Reviews with content warning for Gore - Who Fears Death

Dr. Nnedi Okorafor writes the most interesting characters and hasn't failed for me yet.

Here we follow Onyesonwu throughout her life as she goes through many trials to find out exactly what it is that is her purpose. Onye is a child of rape and is discriminated against because of her mixed heritage, which can be easily seen on her features. Set in a far future Sudan, this novel still carries issues that have been known in the region, such as weaponized rape, child soldiers, violence against women, racism, etc.

I really appreciated how Okorafor built the spiritual and magical aspects of the story. In many ways, they reminded me of magical realism as well as showed me a completely different way to think about ancestors and the way that people can be connected via their spiritual beliefs.

Overall what it came down to were the characters. I love it when characters aren't just the idealized hero and the perfect side characters. They are all flawed in different ways, they might be stubborn, be incredibly impatient, or even let their carnal desires take over when they might need to prioritize other things in their lives.

All in all, if you want to see a completely different take on fantasy that features a strong woman and also strong supporting partner and companions, do check this out. Do take the content warnings seriously before reading though!

Content Warnings

dannilmp's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is a book I picked up for the Storygraph reads around the world 2023 challenge, and it was not a disappointing read. A very dark and emotional read, full of a lot of violence, grapic detail and mature themes from the start. I would recommend a thorough checking of trigger warnings beore reading this novel.

We follow a female sorcerer, unusual for the times, as she goes on a journey to discover more about herself in a world who views her as a threat just for the circumstances of her birth. I feel there is a lot to reflect on within this novel about the nature of human beings, the advancements of technology and what we can learn moving forward.

While I thought the overall novel was great, I did get a little bit lost reading the epilogue and trying to figure out what this meant for the ending of the story and how this epilogue fits in. I still haven't come up with a satisfying conclusion days later.

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kharlan3's review against another edition

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applesaucecreachur's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

If you're searching for a sci-fi fantasy of nonstop honest love, graphic violence, and jaw-dropping magic, look no further. Who Fears Death has it all. The magic system? Absolutely enchanting. It seemed to have no definitive boundaries on what was and was not possible, and this made sense within a story contrasting rigid tradition with radical change. The characters operated within a gendered and highly racialized society and subverted its expectations. Their personalities and relationships were well fleshed-out and I found myself either loving or loving to hate them. Onyesonwu, as the protagonist, often bordered on being a Mary Sue with her unique appearance

and immense magical power.

However, she was also flawed and often irrational, and her actions all had their appropriate consequences.

That said, the story was not without its issues (though granted, I am used to reading Western authors telling Western or Westernized tales): the

villainous sorcerer/father to the protagonist Daib seemed often too villainous, and the tropes that propped his character diminished his efficacy as an antagonist

. Once Onyesonwu learned

to refine her healing powers and command death, the heinous injuries and demise throughout began to lose their touch on me as the reader. Don't get me wrong, I want Mwita alive and well in the next book as much as the next fan of flawed but devoted love interests. Still, I believe the final chapter cheapened his impactful death.

.

And the ending. Oh my God.

Mwita, Luyu, and Onyesonwu's deaths aside, the conclusion to this first book came way out of left field. I'm still grappling with it. Powers? For everyone? A maimed and weakened Daib?

So much feels left unsaid. I pray that the prequel answers some of my questions, but truly, only a future installment could do this with the shifting nature of Okorafor's world. It's a world I itch to return to.

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