Audiobook Review | Binti

I’m on an audiobook roll recently.

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Binti
Nnedi Okorafor

Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.

Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti’s stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.

If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself – but first she has to make it there, alive.

Bookshop.org | Goodreads | The StoryGraph | Amazon

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I seem to be picking a lot of short but hard-hitting novels recently. Binti is another one to add to the list. The cover of this book caught my eye, and I was intrigued by the premise.

I did wonder how the author was going to explore so much in so few pages, but whilst there was scope to make this a much longer story, it didn’t feel like it needed to be. The author managed to convey a lot without having to delve into every detail.

I loved getting to know Binti, and about her culture, I liked the blend of the traditional and the futuristic. Her people seem very isolated from the rest of society, but make tech that everyone seems to use. 

I did feel for her that after making the momentous decision to leave home and travel to Oomza University, things started to go a bit wrong on the journey. She is such a resilient character in the face of so much change, and I admired her for it.

The only thing that I felt was a bit let down by how succinct the story is was the Meduse. I felt they got off so easily in the story, given what happened, and I wonder if exploring their history a little further wouldn’t have left me with this feeling. 

The narration by Robin Miles was fantastic. She brought the world to life, making it hard for me to pause because I just wanted to keep listening.

I would definitely be interested to see what happens to Binti next.