While the first book in the She Who Knows trilogy took place before the events of Who Fears Death, One Way Witch jumps ahead to chronicle what happens to Najeeba after her daughter’s sacrifice that rewrote the world. Having lost her husband years ago and now her daughter as well, Najeeba is one of the few people who still remembers, grieves for, and rages at the truth of the past. But even those whose memories were overwritten are still marked by the traumas they endured, and driven by motivations they can’t fully understand.

Now in her 40s, Najeeba decides to finally embrace her identity as a sorceress, and begins rigorous training under her daughter’s former teacher. As Najeeba steps into her immense power, she makes for a reckless and rebellious student, always seeking to push limits and willing to suffer any consequences. At the same time, Najeeba reckons with how to heal the pains of her past and builds a new love to carry her into her future. One Way Witch is far from action-packed, but this isn’t a weakness. Okorafor uses this novella as an opportunity to deepen our understanding of Najeeba in a way that feels like an important bridge between the child we met in She Who Knows and the sorceress she’s becoming heading into the trilogy’s conclusion.

While I read the first novella She Who Knows last year, I made the mistake of not reading the companion story Who Fears Death in anticipation of this one. One Way Witch follows the protagonist from She Who Knows but occurs after the events of Who Fears Death and there is a fair bit lost in translation if you skip that one.

There is a massive time jump between the first novella and this one, and Najeeba and the world we discovered in the previous novella have both changed drastically. Najeeba has lost the optimism of youth, and in her middle-age she deals a lot with trauma and survivor’s guilt, grief over a life once lived and people once loved. In this way, it can be a hard book to read but I could actively feel Najeeba’s determination to direct her grief and her anger, her desire to change the world is palpable.

This isn’t my favourite in the series but I still enjoyed it. The world-building and social commentary that Okorafor manages to cram into these novellas is incredible as always.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed book 1, and as such I thought I was going to enjoy book 2. I was wrong. I am honestly not quite sure how that even happened. The drop off in writing from book 1 to 2 was extremely steep, or perhaps I didn't notice the quality in book 1 because the plot was intriguing. In book 2, the plot (what little there was) was not nearly as eye catching as the first book.

Najeeba (after a lot happens which is glossed over in a short forward/summary that made me only more confused) attempts to become a sorceress. The narration of it feels more like a script than a book, which is likely why my opinion was so low. Moreover, up until about halfway through the book, nothing really happens. She 'studies' but we aren't exactly told how.

The one major plotline was motivating but, in the end, fell flat. It did not end how the tone of the story made it seem like it would. Not even in a "ah-ah" kind of way, or a even a "twist". I'm fine with forgiveness and all that, but even after doing so, it doesn't feel like Najeeba was fine with ti, which was... strange, to say the least.

This book, as others have said, feels like set up for book 3. A bridge of sorts. It would have served better being longer, or far shorter. The plot (or at least what I assume will be the plot) for next book is to take out a specific person. This is a person that is mentioned twice throughout the book, once in the first half, once in the second, and both times with great amounts of hatred. So much hatred that they should have been a larger part of this book.

All in all, the pacing at least was good enough to turn the pages, and I did finish this one rather quickly, I think in three days or so. I know this is a complimentary series to another of Okorafor's series, but after this one, I unfortunately don't have any interest in checking them out.

This is #2 in the She Who Knows series, but unlike the first, this one really does rely more on the events of the Who Fears Death trilogy. I have not read the first trilogy, but had no problem with She Who Knows, but was often confused in this one. It is still well worth the read, but I'm sure would have far greater resonance if the first series had been read.
This is also a much quieter, less action-filled story than She Who Knows. There is great contemplation as Najeeba decides to become more than she is, and study to be a witch. Most of the book is full of her learning about herself, and her relationships with others. Okorafor always shows great depth in her writing, so it is once again a satisfying experience, but as another reviewer said, more of a bridge between the two series. Worthwhile.

I had a hard time coming up with a rating for this book bc while I loved having a middle aged heroine instead of a teenager, nothing happens. Nothing at all. The villain (?) that the book sets out as her goal to kill gets mentioned two more times in the entire book and only appears once. The Cleanser is never explained as to what it is, what it does or why she wants to kill it; in fact at one point the main character says she's also not going to research any of that either. So. Confused.

I started this series not realizing it's a companion series to another book, the author does a relatively good job with the foreword setting up for the events but it's hard to say if I would have gotten more out of this book if I'd read the other OR if that book is equally frustrating with over explaining / telling instead of showing some things and absolutely refusing to give even the barest of explanations for others. There's lots of the main character going I understand now or I see now but no attempt to also clue the reader in while at the same time continuously reminding the reader that her husband and child are both dead and that she's grieving instead of just showing the character grieving. There's also lots of large time gaps in the story, similar to the first novella.

It seems to be setting up for the main event to kick off immediately in the third book which gives the feeling that this book should have been a full length novel but instead is just the first half of a book sent out on its own.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy!

A wonderful trip, if suffering a bit from Middle Book Syndrome. While everything in this story must happen for what will surely be an epic climax in the closing volume of the trilogy, much of it is Najeeba's introspection.

Nnedi Okorafor continues the story of Najeeba, mother of Onyesonwu, the protagonist of Who Fears Death. We met Najeeba in She Who Knows, growing and beginning to come into her magic. She was always destined to be a sorcerer, though she is warned time and again that she is too reckless.

Then the world was remade and Najeeba is one of the few who remembers what it was like Before. In the now, she is missing her daughter and coming to terms with the disorientation of her new life, while still avoiding dealing with the trauma from Before. There's always been something that Najeeba's neighbors (and family) have thought her odd, which adds to some isolation. That's a lot of time to think. Some relief comes in the form of a glassmaker, a man affected by the Before he does not remember, but has shaped him just the same.

I think a lot of the nuance in this book might be lost on younger readers, though Okorafor's books are really for all ages. Finding yourself is relatable to many. Finding yourself in your forties is not necessarily so.

One of the things I love about this book is it approaches "fixing" time from a perspective we don't normally see: what happened when it was done. Trauma from racism and abuse and slavery takes its toll on the body and mind, even though the events that caused them were undone. The body and heart remember.

The revelation of how the world of the Before came to be and knowledge of an evil that is still out there, was intense and scary and filled me with awe. The scale of what Najeeba's power and recklessness wreaks is amazing and sets up a future (and the next book) well. I'm looking forward to the next books and reread of Who Fears Death.

I really enjoyed this. As much as I loved Onyesonwu's story, Najeeba's was always my favorite. It was great to really see her advance her skills. And I've always loved reading about adults who are already confident in themselves. While I loved reading it, when I reflect on the book, I don't feel that there was really a plot line to it. Najeeba learned and grew as a person but she didn't do much more than that. The beginning of the book introduces a mystery: Who/What is the Cleanser? And we get no progress on that mystery at all by the end of the book. And yet, there weren't any points in the story where I felt myself bored. In a way, this felt more like a novella that you would read between books: like expanding on a montage scene.

Nnedi Okorafor does it again!! After reading She Who Knows, I immediately fell in love with Nnedi’s writing. This sequel was no different. Not only was the writing absolutely gorgeous, but I just love being able to escape into new fantasy worlds, which this author supports you in doing. It’s just a mesmerizing and somewhat confusing (in a good way) experience as a reader.

Overall, I really enjoyed exploring more of Najeeba’s story, especially as we see her her struggle with letting go of control, mourn her ex husband and forgive people from her past, embrace agency and find love. Older Black women characters deserve all the love in fantasy stories, too. I also loved the magic and sorcery in this book, especially her training scenes. I found the bickering between the two entertaining and her reflection with the camel one of the most memorable scenes in the book. I also just love Nnedi’s refusal to fit into any boxes while writing, which made the story unique. I think people reading her work think too hard, not that they shouldn’t, but if you go into it expecting something “traditional” and stale, you’ll have no idea how to handle this story.

I do wish I understood this book’s connection to Who Fears Death because I haven’t read that one yet. At times I was confused because some of the events described in this book obviously took place in the Who Fears Death book. I only had the previous book, She Who Knows, and the prologue to lean on. Either way, I’m really looking forward to the third book in the series and hope we get to spend more time with Najeeba.

Thank you for the ARC. It is such a joy to read more of Nnedi Okorafor’s writing.
—
I finished She Who Knows earlier this year & re-read Who Fears Death which helped me keep up with a lot that was happening. It helps a lot to read both. You’re even nudged to do so. I wish more authors would write “recaps,” though. That was a lovely touch.

I genuinely love Nnedi Okorafor’s writing. This was such an emotional continuation. As it ended, I found myself waiting for more pages to appear. Not to rush the process, but I look forward to reading what comes next.

One thing to note, is you really need to read Who Fears Death before picking up the second novella in the series! One Way Witch begins during the events of that novel and mostly occurs after Onyesonwu, the daughter of Najeeba, had changed the world.

This novella is about a woman in middle-age finding herself in a new way, healing from the past, and stepping into her power and who she might become. It explores how the body carries memories of trauma, even when the mind doesn't remember the details, and how art can be a form of healing and catharsis. I don't know what it is, but across both novellas I have found Najeeba and her story to be so very compelling. I liked Who Fears Death for what it's doing, but these novellas have both hit me in a different way. Loved it. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I truly believe that Nnedi Okorafor is a phenomenal writer with an unmatched imagination. Sadly, this book reads like the middle of a trilogy, as it is. It is one that should not be read without first reading Who Fears Death and She Who Knows. It would make absolutely no sense without reading those first.

We return to Najeeba after the events of Who Fears Death. Her daughter is gone, the world has changed due to the rewriting of the Great Book. Almost no one remembers what happened before but the trauma remains. People are coming from the Nuru lands but do not know why they left. Najeeba is training with Aro and becoming stronger in her own ways.

Definitely a must-read for anyone who has already read in this world but also I recommend starting Who Fears Death as soon as possible.

Thank you to Net Galley and DAW for the DRC. All opinions are my own!

One Way Witch is the second book in the She Who Knows Trilogy. It follows Najeeba as a middle aged adult after the departure of her daughter, who has changed the world (book: Who Fears Death). Najeeba trains to become a powerful sorcerer in order to address the threat of the 'Cleansers.' This book is mainly about her journey in grief after her daughter leaves and her husband dies. It's also about her finding love, addressing traumas from her past and coming into her extraordinary power.

I enjoyed her first book in this series slightly more because that world with the salt mines and her as a child was just incredible from the first page to last. This book was much darker, which I do think was necessary for this particular story arc. For a short book, I'm consistently amazed at how this author packs so much story into so few pages. The vibes and the imagination is just a joy to read and it's one of the many reasons I love this author. The way she wrote the water scene near the end of the book was amazing.

I can't wait to keep promoting this author and her books at our small bookstore! While I do feel like the themes this author writes about and the way she handles the magical realism, and darker material may not appeal to the larger masses, I do think this author deserves a lot more visibility for her works.

I received an ARC from #netgalley to read this book.

When I sat down to read this book I had recently finished She Who Knows but hadn’t read The Book of Phoenix nor Who Fears Death. The beginning of One Way Witch provides a summary of what went down in Who Fears Death (it’s intense) and I realized that while this summary was helpful I was doing myself a disservice by not reading that book before reading this novella. I devoured it and then quickly read The Book of Phoenix. Initial thought was, “wow I see so many connections across this book universe even in the Akata series…” I then went back to She Who Knows and skimmed it again with these eyes that had taken in the two other books.

With all this in mind, I’m not terribly surprised I was taken back by what felt like such an abrupt end to this book. I realize it is novella but I had been comparing it to She Who Knows which felt like a much more complete story. It’s difficult to really evaluate this book on its own because it feels like I’m missing at least a chapter. This feeling is so strong that I keep wondering if perhaps something was amiss with the ARC file. Well, I look forward to the next in this series as I really really don’t like cliffhangers.

Thank you NetGalley and DAW for the ARC of One Way Witch. I really liked this book. The world building was great and it was a good continuation of the first book in the trilogy. Najeeba’s character really grew in this book. The author also did a great job setting up suspense for the final book in the trilogy. For being a novella the author did a great job packing a lot into such a few pages. I am really looking forward to the next book1

[Thank you, DAW and NetGalley, for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.]

Nnedi Okorafor's One Way Witch meditates heavily on themes of becoming, grief and trauma, racial violence, the many kinds of love, and what it means to atone especially for those wronged. The tale's juju system and the Mystic Points far beyond it is captivating, threading weight and vitality through many painfully happy on-page years. West African cultures inspire each moment (each everything) with adoring fire. Most authors love their worlds in their way but rarely is that love so clearly radiant as in this, Najeeba's time between times. A perfect salt cube.

One Way Witch is the warm, shifting sand as you nap in the sun. It burns as it soothes, and then burns again. It's slow. Pensive. Najeeba, careful in her reckless way, reflects on her life (lives) and Okorafor invites the reader to do the same. I'm loathe to say more and mar the mirror for future readers—this is a story best heard unfiltered. Be still and be ready.

What I will say: I strongly recommend starting with Who Fears Death. Okorafor's seminal Africanfuturist novel is the foundation for Najeeba's own series even as book one, She Who Knows, breathes to life years before Onyesonwu sets out to change the world. Okorafor recommended it first, in the author's note, so you know it's real. Settle in. Let this world become home.

Not the kind of read that my customers would buy. They just want light holiday reads. I couldn't sell as I didn't enjoy it myself.

One Way Witch is the second book in the She Who Knows series. This book is about what happens after the events from Who Fears Death so I highly recommend reading Who Fears Death, before reading One Way Witch to fully understand the story. As for the story Najeeba is forty and learning from Aro the sorcerer to become one. I absolutely love Nnedi Okorafor's worldbuilding and appreciate how she creates a shared universe across her novels. I don't know what to say without spoiling it but it was a really good story. I highly recommend this series and can't wait to read the final installment. Thanks to Netgalley and DAW for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'll post my review closer to the publication date.

This is the story of Najeeba’s midlife – her daughter is gone and her second husband is dead. She wants to learn more about witching and becoming the kponyungo. She must learn new ways to open her mind and heart to confront people and events in her distant and near past and in the future.
Nnedi Okorafor always cracks me open and forces me to look at things in new ways. Her books are mind bending and satisfying and magical.

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for this DRC.
#OneWayWitch #NetGalley

'I walked into the desert, in the opposite direction my daughter would soon walk and never return from. I wasn't afraid to be alone. Onyesonwu held me to this world. Without her, I was nothing. I clung to the weight of her. If only to be there for her if she somehow needed me. And so I walked into the desert to unlock something I'd put away long ago.'

One Way Witch shows Najeeba's perspective of the time immediately before and after her daughter's remaking of the world, which story is told in Who Fears Death. This book acts as a bridge for Najeeba from these events to the role she knows she has to play in the future of the new world.

Though Nnedi Okorafor's writing is as evocative as ever of the pain and anguish experienced by the protagonists, this book is essentially some time off for Najeeba as she studies magic and processes her feelings to move on - and the slow story arc reflects this break. Her character arc remains strong as she actively journeys to where she wants to be in her life.

The book on the whole is still recommended for anyone who wants to follow the series and keep tabs on the world-building. The strengths of the book, and the series, are definitely the writing and the character arcs.

Thanks to NetGalley, Nnedi Okorafor and the publishers DAW for the advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

🌟🌟🌟
[3/4 stars for the premise and the whole book; Half a star for the writing; Half a star for the world-building; Half a star for the story arc; 3/4 stars for the characters - Three stars in total].

Black History Month

I read SHE WHO KNOWS for a book club I didn't end up attending. I loved it. Though short, it packed a punch. This is also short. It packs no punches. I found myself so bored with the continuation of Najeeba's story. She has grown into a rather staid adult. There are reasons for this, but as I zoned in and out of this book, I won't go into them.

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and DAW