She Who Knows: She Who Knows, Book 1

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 128 ratings

Price: 17.75

Last update: 02-12-2025


About this item

Part science fiction, part fantasy, and entirely infused with West African culture and spirituality, this novella offers an intimate glimpse into the life of a teenager whose coming of age will herald a new age for her world. Set in the universe Africanfuturist luminary Nnedi Okorafor first introduced in the World Fantasy Award-winning Who Fears Death, this is the first in the She Who Knows trilogy

When there is a call, there is often a response.

Najeeba knows.

She has had The Call. But how can a 13-year-old girl have the Call? Only men and boys experience the annual call to the Salt Roads. What’s just happened to Najeeba has never happened in the history of her village. But it’s not a terrible thing, just strange. So when she leaves with her father and brothers to mine salt at the Dead Lake, there’s neither fanfare nor protest. For Najeeba, it’s a dream come true: travel by camel, open skies, and a chance to see a spectacular place she’s only heard about. However, there must have been something to the rule, because Najeeba’s presence on the road changes everything and her family will never be the same.

Small, intimate, up close, and deceptively quiet, this is the beginning of the Kponyungo Sorceress.


Top reviews from the United States

  • lnreviews
    5.0 out of 5 stars mesmerizing!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2024
    I really enjoyed this story. Every word felt like it was part of a secret spell. While it was an oddity the salt road existed its usages worked in this story.
  • Annarella
    4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended
    Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2024
    It's the first book I read by this author and I was fascinated by the world building, a very interesting dystopia, and the mix of afro-futurism and fantasy.
    Well plotted and intriguing, a fleshed out heroine and a tightly knitted plot.
    Will surely read more
    Recommended.
    Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
  • Tina Marie Wilken
    5.0 out of 5 stars More please!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2024
    Genre: Fantasy
    Rating: 5⭐
    Diversity: African

    WHAT I LIKED & DISLIKED ABOUT IT:
    I could not get enough. I'm sad it was a novella. I wanted more of Najeeba's story. The self-empowerment. The struggle of balancing identity, personal fulfillment, and familial obligations are all relatable themes. The loss of relationships when you step into your own worth and power. Najeeba is quiet but strong. Ooof, more please! I'm ready for the next one in this series and I will definitely be reading more from this author.

    RECOMMENDATION:
    I can't see any sci-fi/fantasy lover not enjoying this book.
  • The Captain
    5.0 out of 5 stars First in a Trilogy and a Prequel
    Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2024
    Ahoy there me mateys! The first in a planned trilogy, this novella is a prequel to the book Who Fears Death.  It can be read without any knowledge of that novel.  One of the elements I love best about the author is her ability to make her world building feel so real and solid.  Another talent is in how alive her characters feel.  This Afrofuturist novella is no different.  I find the blend of sci-fi and fantasy to work extremely well. 

    Salt is life.  Najeeba is a 13 year old girl whose village expects her to get married and raise a family.  But then she gets the Call.  The men take a yearly trip on the Salt Road to gather salt and sell it at the market.  Though women originally found the Dead Lake of salt, they don't go.  Najeeba's trip changes her and has unexpected consequences for the entire village.

    I really loved Najeeba and her rather practical approach to life.  She is very resourceful.  How the Salt Road's magic affects her and her family's future was both fascinating and heart breaking.  It is always hard to read about violent tribal politics and about societal roles based on gender.  But there are lighter-hearted moments too.  For example, the camels.  

    I was fiercely charmed by Najeeba.  Just be aware that this novella ends on an abrupt cliffhanger, if even if it makes sense for how the story is told.  I cannot wait until the next comes out in 2025.  Arrr!
  • Kimberly morrow
    4.0 out of 5 stars #shewhoknows, #NetGalley
    Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2024
    I love this authors books! She writes so well and I was glad to get the NetGalley advanced copy of this book!

    I finished this book quickly which is no surprise since the author writes beautifully!

    This is the book about a girl who gets the call to go with her brothers and father to the mines. This is a huge deal within this as there has never been a girl called to do this before! While on this mission you see her grown and the magical transformation is awesome. The character build is everything you can ask for in a book.

    Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.
  • Pererau
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Imagery
    Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2024
    This novella is well-written, and the imagery is fantastic. It’s a nice, quick read introducing you to the way of life on Earth in the future. There are mentions of ancient tech that is found and sold at markets, and people of African descent and those of Arab descent. The world described seems to be very desolate and harsh, but humans have adapted to the desert and travel long days and weeks to make their living. The novella starts when the main character is 13 years old, and she is only beginning to realize what society’s strict gender norms will mean for her personally. Cue mysticism, juju and redefining what it means to be female in a patriarchal world. I am team Najeeba, all the way, always.

    It is possible to read this without having read the earlier book, “Who Fears Death”, but both stories are set in the same world, and there does seem to be a vague-ish spoiler right at the end. Just an FYI. I’m sure I will have forgotten it whenever I get around to reading about Najeeba’s daughter in said book, knowing my brain. ????

    I look forward to diving into more of Okorafor’s work!
  • Lynn Bethke
    5.0 out of 5 stars some magic, some science fiction, and a need for salt
    Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2024
    Set in a future Africa with some magic, some science fiction, and a need for salt, this is the story of a girl who defied convention. It is a prequel for "Who Fears Death," which I haven't read but immediately checked out from the library after reading this novella. This novella stands on it own.

    Najeeba feels a call to go on a journey which only men go on - to the Dead Lake to harvest salt. On this journey with her father she jumps into a dust devil (as I interpret it) and feels something change in her. She develops a sort of magic - leaving her body, calling on powers, and the ability to sell the salt at market for the best prices (something forbidden, at least tacitly, to women). This is the story of how she comes to be who she is.

    I enjoyed getting swept away into this world, which has complex power structures and mysterious magics. It's also filled with tragedy, loss, and revenge.

    I can't wait to read the rest of this series, as well as more books from this author.

    I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
  • Kristy D.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy, no Fluff!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2024
    I finished this story in just 2 days! This tells the story of a girl who gets the call to travel to the salt mines with her father and brothers. A girl has never been called before so this is a big deal. On her journey, she goes through a magical transformation and in the subsequent years, begins to evolve physically, mentally, and emotionally. What I loved most about this story was that it lacked a lot of fluff. There weren't paragraphs upon paragraphs of useless dialogue and wording. I would thoroughly enjoy this as a short movie or maybe as a part of an anthology series. I look forward to reading more from this author!

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