Binti is a novella that tells the story of a young girl who leaves her home at the age of 16 because she’s been accepted to attend an intergalactic university. This girl, Binti, is a mathematical genius who hales from the Himba tribe in Namibia. The people of Himba use a natural substance called ‘otjize’, which is a mixture of ochre and butterfat. Otjize is applied over their skin and in their hair as protection against the desert sun.
Through Binti’s thoughts, we come to understand that her people aren’t happy with her leaving. The Himba ‘don’t travel’, they ‘stay put’. Had this novella been longer, it would have been powerful to experience a scene showing the emotional impact of Binti’s departure.
When Binti finds herself on the ship that is to carry her to the distant planet (with only a 5% human population), she experiences the normal things that a girl of her kind is subject to in the real world when forced to step away from their home for the first time. Other girls discuss her hair like it’s abnormal, for instance. She becomes conscious of her human differences, despite the fact they are going to a place with entirely new species.
Soon enough, Binti’s ship comes under fire from a jellyfish-like species, and it’s here where Binti’s uniqueness comes into play. She is the only one that can negotiate peace with these dangerous lifeforms, and she must do it before her ship is due to board its destination.
We begin to see the value in Binti’s natural resources (Otjize), and how her smarts carry her through these negotiations with an intergalactic race, and it’s all woven together into a fun and uplighting narrative by author Nnedy Okorafor.
Going into Binti, one might think that this is a book meant to empower a group of readers. But quite frankly, this is a fun and delightful read that anybody can enjoy. It has science fiction themes, but never is the writing too dense or too technical for readers to grasp what is happening. This is a book meant for people of all ages and all walks of life.
Binti is a satisfying novella to consume in one setting if that’s the type of reader you are. Be sure to devour it so you can get onto the sequels, where the narrative is said to become more ambitious.
