My Hugo award votes 2026, Part 3: Novellas

 The novella series was pretty good this year, not perhaps as good as it has been in the best years. The top three stories were easy to decide; they were all very good. The rest weren’t exactly bad, but weren’t on the same level - mostly due to plot points, not the writing. Fantasy was once again more popular with four nominees against two science fiction ones. 

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite (Tordotcom)

The story happens in a generation spaceship, where people are periodically “rebirthed” into new cloned bodies. Their memories and personalities are stored separately and are loaded into a new body when needed. A woman who works as some sort of police inspector has been taking some time off from living. She wakes up in a new body, which, to her surprise, isn’t her own. There has apparently been a murder, and some of the personality recordings have been destroyed, leading to the true death of a person. The recording of the detective was also destroyed, but there was a backup which was automatically uploaded to the closest available body if the original was damaged. So, she must find out who the murderer was and who destroyed the recordings. It soon starts to look like the culprit was the person whose body she is wearing… but why? Ok detective story, which was a bit too long with too much ”sightseeing” of the habitat. There were some strange practices which were not explained: for example, why delay getting a new body if you have dementia until the memory recording has decayed? 

Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz (Tordotcom)

There has been a civil war between California and the rest of the US. One of the dividing things has been robot rights, as California recognizes sentient robots as individuals with rights. Some rights - of course, nowhere as many rights as humans. Mostly they have the right to work under human supervision at menial tasks, but that is more than in the rest of the US. A group of robots has worked in a restaurant. The restaurant closes suddenly, as the company that owned has gone under. No one has told the robots what to do. They decide to establish a new restaurant, this time a good one. But robots cannot officially own things, and they can work only for humans. Well, obstacles have been created to be overcome. They start a noodle restaurant with hand-drawn authentic noodles with savory assortments and manage to produce excellent food - even when they are review-bombed for being robots. Light story which mostly fizzled out at the end. They manage to establish a restaurant. And then what? I wasn’t a great fan of this story; I felt a bit detached from the characters, and the events weren’t really engaging, 

Cinder House by Freya Marske (Tordotcom; Tor UK)

Fairy tale retellings have been popular for a few years now. Now it was Cinderella's turn. Ella is abused by her stepmother and stepsister. Her time is largely filled with chores. And she isn't even alive; she and her father were killed by the stepmother. She haunts the house and is practically a part of the house. If it is untidy, she must put everything in order. And if the house is harmed, she feels intense pain - which her stepsisters used to control and torment her. She can’t leave the house, and no one but her family can see her. She can move things only inside the house. As she finds a way to leave the house, her life opens up a lot. She can listen to lectures at university; she can go see ballets and observe other watchers. She pays attention to a man who seems to love dancing and immerses himself completely in the shows.   She even gets a friend - she writes to the neighboring country where the best authority of the ghosts lives. Their correspondence turns into a long-distance friendship. Then the prince announces a three-night-long ball, where he will choose his new wife. Ella is determined to go at any cost and finds a way with some magically loaded wooden shoes covered with pieces of a broken mirror. Her sisters are also going and are planning to snare the prince. As Ella arrives at the ball as a real young woman, she meets the prince, who happens to be the lonely man from the ballet. They talk, and he has two secrets: one - the ball is just a formality - his new bride has already been selected and is a princess from a neighboring country. And the prince is cursed: if anyone sees him dancing, they will hopelessly fall in love with him. That had caused at least two suicides already. At the ball, he is wearing leg braces which prevent him from dancing “really” and he isn’t causing an epidemy of crazy love. And his bride-to-be is someone Ella knows…

An excellent, moving, exciting, and well-written story with a fresh take on the Cinderella story. 

What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher (Nightfire; Titan UK)

The story continues the series, where a retired soldier with “her” (the pronoun situation in “her” language is overtly complex; there is a pronoun for a female who has abandoned her gender and started a military career). This time they travel to the US, where their friend has bought an abandoned coal mine. The friend’s cousin has disappeared after he saw strange red lights inside the mine and followed them deeper. They examine the mine and eventually see strange lights; at the same time, someone seems to visit the camp while they are away. Is something living inside the mine? Is it some malevolent being? What are its aims? How can it move almost undetected? A pretty good, exciting, and even scary story, which derives inspiration from the classic story At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft. There is also a fairly similar being in some books by Brian Sanderson. 

The Summer War by Naomi Novik (Del Rey US; Del Rey UK)

Celia is a daughter of a nobleman who practically singlehandedly saved the kingdom from the periodic attacks by summerpeople, elf-like creatures with a tendency to party and celebrate and wage ruthless war against people living in the north - when it occurs to them. They are fighting to avenge a princess of the summer people who was married to a northern king, who killed herself.  Celia has a big brother, Argent, whom she loves; he is handsome, kind, smart, and brave. She has another brother who everyone ignores. The big brother has a disagreement with their father (He isn’t interested in marrying any princess, as his tastes went another direction) and leaves the castle forever. Celia is hurt and accidentally (this was the first time she actually had magical power) curses his brother to a loveless life. She soon realizes what she did but can’t take the curse back and can’t even contact her brother. She connects with her other brother, who turns out to be a nice person, even if he has some confidence problems after being ignored by everyone. As Celia grows, she is supposed to marry the prince, but it turns out to be a diversion; she actually is shipped to Summerland to marry their prince and to be the target of summerpeople’s resentment. A very good story written very well, as all Novik’s stories I have read. 

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (Tordotcom; Arcadia UK)

Two sisters live by a river which is filled with magic “grammar”. (I think it was a bad choice of a word - I was trying to think what the magic had to do with language, especially as “nomine” was another word used in connection with the magic. The sisters sing beautiful songs and people upstream (?) enjoy them. One of those magical people falls in love with one of the sisters, and they decide to get together. However, a local businessman had wanted to marry the sister and throws her into the river, and she drowns. However, because the river is magical, she doesn’t entirely die; instead, she is rescued in the magic lands by her fiancé. She can’t return to human lands as a person, however, but she can return as a harp. And as a harp, she can sing and is able to tell who killed her. A fairly good fairy-tale-style story. The magic was pretty vague and seemed able to do whatever the plot needed it to do. There were many similarities to Naomi Novik’s story: a magic land where carefree but very strange, practically immortal beings live. And romance between humans and those humanoid elf-like beings. The language was good but perhaps bordering on pretentious. Not among my top choices. 

My voting order:

1. Cinder House by Freya Marske (Tordotcom; Tor UK): 1

2. What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher (Nightfire; Titan UK): 2

3, The Summer War by Naomi Novik (Del Rey US; Del Rey UK): 3

4. The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar (Tordotcom; Arcadia UK): 4

5. Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite (Tordotcom): 5

6. Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz (Tordotcom): 6

Adrian Tchaikovsky: Shroud

Humanity has achieved a dream of Musk and Bezos. It has expanded to outer space and is extremely commercial and geared for expansion; humans are used for utilitarian goals, and if your work isn’t needed just now, you are put in storage. Other systems are exploited as raw materials with little regard for any biosystems there might be, except as a source for possible advances in medicine and chemistry. 

An expedition happens to a solar system where they find a large planet with a very high level of EM activity. The planet's atmosphere is very thick and hydrogen-based.  The gravity is high, and the atmosphere is thick, and no light gets to the surface. It turns out that there is a lot of life that communicates with electronic signals. There should be a lot of raw materials around and perhaps some new chemistry to be utilized! A small group is tasked to evaluate if there would be any useful scientific knowledge to be gained. The plan is to land and build one, but after an accident, three people are stranded on the planet in two landers. They find that there is a lot of life. Another lander is taken apart by local animals or inhabitants, causing a big explosion when oxygen reacts with hydrogen. Another escapes with locals in close pursuit. Is there any chance for survival - perhaps if they can get to the other side of the planet where the surveying equipment is situated? But they must get there through an inhospitable planet filled with strange life, with possibly hostile beings following. 

Most of the book talks about that travel and the increasing exhaustion and despair of the two survivors. They start to think their followers are sentient, but can’t be sure - perhaps they are encountering instinctive behavior, as sometimes the actions are strange. At the same time, their follower has pretty much the same thoughts: could anything that behaves so strangely be intelligent? 

While escaping, the humans happen to show how flying happens, and Shroudians learn that pretty much instantly. Later, when they are rescued and the utilization of the planet truly starts, the Shroudians learn fiber optics and how they reduce EM interference, and there is practically a technological (and mental) singularity. And humans must learn how to really communicate with a new, truly intelligent and powerful being fast, or else. 

The book was interesting, but perhaps my least favorite by this author so far. The middle part with the trip on the planet was far too long and not really engaging; it was mostly a description of strange things and sights, and the actual plot moved slowly. The writing was ok, but the characterization didn’t really shine; the people didn’t really feel different or real. As a whole, the book was a slight disappointment, even if it presented a really interesting life form – but the most interesting part of the story would start at the endpoint of this book. 

436 pp.

My Hugo award votes 2026, Part 2: Short Stories

The short story category was pretty good, better than in years. There were fewer very experimental or allegorical stories and more stories that actually told a real story, but often still had room for allegories and sly references to real things and problems. When putting the stories in order, I started from the last place as it was the easiest one to determine, just like second to the last. After that, the choices were very difficult as all stories were pretty good.  

 

"Six People to Revise You” by J.R. Dawson (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 62)

There is a new technology to “revise” a person. The protagonist wants that procedure - they are apparently trans. To be eligible, they must receive testimony from six people on what three things should be changed.  The changes aren’t exactly what they were expecting. Short, and not bad, story. A bit too scene-like; no proper start and the ending was a bit vague. 

 “In My Country” by Thomas Ha (Clarkesworld, Issue 223)

 A country which is free, because everyone is told so. But there are some limitations: art forms open to interpretation are not allowed, as they might provoke discontent. The son of the protagonist grows to be an author and writes stories that might offer interpretations critical of the current system that aren’t open, and the stories become popular. He is honored to be sent to “far fields,” where he will have the opportunity to create even better works. No one ever returns from there, supposedly because life there is so perfect. And usually there are few new creations by people living there. A very well-written and moving story written in fine poetic language. Not far from what the world is going towards. 

 “10 Visions of the Future; or, Self-Care for the End of Days” by Samantha Mills (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 63)

 Very short visions of different futures - all with catastrophes- that range from eldritch horrors or demon attacks to giant snowstorms to civil war to volcanic eruptions. But there is usually something to be learned or something that ties the protagonists together, and they are glad to be together. A nice story about love and comradeship. Somehow lacking, though. There was little actual plot. We don’t really learn much about the characters.

 “Laser Eyes Ain’t Everything” by Effie Seiberg (Diabolical Plots, May 16, 2025)

A man has become a superhero after an alien spaceship part hit him. He can shoot lasers from his eyes. He is wheelchair-bound, though. He joins the local chapter of superheroes, but their building is not wheelchair accessible. And no one of the superheroes is really interested in doing something about the matter. And no one of the super-abled is interested in real, important issues, like getting roads safer by building more roundabouts. But if you can’t be a superhero, there are other openings, like being a super villain. A fun, amusing lighthearted story.

 “Missing Helen” by Tia Tashiro (Clarkesworld, Issue 226)

A woman has a younger clone. When she hears that her ex is engaged to that clone, she gets conflicted feelings. The clone sisters decide to meet and discuss. After that discussion, the younger version’s feelings for the man start to slowly cool. A well-written bittersweet story about relations between humans and about how they develop.

 “Wire Mother” by Isabel J. Kim (Clarkesworld, Issue 229)

 Cassie’s mother is a computer simulation. Cassie suffers from ECD, a neurodivergent condition that prevents her from forming emotional bonds with simulated persons. That has led to some friction in family life, and she isn’t even salivating like other girls to create an electronic person as boyfriend when she turns 18. She dreams about old things and watches old movies with physical actors. She is starting to hate the never-aging simulacrum which claims to be her mother. But what if she finds a code that can permanently delete digital persons? Another good and well-written story with some irony of neurodivergence.

My voting order will be:

1. “In My Country” by Thomas Ha (Clarkesworld, Issue 223)

2. “Laser Eyes Ain’t Everything” by Effie Seiberg (Diabolical Plots, May 16, 2025)

3. “Wire Mother” by Isabel J. Kim (Clarkesworld, Issue 229)

4. “Missing Helen” by Tia Tashiro (Clarkesworld, Issue 226)

5. “Six People to Revise You” by J.R. Dawson (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 62)

6. “10 Visions of the Future; or, Self-Care for the End of Days” by Samantha Mills (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 63)

 

 

Carin Hjulström: Pikku murha vain (Säbyholms gröna fingrar #1)

 Ensimmäinen osa ruotsalaista dekkarisarjaa. PItkän uran tehnyt tunnettu näyttelijä on irtisanoutunut työstään ja muuttaa veljenpoikansa kanssa puolittain vahingossa hankkimaansa kasvihuonetarhaan. Näyttelijä on ollut pitkässä suhteessa kuuluisan teatteriohjaajan kanssa, mutta tämä on vaihtanut nuorempaan naiseen, joka on vieläpä raskaana. Tämä vaikuttaa raskaasti hänen mielialaansa. Veljenpoika on jossain määrin hulttio ja on ollut jopa lyhyesti vankilassa ja hänen vanha tuttavapiirinsä on samaa tasoa. Hän on kuitenkin vakaasti päättänyt aloittaa rehellisen elämän. Yhdessä he suunnittelevat taimitarhan herättämistä henkiin ja saavat jopa suuren tilauksen. Taimitarhan lähellä on kartano, joka on lisäämässä metsästysturismia ja jolle on tulossa delegaatio kiinalaisia matkatoimistojen päälliköitä. Kartanon omistaja pariskunnalla on kovia paineita asioiden menemisestä täydellisesti. Kun paikallinen riistanvalvoja löytyy kuolleena epäilyttävissä olosuhteissa, on aluksi epäselvää, kuka edes häntä olisi halunnut kuolleeksi - pinnallisesti hän oli hyvä pataa useimpien kanssa, vaikka ei varsinaisen rakastettu henkilö ollutkaan. Paikallispoliisi alkaa selvittää tätä kuolemaa, kun varsinaiset murhatutkijat ovat liian kiireisiä tärkeämpien rikoksien parissa. 

Hyvin, hyvin, rauhalliseen tahtiin etenevä kirja. Paljon enemmän aikaa kuluu taimitarhan tavanomaiseen elämään kuin varsinaiseen dekkarijuoneen. Osittain varsinkin henkilöiden välisissä suhteissa tässä kirjassa vasta aseteltiin palasia kohdalleen - sekä tädille että veljenpojalle pedattiin ilmiselvää uutta ihmissuhdetta seuraaviin osiin kehiteltäväksi. Murhapuoli ei ollut turhan realistista eikä ihan kaikin puolin loogista – joitain asioita jätettiin vähän liikaa epäselviksi. Kielellisesti kirja oli kohtalaista tasoa, ja oli ihan ok kuunneltavaa autossa, vaikka hitaammissa kohdissa hiukan ajatus pyrki harhautumaan. 

The book progresses at a very, very leisurely pace. Far more time is spent on the everyday life of the plant nursery than on the actual mystery plot. In some respects—especially regarding the relationships between the characters—the novel is largely about putting the pieces in place, clearly setting up new romantic relationships for both the aunt and her nephew to be developed in future installments.

The murder mystery itself wasn't particularly realistic or entirely logical, with a few points left a little too vague. The writing was decent enough, and it made for an enjoyable audiobook to listen to in the car, although during the slower sections my mind occasionally began to wander.

400 pp

Emily Tesh: The Incandescent

 

The next Hugo nominee. Dr. Walden is the director of magic in a boarding school whose curriculum emphasizes magical arts. It is a pretty expensive place to study, but there are many students with scholarships there, because a young person with powerful gifts for magical abilities may be - and is - very dangerous for themselves and others who are untrained. As the concentration of magical skills in a small area is very appealing to demonic powers, the school has many wards and mechanisms to prevent demons from entering it and possessing students. The world has a demonic level which can be accessed by skillful individuals, and it is especially strong in the school area. There are also guards, demonfighters, marshals, patrolling the premises. The book is set in the modern day; there are mobile phones, cars, and game systems. And intricate electronics attract demons for some reason. Dr Walden is passionate about the school, its safety, and her students, and the students give her high esteem. 

There is a severe intrusion caused by students who thought they could control a demon but instead encountered a much more powerful one than they bargained for. Dr Walden manages to save the situation. (She herself started a similar situation when she was a student at the school, and that time things didn’t go as well). Dr Walden has a secret - a demon that has been captured in a tattoo on her hand, which she can use in a tight situation. The chief marshal raises serious concerns when she learns about the tattoo and the demon which is contained in it. She is, however, moved out of the school in the investigation following the intrusion - just after Dr Walden connects with her and they were planning a romantic date together. Afterward, the chief marshal is fired because someone had to be blamed for the incident. But a contractor, mysterious and arrogant but handsome Mark Daubrey, starts overseeing the safety of the school. And the demonic activity seems to be increasing…

A pretty nice book, but it was not without problems. It was pretty episodic, and pacing felt a bit uneven - almost like it would have been an old-school fixup novel consisting of several shorter works. The writing wasn’t quite as good as in some of the other nominees, and the romance parts felt somewhat cringe for some reason. The book was told in the third person, but the viewpoint was always Dr. Walden’s. And it felt a bit strange that Dr. Walden, the main and viewpoint character, was the only one almost always referred to by last name; for others, the first name was often used. Dr Walden herself was an interesting character, at the same time arrogant, so sure, too sure of herself, and lonely and somehow repressed at the same time. 

I was also expecting to learn more about the demons. They live at some kind of other level of existence, love to eat humans, especially ones with magical abilities; they aren’t “demons” in the religious sense (even though they can possess you and need exorcism to be driven out) but rather malevolent creatures which can be harnessed for menial tasks when they are young and weak. I wonder if that is the reason they are so angry? That aspect wasn’t explored at all. 

416 pp. 

Anthony Horowitz: Harakkamurhat (Magpie Murders, Susan Ryeland #1)

Pienen kustantamon kustannustoimittaja on saanut kustantamon tähtikirjailijan uusimman kirjan käsikirjoituksen. Kirja on viimeisin osa Christie-tyyppistä sarjaa, jossa hienostunut herrasmies ratkaisee hieman yksinkertaisen avustajansa kanssa murhia usein kartanomiljöössä. Kirja on sarjassaan tavanomaista: kartanossa aluksi on kuollut talon ylläpitäjä/siivooja ilmeisen tapaturmaisesti, ja myöhemmin kartanoherra itse kuolee. Tällä kertaa tapaturmasta ei herää epäilyjä, sillä miehen kaula on katkaistu. Salapoliisi selvittää kuolemia parhaaseen Poirot-tyyliin haastattelemalla kaikki asiaan liittyvät henkilöt, kunnes ilmoittaa lopulta selvittäneensä murhaajan, jonka jälkeen käsikirjoitus loppuu - kirjan viimeinen luku puuttuu. Kustannustoimittaja on hämmästynyt: minne osa käsikirjoituksesta on kadonnut? Hän soittaa pomolleen, kustantamon johtajalle, jolla on uutisia. Kirjailija on lähettänyt itsemurhaviestin ja löytynyt kuolleena komeasta, mutta kolkosta kartanostaan, jonka oli kirjojensa tuotoilla ostanut.

Puuttuvaa lukua ei löydy miehen tietokoneesta tai papereista, eikä kukaan häntä tuntenut tiedä asiasta mitään. Kaikki ovat kyllä yhtä mieltä yhdestä asiasta: mies oli ollut erittäin epämiellyttävä, eikä kukaan jäänyt häntä kaipaamaan. Oliko kyseessä tosiaan itsemurha? Ja mihin ihmeeseen on joutunut kirjan viimeinen luku? Nyt on edessä tosielämän murhamysteeri: tappoiko joku kirjailijan ja miksi - vaikka kukaan hänestä ei pitänyt, ei oikein kenelläkään tunnu olevan murhaan riittävää motiivia. Ja minne ja miksi se puuttuva luku katosi?

Kirjassa saa kaksi erilaista ja erityyppistä dekkaria yhdellä kertaa. Molemmat ovat sujuvia, hyvin kirjoitettuja ja kiinnostavia, tarjoten hyviä henkilöhahmoja sekä mielenkiintoisen juonen että täpärän lopun. Ainakin siinä ”tosielämän” tarinassa, kirjassa kirjan sisällä, lopetus oli perinteisempi Agatha Christie -tyyppinen, jossa ei ollut nykytyylisiä uhkatilanteita. Sen verran vetävä kirja oli kyseessä, että jatko-osakin pitänee jossain vaiheessa lukea. Tosin asiat muuttuivat niin reippaasti, että on vaikea tietää, miten tämä kirja voisi jatkua järkevästi. 

The book offers two different kinds of detective stories in one. Both are engaging, well written, and compelling, with strong characters, an intriguing plot, and a suspenseful ending. At least in the 'real-life' story—the novel within the novel—the ending was more of a traditional Agatha Christie-style resolution, without the modern convention of putting the characters in life-threatening situations. The book was gripping enough that I'll probably read the sequel at some point. That said, so much changed by the end that it's hard to see how the story could continue in a convincing way.

541 pp

Solvej Balle: Tilavuuden laskemisesta I (Om udregning af rumfang #1)

Nainen, joka omistaa puolisonsa kanssa pienen vanhoihin kirjoihin erikoistuneen antikvariaatin, on ollut matkalla hankkimassa uusia kirjoja. Hän alkaa elää samaa marraskuun päivää uudelleen ja uudelleen. Oltuaan jotain päiviä hotellissaan, hän palaa kotiinsa (hän onnistuu tässä, näyttää siltä, että se, mitä hän itse/itselleen tekee, ei pyyhkiydy pois). Hän selittää miehelleen, mitä on tapahtunut. Tämä uskoo lopulta naisen kertomuksen. Mutta seuraavana päivänä mies ei muista puolisonsa aikaistunutta paluuta matkalta ja asia pitää selittää uudelleen. Muutamien kymmenien kierroksien jälkeen nainen väsyy tähän ja muuttaa talonsa käyttämättömään vierashuoneeseen. Koska hän tietää tarkasti, mitä puoliso milloinkin tekee, hän pystyy elämään puolison huomaamatta. Lopulta hän ei tätäkään enää jaksa, vaan muuttaa paikkakunnalla olevaan tyhjään taloon. 

Kiehtova kirja, joka ei keskity toistuvan päivän ”mekaniikkaan” ja siihen, mitä tuossa tilanteessa voisi tehdä, vaan enemmän naisen sisäiseen elämään ja siihen, miltä päivien päättymätön toistuminen tuntuu. Hän on ahdistunut, toivoton, alistunut, mutta välillä myös toiveikas ja pienistä asioista, kuten kuun pilkottamisesta pilvien välistä, nauttiva. Tässä yöllisessä taivaan katselussa oli muuten kirjailijan virhe, joka kiinnitti huomiota: meteorikuuroa ei voi katsella kaukoputkella.  Kirja kattaa vuoden ajan tuota samaa päivää, ja loppuu hivenen avoimesti. Päätellen kirjan jatko-osista, koettelemus ei vielä tähän pääty. 

Kirja oli hieno, vaikka siinä ei tapahtumia juuri ollut. Kielellisesti se oli hyvää nautittavaa tekstiä ja naisen tunteet ja ajatukset tulivat aidon ja samaistuttavan tuntuisina esiin. Jotenkin kummasti kirja on jäänyt pyörimään mielessä moneksi päiväksi ja jatko-osia pitää varmasti lukea pian kunhan muilta lukemisilta ehtii. 

A fascinating novel that does not focus on the mechanics of reliving the same day or on what someone might do in that situation. Instead, it explores the woman's inner life and what it feels like to experience the endless repetition of the same day. She is anxious, hopeless, and resigned, yet at times also hopeful and able to take pleasure in small things, such as seeing the moon emerge from behind the clouds. Incidentally, there was one mistake that caught my attention in this scene of nighttime stargazing: you cannot watch a meteor shower through a telescope. The novel spans an entire year of this same repeating day and ends on a slightly open note. Judging by the later books in the series, the ordeal is not over yet. It was a wonderful book, even though very little actually happened. The writing was beautiful and a pleasure to read, and the woman's thoughts and emotions felt genuine and deeply relatable. Somehow, the story has lingered in my mind for days afterward, and I will definitely be reading the sequels soon, once I have time between my other books.

155 pp. 

Nnedi Okorafor: Death of the Author

The next in line of the Hugo nominees. Zelu is a Nigerian-American, wheelchair bound wannabe author who taught writing at the university. She was fired for giving an honest opinion about a student's writing exercise. At the same time, her novel was returned by one more publisher.  She has been forced to move back to her parents', and doesn’t leave her room. She starts to write furiously, something else, something she never thought she would write - a sci-fi story about robots. When she finishes, she sends it to a friend, who loves it. He has always been honest, and so Zelu sends it to her agent, who also loves it. After it is published, it becomes a worldwide bestseller and is instantly optioned for a movie. It takes some adjusting to new fame for her and her family, which has been and still is extremely protective (and restrictive). A new company that develops high-tech medical devices offers her exoskeleton bionic braces that would enable her to walk again. She takes the offer and, after some heavy exercise, learns to use them. Her family isn’t happy about them and sees them as an affront to the natural order. That causes Zelu to move out to her own apartment, which she now easily can afford.  She already has a contract for the next two books, but it turns out to be very hard to begin writing them. She gains a huge online following, but gets practically canceled after comments at a TV interview. Personally, I didn't understand at all what was so bad about her comments.

Interwoven with this story are parts of the robot book she wrote. Or are the chapters from it, or are they something else? In those chapters, humans have died out except for one. The robots love the stories humans have created and know them all. So far, no robot has been able to author an original story.  Some of the robots resemble humans; others are more like computer AIs that can move between computers and robot bodies. There are disagreements that lead to civil war, even as they face an outside threat. 

There is fairly little science fiction in the main story, mostly the exoskeleton part. The robot story was more of a pure sf story, but I didn’t like it too much. Never in a million years would that have been a best seller or easily adapted for a movie (Well, Zelu _hated_ the movie, so it apparently wasn’t adapted well). The story was interesting, and the relationship between Zelu and her family was well described. Practical no one was a good, easy-going person; perhaps the “best” character as a person was Zelu’s long-term, very understanding boyfriend. Especially her family behaved very strangely protective and restrictive toward her. The Nigerians were described as petty, competitive, and sometimes dangerous people (When Zelu was visiting Nigeria, she was ambushed for extremely poorly described reasons - apparently mostly because she was rich and famous. The part with the robot story was a bit strange - they were too confusing and not as well written as the rest of the book, but there was a twist of sorts, which gave at least some kind of explanation to that. 

The genre of the book is a bit hard to define - was it a literary novel with connections to science fiction or “real” science fiction? Perhaps more the first choice. It was an interesting book, nevertheless. At least if you mostly skip the robot parts. 

448 pp