Some Diversity in SF
A young woman of the Himba people of Namibia becomes the first person from her culture to be accepted at a prestigious off-world university. The story starts as if it is going to use a Science Fiction trope as a metaphor for a woman leaving Africa to pursue an education in the West and struggling with holding on to her native culture or embracing Western culture. Instead the story takes a major turn when the ship carrying her is attacked by aliens who hate all humans. Then the narrative shifts to confronting hate with courage and compassion.
This story won the 2016 Hugo Award for best novella, possibly as a reaction against the idiotic Rabid Puppies who for two years running have attempted to hijack the Hugo Awards with a racist, sexist, and homophobic agenda. Okorafor brings some much needed diversity of perspective to Science Fiction, and I look forward to the next story in the Binti series.