Nnedi Okorafor's writing is a work of genius. Death of the Author reads like two novels in one, where Zelu navigates her troubled relationships with family, love, and herself, and indulges in her passion to enhance storytelling. Zelu's Rusted Robots is a moving epic answering society's burning questions of what the world would look like if humans went extinct and were run by androids and AI. In a way, Zelu's novel integrates her real-life discrimination and internalized ableism, serving as a medium for Zelu to feel more empowered and find solutions to apply to her own life. I didn't know what to expect with the title and description of the book, but Okarafor kept me on the edge of my seat. I particularly enjoyed each interview, adding a new narrative to my understanding of Zelu's family dynamics and how her parents admire her, even if they don't understand her passions. This Afro-futuristic sci-fi novel is an unexpectedly fresh take on Nigerian storytelling and disability narratives, perfect for readers who love world literature, heartwarming family stories, or those interested in learning about different cultures.

Wow! I started this book and was really expecting Okorafor to dive into the story and take me to some faraway lands; so, imagine my *initial* disappointment when I had to read about complex and deeply rooted family drama. My heart sank….

“ the one thing Seth Daniels knew was when a story was worth following. And the one thing Zelu never failed to be was a story.”

And I began not only follow the story but to become invested in Zelu; I didn’t think I would.

I laughed,
“Girl, what the f*ck you got bouncing around in your head?”

I cried,
“You're just expected to keep going. Watching people you love drop off, one by one. Then you keep going until it's your turn to drop off and be gone and then people weep over you. Sometimes I feel like l'd rather be a fucking robot. No pain. No death. No finality. And no need to fear life.”

And I felt seen.
“…you loved swimming in the ocean because it was a reminder that you were part of so much more. And that vastness didn't make you feel insignificant. It made you feel specific and powerful”

I don’t know if I needed this book at this time in my life but it was perfect. Perfectly odd with imperfect characters. I genuinely cannot wait to read this again when it’s published.

Nnedi Okorafor’s Death of the Author skillfully merges literary fiction with Afro-futurism, exploring complex themes of identity, disability, and societal expectations. The novel follows Zelu, a 32-year-old paraplegic woman navigating professional and personal challenges. Fired from her adjunct teaching position and struggling to sell a previous novel, Zelu’s creative breakthrough comes during her sister’s wedding, leading to her rise as a sci-fi sensation.

The book’s structure is notable, alternating between Zelu’s personal narrative, excerpts from her in-universe novel Rusted Robots, and interviews with her family and friends. This metafictional approach enhances the novel’s thematic exploration, particularly around issues of bodily autonomy, ableism, and technology’s potential impact on disabled individuals. Okorafor’s depiction of Zelu is nuanced and compelling, providing readers with a deeply human protagonist who is relatable despite, or perhaps because of, her flaws. The novel’s exploration of these layered dynamics offers a rich, thought-provoking reading experience.

Nnedi Okorafor always does a fantastic job in writing a interesting and unique concept and world. I thought the use of drama about art worked with what I’ve come to expect from the author. The characters in this worked well and were beautifully done with the story, I thought the use of metafiction worked overall and glad it continued to had that element that I was expecting. I’m glad I got to read this and left me wanting more from Nnedi Okorafor.

This book has so many interesting elements to it: a larger-than-life main character, fascinating cultural insights, near-future scifi technology, a book-within-a-book storyline, and more. I felt the ending was a bit inconclusive, particularly since I felt the interviews with Zelu's family/friends throughout seemed to be building up to a final climactic ending, so to not have it be clear was a bit of a let-down and made me rate this as a 4 instead of the 5 star read I thought the story was building up to. Definitely a book I will be recommending to others (including my creative writing students).

I love Nnedi Okorafor and when I saw she was writing a lit fic with both an Afro-futurism plot AND contemporary plot following the author, I knew it would be amazing.

This was great!! I loved all the characters, especially Zelu. Zelu's family, ethnicities, life experiences, and disability all contribute to her personality, and this book does a wonderful job depicting such a complex, interesting character. The novel depicts sexism, ableism, and racism showing up in job discrimination, condescension, judging personal choices, and much more. I understood why Zelu made all the choices she did. Feeling overprotected pushed her already brilliant, adventurous personality to prove herself repeatedly. In a well-constructed novel like this, choices need not be inevitable to suit the character perfectly.

With metafiction, I sometimes get bored with the story within a story, but not in this case. Zelu's narrative is interspersed with her novel, Rusted Robots, and I loved even the robot characters by the end. All the best scifi has fascinating themes and ideas. Here, these include bodily autonomy, technology helping or hurting disabled people, whether AI will ever create its own stories, and much more. This is a great balance of character, plot, and ideas. Although mostly serious, some characters have realistic senses of humor. The novel has allusions to Doctor Who, Douglas Adams, and Roland Barthes. At least, those were some that I picked up on.

Loved everything about this book it is a must read just like every other book by this author. I can’t wait for her next book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was such a compelling read that I read the entire book in one sitting. At its most basic, the MC is trying to find out where she fits - in her family and society at large. She isn't always likeable but is completely relateable.

I found the story within a story added another layer of complexity and interest to an already fascinating book.

I highly recommend this book