At 16 Binti leaves her home to attend university. This is significant in that Binti will be the first of her people to leave home (The Himba). She will also be the first Himba at Oomza University (the premiere university in space!). Her decision to leave will cause friction, so she leaves when everyone else is asleep (the Himba are attached to the land and never leave it).
I really liked Binti, she is amazing. This also showed how people can be when presented with someone different from them. Some react negatively and others do not. Many wanted (and did) touch her hair without permission. Once on the ship to the university, I think she started to make friends and gain acceptance; however, blink you you miss it. At this point the Meduse board the ship and kill everyone on board (500 people). At this point I started to not like this so much.
The university has a part of their chief that they are going to get back no matter how many people they have to murder to get it. Binti is able to broker a peace and the Meduse get what they want. Okwu, of the Meduse, also gains acceptance to the school to become the first Meduse student.
I just could not get over the murder of 500 people and how it was just brushed over. Maybe if this was longer and had some more world building, I would have been more understanding (?) or accepting (?) of the necessity (?) of this slaughter. I think the length hurts this book.
I really liked Binti, she is amazing. This also showed how people can be when presented with someone different from them. Some react negatively and others do not. Many wanted (and did) touch her hair without permission. Once on the ship to the university, I think she started to make friends and gain acceptance; however, blink you you miss it. At this point the Meduse board the ship and kill everyone on board (500 people). At this point I started to not like this so much.
The university has a part of their chief that they are going to get back no matter how many people they have to murder to get it. Binti is able to broker a peace and the Meduse get what they want. Okwu, of the Meduse, also gains acceptance to the school to become the first Meduse student.
I just could not get over the murder of 500 people and how it was just brushed over. Maybe if this was longer and had some more world building, I would have been more understanding (?) or accepting (?) of the necessity (?) of this slaughter. I think the length hurts this book.
Book one of a trilogy.
A fascinating look at travel among the stars, from the perspective of someone living on a world where she is looked down on, even though that world and countless others are dependent on her tribe's scientific and mind-bending abilities. Binti is 17, rebelling against family and tribe, alone of her people, to travel, with others of her world (Earth) to the universal University Oomza, where she will be among far more alien people than she has ever imagined. But she travels with the knowledge and strong mental training of her people, something she is sure of but does not know the full importance of, nor how to fully use it. But she is very young, and the universe can be a very harsh place to live. Fortunately, she has a form of magic with her, in the form of ancient but misunderstood technology, and a complicated family history.
Well written, there is much that is said besides words, on several levels. A quick read, unfortunately, but one unlikely to be forgotten quickly.
A fascinating look at travel among the stars, from the perspective of someone living on a world where she is looked down on, even though that world and countless others are dependent on her tribe's scientific and mind-bending abilities. Binti is 17, rebelling against family and tribe, alone of her people, to travel, with others of her world (Earth) to the universal University Oomza, where she will be among far more alien people than she has ever imagined. But she travels with the knowledge and strong mental training of her people, something she is sure of but does not know the full importance of, nor how to fully use it. But she is very young, and the universe can be a very harsh place to live. Fortunately, she has a form of magic with her, in the form of ancient but misunderstood technology, and a complicated family history.
Well written, there is much that is said besides words, on several levels. A quick read, unfortunately, but one unlikely to be forgotten quickly.
I'm only giving this 4 stars because I'm not 100% sure I loved it. I found myself confused at times, but utterly fascinated.
Binti is from a very private/isolated tribe on Earth called the Himba. She is extremely intelligent and talented and has been accepted into the best University in the galaxy. Her tribe rarely even leaves their city let alone the planet. Excited by the opportunity, Binti goes against tradition and the wishes of her family and leaves for the university in secret.
During the trip she experiences the prejudices of non-Himba people, which she expected; she also makes friends with fellow first-year uni students. During the trip their ship is attacked by a race called the Meduse. They slaughter everyone on the ship except Binti and the pilot. Binti carries an old, unidentified object with her for good luck, it also happens to be deadly to the Meduse, and it also helps her communicate with them, which is something that hasn't happened in a very, very long time.
Binti manages to broker a grudging peace with the Meduse on the ship, and offeres to act as an ambassador for them. Members of the University stole something very important from the Meduse in the name of research, and Binti arranges to take part in a peace talk. The summit is successful; the sacred object returned to the Meduse, it also rejuvenates the peace treaty between the races and sees the first Meduse student admitted to the university. Binti goes through many changes and is scared about what this means for her future as well as her past.
The story was confusing in that the protagonist spoke of things that made perfect sense to them, but without explanation of what it was or what it meant, left the reader wondering. Also, pet peeve, this is in first person--which is like the 10-millionth book for me this year. Somehow it fit the story though. I was fascinated by the different races and technology and am definitely looking forward to the second book. Perhaps then I will up the rating to 5 stars.
Binti is from a very private/isolated tribe on Earth called the Himba. She is extremely intelligent and talented and has been accepted into the best University in the galaxy. Her tribe rarely even leaves their city let alone the planet. Excited by the opportunity, Binti goes against tradition and the wishes of her family and leaves for the university in secret.
During the trip she experiences the prejudices of non-Himba people, which she expected; she also makes friends with fellow first-year uni students. During the trip their ship is attacked by a race called the Meduse. They slaughter everyone on the ship except Binti and the pilot. Binti carries an old, unidentified object with her for good luck, it also happens to be deadly to the Meduse, and it also helps her communicate with them, which is something that hasn't happened in a very, very long time.
Binti manages to broker a grudging peace with the Meduse on the ship, and offeres to act as an ambassador for them. Members of the University stole something very important from the Meduse in the name of research, and Binti arranges to take part in a peace talk. The summit is successful; the sacred object returned to the Meduse, it also rejuvenates the peace treaty between the races and sees the first Meduse student admitted to the university. Binti goes through many changes and is scared about what this means for her future as well as her past.
The story was confusing in that the protagonist spoke of things that made perfect sense to them, but without explanation of what it was or what it meant, left the reader wondering. Also, pet peeve, this is in first person--which is like the 10-millionth book for me this year. Somehow it fit the story though. I was fascinated by the different races and technology and am definitely looking forward to the second book. Perhaps then I will up the rating to 5 stars.
