Remote Control

Interesting, but found I got lost in the timeline of the story quite often.

I really wanted to enjoy Remote Control a lot more than I did. It was well written and initially the character of Fatima, aka Sankofa, aka “adopted daughter of the Angel of Death” was really interesting. I wanted to know more about them.

If I'm honest though, I completely lost track of the timeline, I think half way through the book I jumped around in time and I wasn't sure if the story was being told from the past or the present and it left me a little confused as to where the character was up to.

It was also strange (to me certainly) that Sankofa's family could be killed and they live in their mother's home whilst the mother's body is rotting (maggot detail to boot) - and yet this doesn't phase Sankofa - or at least it didn't come across to me.

Still, as I said, the story was well written and though I couldn't entire emphasis with the character, Sankofa is an interesting character all the same - even if I'm left wanting to know a lot more about them. (and like, what was the deal with the fox??!)

Remote control takes you on a journey of Sankofa, a lonely little girl as she chances down the strange alien “seed” that gave her the abilities she is slowly learning to control. She has taken on two nicknames during her travels, “Remote Control” for her effects on technology and the Adopted Daughter of Death. The Western influences mixing with Muslim and traditional cultures melding together within Ghana were interesting and highlights Afrofutureism well. This story was fantastically written and was my introduction to Nnedi Okorafor's work. I was made an instant fan.

The story was great. So many things happened and changed in such a small number of pages. Not only Sankofa got character development but many other and even Movenpick did. I am very confused about the ending and wish it was more clarified what she did. But I am going to interpret it as she destroyed all the seeds. I would rather have it be more explained though. I am not a fan of open endings.