What I'm Reading Now

I usually read more than one book at a time.  Right now I'm reading Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okaoafor.    

Who Fears Death is a post apocalyptic novel set in a futuristic subsaharan Africa.  The heroine is a 16-year-old girl who is a social outcast because she is the product of a violent rape as an act of war between two tribes.  Onyesonwu is discovering that she has magical powers like shape shifting and traveling to the land of the dead, and she must learn how to use her power wisely.  The author uses fiction as a means to address intense social issues like racism, war, sexism, genocide, rape and female circumcision.  She combines themes of race, class and gender with fantasy fiction to create a world that's eerily mirrors our own.  This book is not for the faint of heart.  There are some brutal scenes in which the author does not flinch from portraying scenes of violence.  Interestingly, it's not that depressing because our heroine clearly intends to overcome the horrific discrimination she faces. Will she find her power?  Will she ultimately use it for the good?  I don't know yet, because I haven't finished the book.