It’s taken me some time to get to it, but I finally can put my thoughts on paper to review Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor.
Remote Control is a good science fiction novella. Although categorized as science fiction, it arguably has some fantastical elements. I like this novella more than Binti. Binti was good, but I could never finish the sequel. Maybe I’ll get back to it at some point…But Remote Control more my type of story. Science fiction/fantasy here on Earth, strange tech, mega-corps that are probably evil. And a few fantastical elements.
The word is rich. No other way to describe it. There is a strange dichotomy between a casual, normal futuristic Africa, and the tech that seems to invade and colonize it. After reading the book, I want more. I’m happy to learn that Orkorafor has two additional, previously written books in the Remote Control world.
I love the story of the main character, Fatima/Sankofa. I’m rooting for her all the way.
In a way, Remote Control is like a superhero origin story.
I hope there’s a sequel.
I think the blurbs about the book are a bit wrong to call her Death’s adopted daughter. Sankofa may be like the angel of death, but I think the blurbs are misleading about the story. It got me to pick it up, yes, but somehow I wish it were more true to the story. Based on the blurb, I thought Sankofa would be running from an evil deity, trying to find herself outside of what Death has decided she is, but it just isn’t like that. I thought that the story might be about some cosmic battle between death and Sankofa, but it really isn’t. I took the blurb literally instead of metaphorically.
This is a story about redemption, about overcoming, about finding oneself, after one has changed so profoundly that there is no going back. This story is about the pursuit of what belongs to you, what you are entitled to. And if I say anything else regarding what the novella is about, I’ll just spoil it for you.
I hope you enjoy Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor. I did
4/5 stars
