2011: Who Fears Death

In a post-apocalyptic Sudan, technology has fallen and sorcery flourishes. But the hatred between peoples and cultures still exists. Onyesonwu was a child conceived from a brutal rape. Her mother is a member of the dark-skinned Okeke tribe who was victimized by a cruel man from her tribe's enemies - the light-skinned Nuru. These two tribes have a long, violent and complicated history and Onyesonwu's experience are merely the latest atrocity. As Onyesonwu grows older, she learns more about her history and also discovers that she has magical powers. Together with some trusted friends she accepts a quest to find and defeat the man who is responsible for the awful genocide against her people – her father. Why it's on the list The story of Onyesonwu is beautifully written, with many twists and turns. The characters fight to further their personal ends and you will find yourself cheering for them the entire time. This is a remarkable book with so many different and complex layers. At one level it's a brilliant post-apocalyptic dystopia, set in a far future Sudan. It's filled with magic, mysticism, and myth, but at a deeper level it also brilliantly addresses the same issues that plague not just the current day region of the African continent, but the world as well. Onyesonwu is a heroine who is at once utterly unique and brilliantly relatable. She is empowered but vulnerable, full of hope and love but also anger and confusion. She's the fierce female heroine you feel like you spent your whole adolescence waiting for. For all its complexity – at its core, the novel is very similar to a classic fantasy quest. Following along with Onyesonwu, we share travels with a band of trusted companions, magical apprenticeship, prophecies, and an all-encompassing quest to fight evil. It's the details around these set pieces that make the experience so very different and utterly enjoyable. Read if you like Female Heroines, Deeper issues reimagined through a Fantasy lens.