so invested with the authors description of food that I found a recipe for Jollof Rice and made it for my family who loved it. I liked it, but was too spicy for me to enjoy. The book also explores the different African cultures and their different myths or stories. I am so grateful to Netgalley for allowing me to read this amazing book. The title had me curious and then I dived in and couldn't wait to find out what happens. I felt sad at the end because I loved having those characters in my life and now the story ended and I cannot enjoy any more moments with Zelu.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Death of the Author was an interesting and completely unexpectedly meta take on the art of storytelling in a sci-fi setting. Love her or hate her, Zelu as a main character is really a force to be reckoned with. As she maneuvers her way through newfound stardom as an author and the changes it means for her relationship with her friends and family, she never loses her core beliefs and dreams. Though the parallel story focused on the plight of robots in a distant future, their stories felt oddly human and really emphasized the mark of humanity.

Sometimes when you read a book, you feel that you devoured it. When you read this book, it will devour you. Completely engrossing and overwhelming and exhilarating. It makes you think and feel and explore minds and space. Zelu and Ankara are two of the most amazing characters. There is a wedding and a funeral, and love and friendship between humans and not humans, and change, always changes, and those who do not want us to change.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for this DRC.
#DeathoftheAuthor #NetGalley

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Nnedi Okorafor does a wonderful job crafting her characters and her storytelling is always above par. This is a nice addition to her repertoire.

This book was absolutely brilliant! The real life cultural aspects mixed with science fiction really had me intrigued the entire time!! I genuinely put all other books on hold to read this because I could not put it down. That swap at the end with who was telling the story was absolutely fascinating as well. I will be pre-ordering a physical copy of this book so I can re-read it when it releases.