This was a fantastic series with so many amazing features, including a female, person of color, who is the HERO; she loves math and technology and is excellent at them both; she is from an African tribal community who are mistreated by the lighter skinned Khoush people and thought of as primitive (though they rely on them - the Himba - to produce essential communications technology), though this culture also treats it's women as lesser-than, AND looks down on another outsider culture who lives deep in the desert (though they are actually extremely advanced) ... So many relatable, applicable, complex issues brought to the fore through this epic tale about a girl, Binti, who just wants to see and experience more beyond her isolated culture. She travels off world to Oozma University, which is something of a Hogwarts for smart, curious students from across the galaxy. Students sneer at Binti, first Himba to attend, who looks to them to be primitive and Other. She only feels fully dressed and connected to her home culture when wearing a clay-and-oil-like substance smeared all over her body, which many, though tentacled, fur covered, gigantically tall, and flying, cannot somehow accept. Binti speaks across all organic forms of life, and attempts to bring peace to a long war between Khoush and Meduse.

This book was so masterful in its world-building and character creations that as soon as you begin reading you are immediately enveloped and shown a vivid picture of all that is going on. I feel as much connection to this series as I did to Madeline L'Engle's "Wrinkle in Time" series, and Rowling's "Harry Potter" series. Looking forward to other books by the author, and immediately buying her other book, "Who Fears Death." Love love love.

I love the world building done in these short stories! The combination of science and magic of sorts is really magnificently done here. The main thing that bugged me was the inconsistency between the first two stories and the third. It was such a big difference that it completely turned me on the story line which is why I'm not recommending it. I think if those kinks were worked out it would otherwise be perfect.

Every now and then I simply have to accept that my response to a book is just an outlier. For whatever reason, I’ll read a book that has met pretty much universal acclaim, finish it, and think to myself, “Huh. Really?” Which was my recent experience with Binti: The Complete Trilogy by Nnedi Okafor, whose stories have been praised all over the place and taken home multiple awards, which is probably, based on the clear consensus, what you should probably pay more attention to. For me though, it was another case of, “really?”

The omnibus includes the novellas Binti, Binti: Home, and Binti_ The Night Masquerade, as well as the short story “Binti: Sacred Fire.” (between Binti and Binti: Home). In the first story, Binti, a young Himba girl leaves Earth against the will of her family and African village, to attend Oomza University. But her journey off-planet becomes a nightmare when her ship is attacked by the jelly-fish like Meduse as part of their war with the Khoush (a human people who look down upon the Himba). The Meduse kill everyone on board save Binti, thanks in large part to a mysterious artifact of ancient technology she’d found some years ago. Given the next few novellas, it’s not spoiler to say Binti not only survives to make her way to Oomza but also helps broker a truce between the Khoush and Meduse. Binti: Home shows us Binti trying to find her way at Oomza even as she deals with the trauma of her journey there. Eventually, her needs drive her back home, a journey she undertakes with the Meduse Okwu, who has become her friend and is the first Meduse on Earth. But home is never home once you leave, as Binti finds out. Even more complicating, she learns her family and her people’s history isn’t exactly what she thought. She’s also forced to face her own biases as well. Meanwhile, bringing Okwu with her turns out to be less an act of diplomacy and more the spark that lights the fire. Finally, the Night Masquerade closes out the series by both resolving some issues and opening up others.

To start with the positive, and there are a good number of those, the focus on conflicts of culture — both external and internal, the sense of outsider-ship minorities feel, power relationships between oppressed and oppressor, the sense of colonial entitlement are strong themes throughout. Okorafor shows some wonderful moments, such as when a Khoush touches Binti’s hair without permission to “see what it was like,” or when Binti notes she’s the only Himba on the transport shuttle or the first of her people to be accepted at Oomza, clear analogues to real life situations. Even better, Okorafor always eschews the easy path of making her main character wholly free of bias herself. Instead Binti must come face to face with her own insidious prejudice against the desert people, while her denigrated-by-the-Khoush people do their own fair share of denigrating others.

I also was taken by Okorafor’s bio-technology. She far from the first to pepper a science fiction tale with biologically based spaceships and other technology (Scott Westerfeld also does an excellent job with the trope in his LEVIATHAN TRILOGY), but her level of detail and originality stands out, as does the humane warmth she ascribes to some of her creations.

Finally, on a sentence level, there are some wonderfully crafted lines throughout and Okorafor’s stylistic gifts are often at the forefront.

All that said, I found the series as a whole, and each individual story (though to varying degrees) disappointing. As a general matter, they felt far more YA than I had expected in terms of ease of events, “magical” technology that is all too convenient, direct narration that tells me more than shows me, a character that is a little too brilliantly and easily effective. The narrative often felt choppy and abrupt, “twists” were all too predictable, some actions (or lack of actions) were too implausible (including ones that were labeled as such), and some of the drama felt artificial due to the preceding contrivances. I didn’t feel particularly engaged with characters (even Binti) or plot. Were it not for the aforementioned acclaim, I’m sure I wouldn’t have read past the first one, and it was really only out of a sense of both obligation (I received the book to review) and a grim curiosity (“there must be something stunning coming, right? Just around the corner?”) that I kept going.

As I said at the outset, I’m obviously way, way out of the general consensus on these books, so one should take my reaction in that context. But for me, while there was certainly evidence of originality, depth, and stylistic panache here, these stories just didn’t hold up for me.

This is a classic of Afrofuturism filled with interesting characters and technology and insights into how different ethnic groups might exist and interact in the future.

Wonderful world building, great supporting characters, fabulous cultural detail, and amazing story. And then we have Binti herself. Just, wow. She is intense. I really came to love Binti- she's so strong, and yet, so relatable, believable, vulnerable, flawed. She has tantrums, she throws things across the room, hurts herself trying to break things, then puts on her big girl panties and gets on with business. So much gets thrown at her, and she grows to take it on. Life makes her become more than she wants to be, and she deals with it. I gush, but damn! I want to be like Binti when I grow up! I loved learning about the Himba culture while reading this book, and I loved that her "magic" was based on mathematical equations. This edition includes a short story that falls between the first and second books that adds to the overall story nicely.

Count me in as another who wanted to love this book but didn't. I'd heard great things about Okorafor and had wanted to try some of her work so I was happy to see this on offer and to be approved to read it. The opening chapter was great. I loved the details about Binti: her life, her interests, her culture and her hopes for Uni. Then once the major initial event of the book takes place, I got bored. Even making it to the halfway point of the first story was a slog. The strengths of the book are not enough to outweigh the lackluster writing and plot. Sorry but this one isn't for me.

Binti is a unique heroine and the strong cultural narrative running through this scifi/fantasy story is quite compelling. I have recommended this trilogy to others before, but it is even more attractive packaged all together as one book, especially since the individual books were very short and expensive, putting off some readers. Excellent read!

The Binti trilogy is a very beautiful coming of age story that depicts what it is like to not meet the expectations of those around you and what it means to disagree or be different than your family and culture. Binti chooses to go to Oomza University despite the risk that she will become effectively banished from her home for leaving. Once she leaves, she witnesses a massacre as a result of a class in cultures, and chooses the difficult path of helping reconcile the feud between the Medusae and the Khoush. Contradicting the feelings of her people, she befriends a member of the Medusae and ends up learning more about her family's history and what she can do to broker peace.

For my reading preference, the stories felt rushed (which make sense because they are short!). But I really wanted to read more about Binti's history, culture and the Binti-verse. I think that Okorafor has an incredible gift for world-building and writing uniquely imaginative stories- I strongly recommend the Binti Trilogy for readers looking for a quick sci-fi read :)

OK, I really wanted to like this book. The premise seemed right up my alley. I had a hard time becoming invested in the story. The world building was deep and at times heavy. Its really hard to find the right balance between too much world building and not enough, especially in the scifi genre. There can be a lot that needs to be painted since the writer is essentially creating a whole new world. I'm not sure about the characters. They were there, but were they special. I'm not sure yet.

I gave the book three stars because it had a lot of potential, but I couldn't get into the story.

I had always been curious about this story so I was pleased to see the trilogy offered.The book involves a young African girl from a small tribe in a time far in the future. She dreams of going to University -Oomza Uni, a very prestigious institution with students from all over the Universe. Binti leaves home and all that she know to go and is nearly killed trying to get there.The coming of age tale blossoms from the minute she leaves home into a fantastic adventure with many trials and perils along the way. The author brilliantly conveys the beauty and perils of Binti's world. She represents honor and love of family and friendship along with the folklore and traditions of the Beings. She is sometimes a hero and sometimes despised. She makes friends and enemies and tries to do the right thing.It is a beautiful story ;well worth the investment.

Binti: The Complete Trilogy tells the story of a girl who comes from a small tribe and decides to set out on her own to a university in space. Even though leaving home is considered taboo, she feels pulled to pursue her education and embarks on a journey that will mean facing tragedies, going through major changes, and meeting unusual individuals. This trilogy is fascinating. The atmosphere is great, but the focus is on the characters. Growth, family, and friendship is the sole of this trilogy. It perfectly blends hope for individuals while also warning against the bleakness of society. It is entertaining, and it is important.

These books are so entertaining. The cultural aspects, the characters and their journeys; the world building was lackluster and I felt some things could be developed more, but I still enjoyed this read.

If you haven't read Binti, you have clearly been missing out on life itself! Worry not, because in all of Nnedi Okorafors' awesomeness she has placed all 3 of them into one volume WITH a new short story and she did not come to play! As usual, Okorafor has managed to fully engross you with her amazing world-building skills, if you don't feel like you're in her world there is something seriously wrong with you! This is probably the best thing since sliced bread and I have to say that I have been waiting almost a year (I heard about this being a possibility last Jan) for this. I can't wait to get a copy for our library, this is a must read for any young woman who enjoys sci-fi/fantasy. Okorafor has the perfect blend of Aliens and African folklore and quite frankly we need her to write more of it! YES, YES, and more yes! Thank all of the Netgalley gods for this amazing ARC, in exchange for an honest review

The Binti series is one of the deepest set of books I’ve read in years. It’s full of heart and soul-searching, featuring a young woman who desperately wants to know who she is amidst the many cultures that would claim her. Binti travels through space, sets foot on a new world, expands her knowledge beyond anything her people have known. She experiences parts of her heritage she had never known and becomes a part of new heritages she could never have imagined. It’s a beautiful series, one that deserves to be treasured.

The new trilogy includes a short story that fills in some gaps between the first and second novellas. We see Binti still coping from the loss of her friends, trying to fit in at her new university. We see her struggle with what has happened and in the end, she meets a few friends she desperately needs. The short adds a little to the epic saga, and left me with hope that there’s much more to experience in the world of Binti.

Review excerpt for Binti (Book 1):
Binti is a beautiful piece of cultural poetry, examining the roots humanity has to our heritage and how those experiences help us grow into the people we will one day become. Binti, a young woman from Namib, becomes a sensation overnight thanks to her quick thinking amidst a terrible attack. The novel is a love story to her culture, harkening back to her people’s rituals and their deep knowledge of mathematics and life lines. It’s a story that deserves to be read multiple times, to be seen as a masterwork of world building and character creation.

Review excerpt for Binti: Home (Book 2):
Binti: Home is a deeper journey into Binti’s heritage, revealing the many secrets of her family’s past and the hidden parts of her identity. This second novel in the Binti Series is a search for her identity after losing a piece of herself to the Meduse. Okorafor is a master of cultural invention, expanding Binti’s homeland to include a new culture hidden from her by the prejudices of her people. Her final journey reveals an awe-inspiring technology, ending in a race to build the scattered pieces of her identity into a whole. It’s a beautiful book of self discovery that lives up to its predecessor.

Review excerpt for Binti: The Night Masquerade (Book 3):
Binti: The Night Masquerade is a lesson in tragedy and heartbreak, ending in a flourish of hopefulness for a peaceful future. Okorafor’s examination of cultural ties is on point, sending Binti deeper into her heritage as she continues to discover who she is. Relationships strengthen, a new identity emerges and in the end, she becomes the person she is meant to be. Prepare for a rollercoaster of emotions as Binti completes her journey to understanding.

Okorafor is an amazing author, and her short story science fiction works really outline this. Binti is a three-dimensional character who shines in the first story, but then in "Home" because more human as she deals with the fall-out from her assisting the Meduse and leaving her planet, home, and tribe.

I'd heard about this series for quite some time now, so when the complete trilogy popped up on NetGalley, I took it as a sign to bump it up to the top of my TBR pile and I"m very glad I did.

Binti is a refreshing break from the myriad of greek god and celtic mythology stories out there. (Which I love and devour so this isn't a criticism of them, it's just that most stories with mythology tend to fall into a European perspective.)

Binti weaves African life and mythology with sci-fi space travel, alien races, the pointlessness and devastation of war and beauty and harmony of mathematics in the world. it should be impossible to weave all these seemingly disparate strands together but Okorafor doesn't it masterfully, all under the umbrella of a YA novel.

If I had one complaint, it is that there is too much crying, but really, don't let that keep you from picking up this marvelous series.

Binti is a really engaging story of belonging and communicating. The protagonist's adventures through space, and the different people and adventures that she encounters, make for very rich reading. Although some points in the story can feel like wish fulfillment, it was really driven by the strength of the worldbuilding and speculative history-telling. The description of the Himba culture and their interactions with their neighbors on earth (and beyond it) is a very interesting lens, which grows in scope as Binti encounters other earth and alien cultures yet seeks to remain rooted in the culture in which she was raised. Originally published as three novellas, they are collected here with an additional story.

Binti is one of those books you recommend to anyone you come across. Its rich Nigerian cultural roots and futuristic setting are perfect to arouse curiosity, and the world is just so unique to boot. I've been passionate about diversity in sci-fi for a long time, which is why I recommend Okorafor's books to anyone who asks for it. Binti is young and wants bigger things for herself, but along the way she encounters difficulty and bigotry, two things that are prevalent for us today. I love that the three novellas are collected here, they are distinct in themselves but it's helpful for those who want to binge read all of them at once. Okorafor's worlds are engrossing, specific, and culturally important, with imbued messages for young and old. Her writing is exceptional and sensitive, and her characters unique and full of depth. It makes me wish I could jump in and join them!