2007 book by Nnedi Okorafor (as Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu). When 15-year old Ejii witnesses her father's beheading, her world shatters. In an era of mind-blowing technology and seductive magic, Ejii embarks on a mystical journey to track down her father's killer. With a newfound friend by her side, Ejii comes face to face with an earth turned inside out — and with her own magical powers.
But Ejii soon discovers that her travels across the sands of the Sahara have a greater purpose. Her people need to be protected from a force seeking to annihilate them. And Ejii may be just the hero to do it.
Tropes
- Absurdly Sharp Blade: Jaa's green metal sword.
- Abusive Parents: They abound in this book. Chief Ette and Dikeogu of the neglectful variety, Ejii's father of the psychological type.
- Afrofuturism: Ejii lives in a small village in Niger that is pretty poor but also has technology ranging from iPads to water creating devices.
- Back from the Dead: Ejii
- Bad Powers, Good People: Ejii and Dikeogu.
- Casting a Shadow: Ejii is a "Shadow Speaker", or someone who can talk to shadows.
- Continuity Nod: Ginen is the main setting of Okorafor's first book, Zahrah the Windseeker, and a minor character, Sunshine is a windseeker.
- Conspicuously Public Assassination: When Jaa beheads Ejii's father.
- Exotic Extended Marriage: Princess Sarauniya Jaa has two husbands.
- Fat Bastard: Chief Ette
- Human Aliens: People from Ginen look like black Africans.
- Lady of War: Sarauniya Jaa
- Lonely Rich Kid: Dikeogu, at one point.
- The Magic Comes Back: After the Great Change, spurred by a war using nuclear and bio-magical weapons, random magical things have been happening on Earth and some people have gained or been born with magical powers. There is also some mention of magic already being there but much weaker and hidden
- Magical Land: Ginen, and Earth has become this to a certain degree.
- My Skull Runneth Over: What happened to the older Shadow Speaker in Ejii's village.
- Organic Technology: Ginen's technology is based on plants.
- Planetville: Ginen only has one habitable area.
- Polyamory: Jaa has 2 husbands.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Both Ejii's father and Chief Ette are horribly sexist
- Power Incontinence: Dikeogu can't control when lightning strikes him until near the end of the book.. He's immune but nothing else around him is which is why his parents let him be taken into slavery.
- Psychic Nosebleed: Happens several times tp Ejii.
- The Quest: Ejii's quest to find Jaa, and then her, Dikeogu, Jaa and Jaa's husbands go to find Ginen.
- Rightful Queen Returns: Jaa returns to the town she ruled and beheads Ejii's father, who has taken over in her absence.
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: When Dikeogu and Ejii get to Agadez, people assume they are lovers. Ejii uses this for her advantage and claims he is her husband so she will be thought of as an adult.
- Shock and Awe: Dikeogu, mostly involuntary.
- Speaks Fluent Animal: Ejii can talk to animals, and many other inanimate objects.
- Stay in the Kitchen: Ejii's father's and Chief Ette's attitudes.
- Stout Strength: Chief Ette is powerful enough to fight Jaa to a standstill even though he's unarmed and she has an Absurdly Sharp Blade.
- Talking Animal: Onion the camel.
- Technicolor Eyes: All shadow speakers have oddly light colored eyes (though it is never stated what color exactly they are).
- Telepathy/ The Empath: Ejii can search people's minds to find out their deepest secrets and feelings.
- Translator Microbes: Once someone enters Ginen, they immediately start speaking and understanding the language of Ginen.
- 20 Minutes into the Future: Takes place in 2070.
