Nnedi Okorafor Analysis

Imagine a world where humans, extraterrestrials, and technology become one; where messages are sent through brainwaves and mythical creatures roam the earth. Nnedi Okorafor is a Nigerian American science fiction author who captures this alternate universe. She combines the richness of African culture with the mysteriousness of other worlds; the result is a captivating tale of heroism across cultural and spiritual barriers. Binti is the story of an African girl who lives in the desert with her family. However, she longs to attend Oomza Uni, a prestigious school across the galaxy. Binti’s family and friends disagree with her attending, even though she was the first of her Himba people to be accepted. The reluctance of her people does not deter Binti; she sneaks out one morning, boards a shuttle, and heads to Oomza Uni.

At the beginning of her story, Binti is known to be 100% Himba. While on the way to Oomza Uni, Binti encounters a creature known as the Meduse. This species is translucent, with tentacle-like projections for hair, and a poisonous stinger beneath its body. One day, Binti is eating in the dining hall, and she witnesses the Meduse fatally sting one of her closest friends, Heru. The Meduse end up murdering almost everyone on the ship. Binti wrestles with PTSD after this experience and eventually seeks counseling to help process her emotions. However, she soon realizes that without the Meduse, her prospects of survival were critically low. She was able to befriend one of the Meduse named Okwu. Ultimately, the Meduse chief had to sting Binti and cause her to undergo a “second death” in order for her to save Oomza Uni. The stinger implanted Meduse DNA within Binti, and she became part Meduse. Her hair morphed into the translucent tentacle-like projections the Meduse call Okuoko. She learned their language and was able to communicate with them. Again, the entity she once feared had become a part of