I needed a new read. I couldn‘t find any Christmas reads so this will do until I start our school‘s Winter Reading challenge!
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Death of the Author (Deluxe Limited Edition) | 
I needed a new read. I couldn‘t find any Christmas reads so this will do until I start our school‘s Winter Reading challenge!
pickI had high hopes for this one, but the ending left me cold. It was extremely well-written and I enjoyed both Zelu‘s and Ankara‘s storylines. Most of the book told a rich, evocative story brimming with symbolism, techno-optimism and philosophical commentary on what it means to be human and the purpose of stories in human and post-human culture. The last two chapters took that and turned it into a goofy joke.
so-soThis one had me slumping hard for the first 40%. There just wasn't anything to draw me into the story. It would have been a DNF... but I don't usually DNF.
And I'm glad I didn't because the second half of this book was good. I started to care.
I don't feel as positively about AI, robotics and automation as the author, but by the end I was invested.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
My October TBR the tagged book is for bookclub. #blackcatcrew #hauntedshelf @PuddleJumper @BookwormAHN
25 points
Before this panel I hadn‘t heard of either of these books or of Nnedi at all. I am so glad I got to hear these two vibe on stage! They talked about their writing processes and it was all something that I didn‘t know I needed to hear. First panel of the day and it was an absolute banger! Can‘t wait to read both books! #nationalbookfestival #fiction #scifi #tbr #nnediokorafor #veschwab
Hey #camplitsy25 @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain @Megabooks Just met her at the book festival and told her about us and Litsy!!
pick#CharacterCharm Day 26: #Author - I shared our #CampLitsy25 discussions for the month of July here: https://wp.me/pDlzr-rGS as hosted by @Megabooks
Eight books read in July while still making my way through chunksters Kristin Lavransdatter (#KLBR) and Little Dorrit (#whattheDickens). Stats:
1 book finished for last month‘s #foodandlit #Greenland
3 books for #foodandlit #Peru
1 book for #authoramonth (Virginia Wolff)
2 books for #campLitsy, including the tagged book, best book of the year so far
pickOops! Finished this in July for #camplitsy25! I already had this one on my radar but picked it up because of this. It was very interesting and I did like it. I didn‘t get to participate in the conversation, but I‘m glad I read it. I listened to this on audio and it had different readers for the sections. I liked the mix of different PoVs, interviews and the story within the story.
pickThis book was such a treat to read! The book -within-a-book was well done, and both stories were engaging and meaningful. It probably would have been a 5-star book for me anyway, but that last chapter cemented the rating. My brain was like, "Wait, what?! But...! So...?" I loved that ending!
This month was a lovely reading month! My book for 07/27-07/31 was actually so-so for me, but since it's the only one I finished that week, it's my favorite. The tagged is my favorite for the month, and I've been talking with excitement about it to anyone who will listen since finishing it.
#WeeklyFavorites @Read4life
pickI loved this book and gave it 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
On the outside, this book is about a paraplegic author writing her first big novel while dealing with her family and herself, and then there are the robots 🤖
#CampLitsy @squirrelbrain @Megabooks @BarbaraBB #WickedWords #family @AsYouWish #Pantone2025 #poppyred #Pantone2025 #PoppySeed #FrenchToast
pickZelu is a disabled author whose book, Rusted Robots, becomes a worldwide sensation. This book follows Zelu prior to and after her fame. Not quite a sci-fi book (there is some space travel & high tech gear in the main book), her Robots book definitely is—a dystopia set in Africa where robots and AI (bodiless bots) are at war. So we also follow the travails of Robots‘ main character Ankara in this book within a book. Both stories are interesting ⬇️
pickI thought I would end up with very mixed feelings about this book, as often happens to me with Okorafor‘s work. I admired the main character, Zelu, but didn‘t much like her, and her family was infuriating. I enjoyed the interwoven book-within-a-book much more—but the framing made Zelu the focus, so I didn‘t enjoy the book as a whole as much as I wanted to. Until the end. The ending not only surprised me, it absolutely made the book for me. ⤵️
Arg! I‘m five books behind in writing reviews. I need to do it before I forget what I want to say! I‘ve been so busy and so tired after work I just can‘t!
At least I‘ve assigned my stars!
I recently read Africa Is Not a Country with an IRL book club. One of the countries it highlights is Nigeria. I went into Death of the Author with helpful knowledge and I just love when these serendipitous experiences occur.
pickI usually take the dust jacket off while reading a book. This novel made me glad of that habit. Such a cool second cover. I enjoyed this one quite a bit, really glad it was chosen for #CampLitsy25
I went on a mini-me shopping spree. I loved the tagged book we read for #campLitsy so much, and I love that the paper cover of the book is different from the book itself that I just had to buy it. How are they going to do this with a paperback?!? And of course a couple more me-centric items. Sadly the neck reading light is falsely advertised. I bought it for the yellow light. It‘s not. It‘s blue.
pickSo. Freaking. Good. The Death of the Author has a beautifully layered story (stories within a story). It‘s gorgeous, imaginative, and full of heart. I appreciated its hopeful take on tech and her characters that leap off the page.
Bonus: the B & N hardcover is a stunner. If you love Africanfuturism or just like a good Sci-fi with a ton of heart, this one‘s a must. Go read it! #CampLitsy25
pickWait. What?! 😁 Love that the author of the book I just finished noticed my reply to her Insta post. Nnedi Okorafor had just posted that she was recharging in nature and had finished the draft of her next book (squee!).
I loved DotA so much! The positive outlook on technology is a breath of fresh air and her characters are so beautifully crafted they breathe. Plus the hardcover edition is gorgeous! 💗💗💗
Re posting @Suet624 ‘s image - my copy is the same!
Different covers on the book jacket and hardcover! So cool and clever. I didn‘t even notice until she mentioned it.
Anyone else have the deluxe edition as well with this?
#camplitsy2025
For those of you who thought Barthes...! And yes, I know this is AI, and I shouldn't rely on it 🤣
#camplitsy25 @squirrelbrain @Megabooks @BarbaraBB
If anyone UK-based hasn‘t read this yet and is planning to, I‘ve been given one free audio copy to give away via the xigxag app. You need to have not used the app before. Xigxag doesn‘t work with a subscription model, so you won‘t need to give credit card details or anything.
Let me know, and I‘ll email the details over to you. UK only (sorry - don‘t think they operate further afield yet).
pickHi, humanity 👋: don‘t ignore robots! I sure did in this book—one part is all about Zelu, a Nigerian-American woman, who becomes an author. Her book blows up, and we get a chance to read it…interspersed in this novel. So, it‘s a book within a book. I found myself more invested in Zelu‘s sections. Shouldn‘t have been! There‘s some great stuff happening with those robots, especially at the end! To be human is to tell stories…#camplitsy25
My #Chatterday Saturday vibe is slow. I was slow getting up this morning, went to a 20% bring your own bag sale at the craft store & I‘m now at the coffee shop trying to finish up my very late cards for #SummerCardSwap & finish the tagged book for #CampLitsy before running errands.
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️
This has all the things I should love in a book but it just didn‘t hit the mark for me. I was frustrated a lot and although the ending was interesting, I was kind of annoyed by it.
I will add some spoiler comments below.
Read for #camplitsy2025.
Im sorry but wtf, they gave her and her child an extra chromosome???
What a ridiculous misunderstanding of genetics. I was okay with the science for the most part but as a geneticist myself… just no.
pickThis is a book that requires patience and commitment to really unpack. I have neither. It‘s beautifully written, with complex characters and dual narratives. On the surface - an author dealing with both her disability and a family that was less than supportive of her, but also deeper themes - modern politics, AI, space tourism, climate destruction and more. Now that I finished, I kind of want to reread and dig into it. Another #camplitsy25 winner!
Weekend reading? Maybe? At least both books are inside now and no longer riding around in the back seat of my car!
pickI love the way this novel plays with creator and creation, identity, responsibility to self and others, family (and all the pros and cons and compromises of family connections), perceived and actual ability...so many awesome themes. This novel does just what I want a novel to do: address big T Truth through story. And the last line is the reason I keep coming back to writing even as I worry that I can't/won't ever be able to do it well.
pickLove love loved this! From start to finish, I loved all three different layers and levels. This is one that will stick with me for a long time. I'm packing for a cottage trip, will try to be more eloquent at a later date!
#CampLitsy25
@Megabooks @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain
Welcome to the final week discussing Death of the Author! Please feel free to discuss these questions in light of the whole book. I have enjoyed leading the discussion on this book and hope you've found it as enlightening as I have! I will post the page breaks for our second July book, Woodworking by Emily St. James, later this weekend.
Everyone will only be tagged in this post, but there are two additional questions. #CampLitsy25
We got into discussions about identity last week, and I hope you will all enjoy going deeper into Zelu's character and how Okorafor tackled identity in the book. #CampLitsy25
IMPORTANT NOTE - This discussion contains **MAJOR SPOILERS** so please be warned if you choose to read it before finishing the book.
Thank you all for joining us and continuing to make this experience fun! Next week we will start discussing the first half of Woodworking by Emily St. James. I will post page breaks later this weekend. Can't wait to see you back at camp next Saturday! Bring a fan because it‘s hot! #CampLitsy25
pickWow!! Wow!! Wow!!
This may be the best book of the year! Wow!!
Just finished. Review to come. But my mind is blown! 🤯
@Megabooks @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB
#CampLitsy
pickThis.was.EXCELLENT. The ending had me puzzled, but in a good way. Can‘t wait for discussion! #camplitsy25 @BarbaraBB @Megabooks @squirrelbrain #TBRtarot
pickOn the left, the book jacket. On the right, the book. The story is as creative as the book design. A novel I only read because of #CampLitsy25 and one I‘m so glad I didn‘t miss out on. Immersive, page turning, and layered.
pickI don‘t know why my copy has a canada sticker on it. I can‘t wait until Saturday to talk about the second half of this. I can‘t believe how many layers there are to this story and someone was smart enough to bring it into being 🤯 #camplitsy
pickI predict this book will win many awards. This book is so creatively written by weaving the love of stories with ideas of new technology.
While reading, I learned that individuals don't want to be boxed-in by labels. Okorafor is more than a sci-fi or a speculative writer; she's a bloody good storyteller by mirroring all parts of herself in her art. Im going to take this lesson to heart.
#CampLitsy25 @Megabooks @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain
pickThis one was a low pick for me- story within a story very rarely is my thing. I have a very hard time stopping myself from skimming over those parts. The ending though, if I understood it correctly, blew me away. That‘s a big if so I look forward to discussing this at #CampLitsy this weekend. @Megabooks @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain
Early morning breakfast on the porch before the predicted humidity & heat chases me indoors for the day. Such a quiet, peaceful way to start my day! There are birds, hummingbirds, & bees with an occasional rooster crow -music to my ears. #coffeeandbooks #porchlife #birdsong #Camplitsy
pick#camplitsy25 is really knocking it out of the park this year for me - all 3 have got 5 🌟 from me so far, and I may even try the one I was unsure about! (Tilt). @Megabooks @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain
#atozultimatechallenge #d #booktitle #o #authorname #z #bookthatcameoutthisyear @AudiobookingWithLeah
#52bookclub25 #marchmini #makesyourollyoureyes (the characters do!)
#aty25 #dealswithtimetravelalternateuniversesoralternatetimelines
I just reached the halfway point so I can now dive into the weekend comments! #campLitsy
@Megabooks @squirrelbrain @BarbaraBB
Yes! Found it at the library finally! 😍
pickThis was an incredible story-within-a-story book with sci-fi elements. I was highly invested in Zelu's story in finding her identity and freedom within her Nigerian traditional family. The family drama and trauma were understandable to her character. Then there was Zelu's sci-fi creation story: though it was fictional, it was filled with political commentary. I give this 4 ⭐️
#camplitsy25 #bookspinbingo
