The Book of Phoenix

Young and hot-headed
suspicious of those in charge
she's been burned before.

I just finished this and I loved it. But I'm not sure what to say - it was a quick read for me, it was fascinating and exciting, and the world was interesting. But I don't really know how to explain why I liked it so much...

This book felt more of an african fable instead of a science fiction book, which gave it a feeing of age and heart some books lack.

(I may be being a little unfair on this one, as it is only through coming to Goodreads that I've realised it is a prequel to another book, and so there may be context I'm missing, but I can only review what I've read. Although I didn't really enjoy this one, I will seek out Who Fears Death, because I really enjoyed Ms Okorafor's Lagoon, and to see if reading it affects my opinion of this book.)

This short novel explores the evils of capitalist exploitation and colonisation though the medium of superhero fiction. It's very passionate, well written and powerfully told, but it is almost entirely lacking in any nuance. There are no shades of grey here, and the bad guys are so ridiculously over the top bad that the no doubt heartfelt passion and anger fuelling Phoenix' rebellion just ends up seeming shallow and cartoonish. I get that Phoenix the narrator is young and certain of her beliefs in the way the engaged young are, but it makes for one sided storytelling.