Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor

This week I am taking a look at a book so different than most that I tend to review I honestly am not sure how to define it. Part science fiction, part literary fiction, the story is certainly genre-bending. Death of the Author, by Nnedi Okorafor is the story of Nigerian American writer Zelu, whose first novel is a breakout success that catapults her, unprepared, into the spotlight. As she navigates fame, family tension, and the boundaries between identity and creativity, the novel explores what it means to tell your own story, and how to maintain ownership of it and your own identity. As things change in her life, love, family, success, she has to learn to handle the criticism that comes with being suddenly successful and under the microscope that fame brings with it. A sharp, layered narrative blending realism with speculative elements, Death of the Author raises powerful questions around authorship, autonomy, and the cost of visibility. As ever, I won't spoil the ending! Featured episodes The Aurora Cycle Skyward The Illuminae Files