I’ll admit—this one was way outside my usual comfort zone, but Death of the Author completely blew me away.

ZeI was rooting for Zelu from the jump as she navigated professional rejection, family pressures, and the reality of starting over. When she takes a leap and writes a sci-fi novel about androids and AI after humanity’s extinction, it kicks off a rollercoaster ride that’s both deeply personal and brilliantly speculative.

What I didn’t expect was how Okorafor masterfully blurred the line between fiction and reality. The tension between Zelu’s evolving life and the story had me questioning what tf is real, what’s imagined, and how much stories truly shape our world. If you’re even a little curious about a genre-bending read that’ll mess with your head, this is it.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for my review.

I tried really hard to like this book but it just wasn't for me. The chapters kept shifting between first person and third person which really threw me for a loop and the story within the story was not working at all. All the characters felt too immature, so I ended up DNFing at around the 20% mark.

Combo literary fiction and sci-fi. Beautiful story of love, hate, prejudice, family, disability, choice, and self-authorship. It wasnt the type of book I could consume - it was entertaining but not entertainment - if that makes sense. I think this is the kind of book I’d enjoy more in a book club where I can discuss the parts I loved, the parts I missed, and the parts I didn’t understand.

4.5 ⭐️

How can you not go 5🌟? Writing in two different genres simultaneously is the hallmark of an exceptional writer, and Ms. Okorafor is unquestionably that WRITER! The execution of this novel is fascinating.

Zelu is an amazing protagonist, an impressive imperfect improbable human being. She is “blessed” with a melodramatic family, who will frustrate readers with their lukewarm support of Zelu and her capriciousness.

Zelu had a traumatic childhood accident that left her without the use of her legs but strengthened her spirit and her resolve. She became a literary writing professor, and after displaying a bit too much honesty with her students, she is relieved of her post. Despite not being a science fiction fan, she starts writing a sci-fi novel, Rusted Robots, which becomes an international sensation. The novel is so far beyond Zelu’s dreams she gets to meet all kinds of people.

Her book is turned into a movie, though not one she particularly enjoys. The movie is as successful as the novel and turns her into an international celebrity.
There is some backlash to her success that is a surprise because it is something I never considered but my blind spot was artfully exposed through the deft storytelling that Nnedi Okorafor employs.

Through the magic of science Zelu is fitted with some exoskeleton legs which give her the ability to walk. Some fans see her as trying to bring her novel to true life and live out a sci-fi fantasy. The novel-in-novel device works well here because, again Ms. Okorafor is an exceedingly exceptional writer that has crafted an excellent exciting novel that I enthusiastically recommend! Get it!

A big thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow publishing for an advanced DRC. Book is available now!

Zelu is the daughter of Nigerian immigrants who became a paraplegic at age 12. An aspiring author, Zelu works as an adjunct professor while she submits her manuscripts to different publishers. But one terrible night she gets more rejections from her agent and is fired from her university job. Angry and grief stricken, Zelu writes a new novel, her first sci-fi book, and it becomes an instant success. Suddenly Zelu’s life is turned upside down as she gains literary stardom and new opportunities.

———-

When I finished this book, I wasn’t quite sure how to feel. Most of the novel leaned into the literary fiction side, as it included Zelu’s life, interviews with her family, and interspersed passages from her novel. While I was intrigued by Zelu’s story, I kept waiting for the sci-fi twist that was ramping up.

When the twist came, I felt underwhelmed and a little confused. This definitely felt like a book that I was just not smart enough to connect the dots into something cool.

I did enjoy the story of Zelu’s life- being a disabled Black woman whose family never truly understood her, who took risks and had courage. Her anger’s, fears, loves, hates, and passions kept me engaged in her story. And while the ultimate plot line and ending was not my cup of tea, you cannot deny that Nnedi Okorafor is a fantastic author.

February is Black History Month and I have a trio of books I want to put on your radar.

Good Dirt, by Charmaine Wilkerson is a compelling multigenerational drama that explores the legacy of trauma, resilience, and the strength we draw from understanding our past. Ebby Freeman has just been jilted at the altar by her fiancé, and when a friend offers her a job as a caretaker of her French B&B, she jumps at the chance. But as we all know we can’t run away from our problems. Ebby will have to face her fears, come to terms with the mystery of her brother’s death which she witnessed as a child, and find her own path in life.

Harlem Rhapsody is an engrossing historical fiction, by Victoria Christopher Murray, which tells the story of Jessie Fauset the first ever Black female literary editor and is a writer herself. Jessie was a driving force behind the success of W.E.B. Du Bois’ literary ventures, and was responsible for birthing some of the greatest literary talents, such as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Jean Toomer, at the dawn of the Harlem Renaissance. It’s the story of an influential woman lost to history that deserves our recognition.

Death of the Author is a mindbending, genre blending, meta-fantasy written by the talented Nnedi Okorafor. Zelu finds herself at a crossroads when she is summarily fired from her university job and the novel she has been writing for 10 years is yet again rejected. With nothing to lose, she decides to write a novel like nothing she’s ever done before. The result, a best seller, Rusted Robots, set in a post-apocalyptic future populated by battling androids and sentient AI entities capable of infecting human minds. Things get interesting when the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur.


Let me know if you plan to add something to your BHM TBR.

My thanks to the authors, @RandomHouse, @BerkleyPublishing, @RandomHouse, and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading these novels before their release.

I knew going in this would be different from Okorafor’s usual books, but I am still wowed and in awe of her writing talent. To be able to weave together a main plot following Zelu, with the plot of Zelu’s story Rusted Robots all together with a series of interviews with Zelu’s friends and family was incredible. Despite having three different things going on, the whole story flowed so seamlessly. I love a story about a story and this delivered on that aspect.

And while this story may be a bit different from Okorafor’s usual type of story, it still had the same heart at its core. I loved Zelu as a character. Her anger as a professor is so justifiable and her ability to channel that into something so incredible as a story that the world could connect with was brilliant. Reading this story and how the world changes it for an adaptation was tragic and far too real, especially seeing that Zelu’s story and character names get a bit whitewashed (again, far too real).

Thank you to William Morrow and @netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

I'm in one of those places where I want to shout about what a miracle this book is, how people should read it, what we can experience and learn from it. But I also just want to quietly hand it over so each reader can have their own experience with it. I know my experience, but I don't know theirs. And I want their experience to be truly and completely their own.

This book is like the work of a remarkable tapestry-maker, bringing together fibres that seem so distinct from one another that the tapestry should be all clash and unease, but instead, under that tapestry-maker's hands it becomes a work in which each strand is essential.

Sorry if this is too metaphysical a review for you, but that's where Death of the Author took me. I encourage you to make your own journey through it. I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars rounded up

There were a lot of things I liked about this book. I was into it within the first few chapters. I liked seeing how Zelu dealt with everything she was going through. Her family for the most part was awful to her but she still did what she felt was right for her and I definitely appreciate her doing that. Learning about Nigerian culture was another thing I liked about this book. However, toward the end I felt like it dragged a little bit and I found myself not caring about what was going on. I think it started to feel a little repetitive with the family drama and I just lost interest.

I'm not a sci fi reader, and did not realize this author is in that genre until after i had requested and gotten approved for the book. That did have me a little nervous. But safe to say I really enjoyed the book, although I do wish there was a little more information at the end of the story as to what happened (That's just the way my brain works, not really a fan of leaving endings to the imagination). But i happened to really enjoy this story as well as the characters of the story (well, most of them).

5 stars
Death of the Author
Nnedi Okorafor

"In the last days of humanity, humans cultivated a growing disdain for their own soul, Many didn't even believe in the sancityof the creative process anymore; ;they wanted to eliminate it and usher in automation to do the work."

This unique and stunning novel deserves all the stars and awards that I hope it will be recognized for as a work that focuses on the importance and history of storytelling.The character development that Okoraforv wrote was compelling, relatable and complex. I also want to give praise to the "book in a book" format that was written very well and used cleverly to offer insight into the storytelling process .Zelu was an extraordinary character, full of guilt, blame, insecurities,and curiousity that was combined with a desperate challenge to find her own identity. She had many adventues living this way; and sometimes forgot how her choices affected others, but her determination was unstoppable.

I know I will learn even more each time I read this story, and this novel urges us to read this narrative over and over. The stories of disabilities, non-acceptance, misogyny, power, freedom, cultural identity and marginalized people found in "Death of the Author" could not come at a better time in this volatile time in history.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morris for the eArc of Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. My words are my opinions. I will post on Goodreads, Amazon, on my own Facebook page and on the Facebook page I created for my Book Club, just starting our 6th year of reading amazing stories!

👉🏻For my friends who like a book-within-a-book that makes them think.

DEATH OF THE AUTHOR by Nnedi Okorafor

Thanks, @williammorrowbooks, for the review copy via #NetGalley. (Available Now)

This literary fiction starts like a Nigerian-American family drama, focused on a family of six siblings striving to achieve under the umbrella of constant parental worry. One of the daughters, Zelu, has always been the outcast: a paraplegic from a childhood accident, a rebel, constantly pushing back and refusing the status quo. In a fit of depression, she writes a sci-fi novel about robots who inhabit the earth after the demise of humanity. While she doesn’t even like sci-fi, the story flows from her and becomes THE novel of her generation.

The book alternates between Zelu’s struggles to adjust to fame and expectations with chapters from her novel, “Rusted Robots.” The combination was brilliant, engrossing, and unique, and I never fully understood where we were heading (a feeling I love!). I finished the story and had to Google for spoilers and explanations, then return to re-read the last two chapters…at which point my little brain was BLOWN. Weeks after finishing, I’m still thinking about it and need to find more forums and interviews to help me understand. Please let me know if you read it and want to discuss it.

This book was so unique and well-written. I don't want to say too much about the plot because I don't think you should go in knowing much about it. The different stories within the book were connected in surprising ways. I laughed and cried throughout. This is going to be in my top books of the year, I already know.

This was an interesting book. It was definitely out of my comfort zone. I struggled to keep my attention on it, although there were several scenes that had me captivated. Nnedi is deff an amazing storyteller and I can see how true sci-fi lovers would love this one!

This masterful book within a book is unlike any sci-fi that I've ever read. It's a definite page turner that will have you thinking about the main character well after you finish reading it.

Not what I expected at all-but in the best way possible! I enjoyed reading this. Nothing felt forced and the blend of the book within a book provided extra flow to the book.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC for review. Wow! I loved this book so much!! Definitely might end up being one of my top 5 books of 2025! Science fiction with the tying in of the last human with robots as well as deeper themes of belonging and humanity and ableism vs disabled. I loved the back forth between what is real in the author’s life and what is in her story. I will definitely be reading this book again to capture more insights and intricate details of the storylines. I also need to read more from this author as I have heard wonderful things about their book Binti.

Nnedi Okorafor's Death of the Author is a thought-provoking exploration of connection, autonomy, and the ripple effects of choice. The narrative weaves together two compelling storylines: Zelu, a young woman navigating life as a paraplegic while striving for independence, and the world of her creation, the novel Rusted Robots. Okorafor masterfully uses this parallel structure to examine themes of humanity and its preservation.

Zelu's struggle against her family's well-intentioned but ultimately limiting expectations resonates deeply. Her drive to define her own path, even after a childhood accident, forms the emotional core of the story. The success of Rusted Robots becomes a symbol of her individuality, further highlighting the disconnect between Zelu and those closest to her. This personal narrative is interwoven with chapters dedicated to Rusted Robots itself, a post-human world populated by Ankara, a robot fascinated by human stories, and AI machines advocating for automation above all else. Ankara's own journey mirrors Zelu's, exploring similar themes of self-discovery and the search for meaning in a world devoid of humans.

The brilliance of Death of the Author lies in the way these two narratives converge, revealing the enduring nature of humanity in unexpected places. Okorafor's prose is captivating, drawing the reader into both Zelu's intimate struggles and the complex world of Rusted Robots. While this was my first experience with Okorafor's work, I was completely enthralled. The novel's tagline, "The future of storytelling is here," is a statement that resonates powerfully as the story reaches its poignant conclusion. Highly recommended for readers interested in speculative fiction that grapples with profound questions about what it means to be human.

If you like books that blur the line between reality and fiction and/or just love Octavia Butler, this one is for you!

This was some amazing storytelling that immediately pulls you in and makes you question what it means to be human. The sci fi/technology in this story was rich, and like Miss Butler’s work, when you read this story you’re constantly thinking about how close it is to what we see/experience now. Cars that drive you around with no driver, apps that speak to you and filter your calls/messages?! I mean.. it wasn’t too hard to imagine a future where robots are the norm lol.

I really loved how there were three narratives interwoven into this story; the main narrative with Zelu, a struggling author and outcast in her family, the Rusted Robots story that Zelu writes about robots in a post-human world, and interviews from Zelu’s family about her decisions and upbringing. The writing was so different between Zelu’s story and the Rusted Robots book, making me feel immersed into their worlds in different ways. The world building in both the main narrative and the Rusted Robots story was just really well done (which is what Nnedi is known for). I felt like I was knees deep in Nigeria learning more about different cultures, foods, traditions, etc. when there were humans and when there was not. The only thing I wish was different was the build up via interviews that made me think Zelu was about to meet her maker or something lol.

Seamless blend of multiple stories within stories. Subplots about family dynamics, culture, love, grief, disability, visibility, celebrity culture, etc. At the end, I was wondering which story came first?! It was so good.

4.5 stars

That was a wild ride. This is in a large way two books, as there is a book inside that the character wrote. There are some really compelling things being said about authorship, AI, and the body which kept me wanting to read. The robot novel did take a little bit away from the pace and flow of the story for me. It was hard seeing Zulu take so much of her family’s abuse, and I really just wanted someone to be one hundred percent in her corner. I really enjoyed all the pop culture references from Douglas Adams to Rent. If you are looking for an interesting sci fi that gives you a lot to think about I would give this one a try.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy to form opinions from.