Who Fears Death

I almost loved this novel. I was fully here for the post-apocalyptic Africa setting, and the burgeoning feminist-ism of the main characters, and the hits against racism and misogyny. I love a good coming-of-age quest novel, and some meaty dystopia always makes me want to read more.

It just felt like something - something - was missing. I never quite felt like I understood or tracked with some of the key relationships in the novel. I wanted more development of some of the secondary characters, that seemed to play a major part in Onye's journey. And the ending felt....well, it seemed a bit too neat and tidy that a quest that took 375 pages and the deaths of several main characters could be resolved in one chapter.

This novel had the spark of something great, but for me it never quite arrived. I love the author's ideas, however, and will definitely be reading more of her work.