I feel like I should read this a few more times before writing a review, because even though this is a fast and engaging read, there’s immense depth to this novel that showcases Okorafor’s masterful skill as a writer. The title evokes Roland Barthes’ essay in which he argues that literary critics should avoid using the biography of the author to aid in finding meaning in a text. Instead, the reader’s own analysis should be centered. Okorafor brilliantly plays with this idea through Zelu’s story as she watches her novel morph into something she never intended as it is adapted for the screen. And then there’s the tendency to look to Okorafor’s life as an inspiration for the novel. What do we make of that?
The Death of the Author is a masterful work on every level, and I cannot recommend it enough.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!