There’s an XKCD about the reverse correlation between the frequency of made-up words and the probability that the novel is worth reading, and in general, that’s a pretty accurate rule.
Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti is an amazing exception to this. Sure, it’s a slightly slower read because you’re constantly hearing new words, or new meanings of familiar words, and working them out from context. But this works as a world-building technique, maybe because this is a short novella, or maybe because the story itself is about discovery, unfamiliarity, and understanding. The world constantly felt real and alive.
In this novel, teenage Binti is the first Himbo ever accepted to a prestigious off-world university. Although her family are impressed, they expect her to stay home and use her talents in the family business of crafting astrolabes. After leaving her home, Binti finds herself facing stares, hair-touching and general stereotyping on her path to university. But just when you think this is a coming-of-age in space, the narrative shifts dramatically into something entirely different.
I enjoyed the fast-paced, surprising plot and the fully-imagined future. My small disappointment is there wasn’t a lot of time for character development in such a short story, so while I was very interested in what Binti did next, and rooted for her success, I wanted a bit more from her relationships. Hopefully the next two stories will cover that, too.