WHO FEARS DEATH

Yetide Badaki anchors this fresh production of Okorafor's sprawling postapocalyptic fantasy with her heartfelt portrayal of a fierce, young heroine. Onyesonwu knows she's different; a mixed-race child born of rape, she's considered an outcast among her people. As her magical powers begin to reveal themselves, Onye discovers that she is destined to rewrite the story of violence and genocide that plagues her home--if only she can harness her abilities. Badaki throws herself into her narration, giving Onye a powerful voice that handily demonstrates her anger at the world she inhabits and her determination to change it. A wry sense of humor accentuated by Badaki rounds out Onye's character and balances the darker aspects of this sometimes bleak and painstakingly detailed world. N.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]