Edge of Here by Kelechi Okafor
Dear Reader,
Thank you for taking the time to read some of my key reflections on Kelechi Okafor’s Edge of Here.
Edge of Here is Kelechi Okafor’s debut short story collection, I’ll definitely be re-reading this short story collection & recommend it for anyone who’s into speculative fiction, dystopian themes, social + political critique, it’s giving Black [✋🏿] Mirror.
I had already read “The Watchers” as part of the short story collection ‘Who’s Loving You?’ edited by Sareeta Domingo, the reflections were shared in March 2021 & and were shared on my bookstagram, and will share on medium at another point.
Here are some of my reflections. 🪐📺🌕⚙️☄️🍄🐚🫧🌑
Ally-chip stressed me tf out in the best way possible. It really was “the edge of here”. A chip developed by a young Nigerian girl is misused for white ‘hosts’ to feel and experience pain from racial abuse as a tool to ‘rid of racism’. This story allowed us to explore how technological advances will always be abused and exploited under systems of oppression.
Blue follows a world-renowned psychotherapist who [literally] absorbs people’s pain and her struggles as she does not have a place for her pain to go. This story features a lot of water metaphors, which warmed me a lot (as a Pisces and water-heavy babe). Water is mysterious, healing, scary, and restful all at once, so this story was just beautiful to experience. My favourite line from Blue is “Bring our daughter home.” LITERAL SHIVERS.
Uterustar: the plot sent chills down my spine because it spoke to history, present & unfortunately future. We know how enslaved women were forcefully impregnated to produce bodies for enslaved labour, and how generally Black, brown & poor white folks' bodies are always under a microscopic eye, scrutinised for overproducing (eugenic narratives) & for underproducing in times where bodies for [enslaved] labour are needed. In terms of where the story was going, it became slightly predictable & had more YA feel to it. I think it could be developed into a YA story & be very cool & so it wasn’t my fave fave of the stories.
Broom: WHOA. this gave Octavia Butler’s Kindred. The past is always within us and surrounds us & if you choose to truly open your eyes and see, you’ll move closer to liberation. What a wonderful short story. Also, dating & generally being in relationship (platonic, familial, and otherwise) with white people is a trip. Particularly those who claim to deconstruct and are anti-racist when they really aren’t, they can even be more soul-sucking & energy-draining. You somehow spend time teaching and managing emotions and feelings in lieu of your own.
Councilwoman & The Watchers linked so beautifully. The beginning & the end, except there is no beginning & there is no end.
& also, Kelechi definitely left a dedication to me as one of the “baby boys, baby girls & baby non-binaries” 🤪💓
also commotion for the outfit & the book matching so perfectly? yes !!
