Binti: Home (2.5 stars)

Less interesting than the first, with no interesting characters except for Binti. I think the novella format is very constraining. Okorafor is doing a large amount of world building, but doesn't have time to bring in any other realistic characters.

Binti is going through a coming-of-age, after her trip off-planet has changed her physically and spiritually. She finds the world she left is no longer the one she knew, and confronts prejudice in the form of traditional role beliefs held by her family and friends that don't allow for wild off-planet alien adventures.

She also confronts her own latent racism about the Desert People, and there's a moment of afrofuturism similar to Black Panther when their technology prowess is revealed.

I felt a sting of shame as I realized why I hadn’t understood something so obvious. My own prejudice.

Fairly disappointing follow-up to the first novel.

2.5 stars