Awakened

After a number of young black children go missing, Pels, the investigative journalist at the centre of Awakened, begs her boss to let her cover the story. When he refuses and instead sends her to Benin to uncover the ‘unreasonable’ protests around tourists partaking in Spirit Vine rituals, Pels has some difficult decisions to make. In Awakened, Kelechi Okafor tackles themes of culture and the question of who it belongs to, while providing a cautionary tale of how far AI can go if we let it. She crafts stunning imagery of the landscapes of both London and Benin, and investigates the fine line between cultural appreciation and appropriation with great care. From an AI humanoid running for mayor to otherworldly dreams and messages, Awakened is an ambitious novel that I highly recommend.