The House of Rust

WINNER OF THE 2022 URSULA K. LE GUIN PRIZE FOR FICTION

A magnificent read, blending mythopoeic fiction with a sort of young adult coming of age story. I found it hard to immerse myself in the story because I was often distracted by its gorgeous imagery and prose. The book creates a vivid image of its characters (the headstrong Aisha is a feminist hero Le Guin would be proud of) without compromising their realistic story arcs. This book is a LOT. I think I will have to re-read it to understand it better.

It almost felt like an African Patricia McKillip, which is just about the highest praise I can give a book.