War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi
Cover of War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi
Despite my very long to-be-read (TBR) list, I sometimes end up checking out something completely new on the Libby app. The cover of War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi drew me in and then the first sentence of the description cemented the deal: “Two sisters are torn apart by war and must fight their way back to each other in a futuristic, Black Panther-inspired Nigeria.”
This is a dark and challenging read, with glimmers of hope and beauty. It’s set in a dystopian future when climate change and nuclear conflicts have ravaged the planet. Western nations, responsible for much of the devastation, have colonized space and exploited Earth’s remaining resources. The storyline echoes the Nigerian-Biafran War, with the country in the midst of a resurgent civil war sparked by ethnic conflicts and struggles over mining rights for Chukwu, a powerful and sacred mineral.
The main characters, sisters Onyii and Ify, live among other former child soldiers, known as War Girls. Onyii and many others are “augmented” with cyberized limbs or eyes as a result of severe injuries from the war. Battles are fought by soldiers piloting mechs powered by Chukwu. Synthetic child soldiers, supposedly void of emotions and memories, protect the War Girls and push Onyii to rethink the meaning of personhood. During the novel, Onyii and Ify are separated yet remain deeply connected even as the dark secret of their sisterhood is revealed. There are no perfect characters; each has flaws and strengths.
The brutalities of war are not glossed over or glorified. Onyebuchi unflinchingly portrays death, destruction, injuries, bombings, a refugee crisis, and family separations. The book explores important themes including the nature of family, the evils of colonization, and the rippling effects of war on communities and individuals.
War Girls and its sequel Rebel Sisters were both published in 2020 and are available now.
Related articles and resources
Children recruited by armed forces or armed groups via UNICEF
Climate change made deadly floods in West Africa 80 times more likely via The Washington Post
Other books you might like
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
The Record Keeper by Agnes Gomillion
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and may earn a commission if you click through book links on this site and make a purchase.
