Zahrah the Windseeker

This is an excellent book by Nnedi Okorafor that is relatable to grade school kids, especially with regards to trying to fit in and celebrate one another's differences. In this case two friends venture into the forbidden greeny jungle and use a field guide and magic to explore the unknown and eventually make it home. The ebook from the library includes a cool field guide that I wish was included in the paper book, but it's overall a good deal on a great story.

The most novel aspect of this story was the plant-based technology--from the tall, arboreal buildings to the floral personal computers grown and customized in a manner reminiscent of digitally aware bonsai. The setting, a partly African, quasi-futuristic, crypto-magical, semi-village city in the midst of a vast, unknown jungle, was unusual as well. Unfortunately, the plot and characterizations were much more familiar, and not particularly interesting versions of the same sorts of fantastical creatures and situations in so many other stories, including Alice in Wonderland and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, both of which this book references (to its detriment, in a way; the only real smile I got was when one of the creatures assured her that the answer to the great question was 44--"that other book got it wrong"). Zahrah is a reasonably believable 13-year-old girl, but her constant fearfulness was annoying; she wasn't someone I enjoyed spending time with. On her trip through the Forbidden Greeny Jungle, she meets the sorts of creatures one does on such a journey: talking animals, dangerous monsters, unexpectedly kind helpers, all speaking in the same whimsically brusque manner. And, of course, Zahrah overcomes her fears and masters her hidden talent during the climactic confrontation--which is just what any reader would expect. Altogether, I'd recommend this book to a voracious late-elementary/junior-high reader who hasn't read enough other fantasy tales to find this one derivative and predictable. And I hope that the author's next book (this one clearly sets up a sequel or more) follows the more unusual aspects of the world she's created.

I loved this book!I'd highly recommend it for preteens and young adults, especially for girls going through puberty. But as an adult, I really enjoyed this book as well. This is one of the most unique worlds I've ever read about. There are all sorts of details that are similar to our world, but completely different in some significant way. It was lots of fun to see the world unfold.The story is about a girl who goes on a journey to save her friend. A large part of this involves learning about the powers she's developing, and also learning more about the forest that everyone avoids because it's considered too dangerous to approach.This book was fun, beautiful, and creative. It's one of my default recommendations for young adult readers, and I would love to see more books set in this world!

This book should be way better known! It's a really fun & suspenseful middle-grade/YA children's adventure story that kids who like HARRY POTTER and older fantasy stories such as THE HOBBIT or THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE will really enjoy. I love how--unlike many of those books!--it features a strong, resourceful female protagonist of color. Also, the vivid world-building makes you feel like you have truly stepped into another realm. And finally, I appreciate all the allusions to other fantasy books such as ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND. Why did it take me so long to discover this great book?! Adults, give this one to the kids in your life!

Zahrah is different. How different, she does not truly know, until she learns she can fly... thanks to her friend Dari, who urges her to learn about herself and her abilities.I first encountered this author with her book  Who Fears Death , which is very different from "Zahrah"; "Death" is written for adults, while this one is written with younger readers in mind. Thus, while "Death" started with a gripping bang, this one seemed to me to be less, erm, grippy, and much more simpler and a much slower pace. But I kept reading, drawn into Zahrah's world, and was glad I did. The Ooni Kingdom and its surrounding forests is lush and imaginative. I enjoyed Zahrah's character growth - from a fearful, timid child to one willing to help change the world.This is another amazing book by this author; highly recommended.

An engaging young heroine ventures deep into forbidden territory to save her friend - I thoroughly enjoyed the read.The setting is truly imaginative, and I'd have liked even a bit more of the bio-techno-magic of CPU seeds and plant-buildings.Zahrah is helped and hindered by a succession of memorable characters, including a village of talking Gorillas where we are given a glimpse of a fascinating history. There is a real depth to the supporting cast and places, helped by a device unashamedly borrowed from Douglas Adams (and the author gives an amusing nod to the source of Zahrah's fallible encyclopedia).The Kindle version has a number of editing issues - it didn't spoil the read, but should be cleaned up.

I read another book by this author, Akata Witch, and was so impressed that I bought this one right away. It did not disappoint! The world Okorafor created is so lush and the Africa-based setting was really well developed. Everything is plant based, even computers, and it makes for an interestingly fantastic world. I loved Zahrah's transformation from a shy, frightened girl to proud and courageous young woman. It was also refreshing that the relationship/romance was downplayed. Zahrah and Dari are just best friends - it doesn't need to be more than that. This isn't a romance, it's an adventure.I very much liked this book, but the e-book transfer left something to be desired. Tons of typos, some of them recurrent (Dan instead of Dari was a particular problem). There were eventually so many typos that I couldn't highlight and submit them anymore. I hope they get fixed!

The world created in these pages is vivid and lush, and the characters are interesting. You get drawn into Zahrah's struggle and lost in the surreal, beautiful, and terrifying forest around her.

More rubbish

I enjoyed this book, but it's not the YA novel it's marketed as. This would have been my favourite book ever if I had read it aged 8-10. Fortunately I still do like children's books and this is a good one. It's positive and uplifting without ever becoming grating or overly sweet. It's also quite funny outside the more serious scenes.

An amazing tale of a young girl discovering her unusual power and using it to save her best friend. The story really comes into its own thanks to the fantastic world in which it occurs, where people live in massive trees and where most objects are grown from seeds: CPU seeds anyone? This is world building at its best: alien but such that you would want to live there.

Zahrah is born Dada, which in Ooni society singles her out as being different from others. This difference manifests itself in her as a Windseeker; the ability to fly.This was a very enjoyable and imaginative tale by Nnedi Okorafor.