The Book of Phoenix
written by Nnedi Okorafor
Reading the Book of Phoenix by Nnedi Okorafor opened some doors for me. I suddenly realized that all I had been reading was either American or British books. I thought I had my literary bases covered, but now I have realized that I am so very wrong. When I started taking a class on World Lit I had figured it would be all older texts like the Odyssey or Anna Karenina, but instead we are looking to the contemporary with themes like Afrofuturism and stories dealing with cyborality. My mind has been sufficiently blown. There is an entire world of reading I have yet to discover.
I dove straight in with the Book of Phoenix a sci-fi novel with biblical undertones and African influences. It was fascinating. Across America there are towers where atrocious experiments are taking place and Phoenix is one of the many speciMen trapped inside. It isn’t until she is two years old that her lover, Saeed, inspires her to break free. I should probably mention that Phoenix is an accelerated being and even though she has only been alive two years she has the appearance and maturity of a forty year old woman. Also Saeed eats glass. It’s not a huge plot point or anything (seeing that he’s pronounced dead in the first chapter), but I just really want everyone possible to know that a character named Saeed exists and eats glass. It's my new favorite thing.
Phoenix doesn’t do anything as epic as eating crushed glass, but she was designed to be a weapon. Shortly before escaping she finds this energy inside her that can build up and emanate from her skin. Later, she will learn that she is a living bomb that can detonate then reform from the ashes (hence the title). She was named well. This book is a fantastic sci-fi, but the spiritual elements mixed in with the technology provide an incredible conflict and product. African roots spread through this saga, and culture seeps through its pages. It serves as an excellent introduction into a genre of literature worth exploring.
