War Girls by by Tochi Onyebuchi

genre: young adult science fiction

In a future Nigeria torn apart once again by a bloody civil war, sisters Onyii and Ify have only known a life of unrest and conflict.  Prepared to fight in a "mec" and known for her tactical and battle genius, Onyii is prepared to give her life for her fellow war girls.  While both sides utilize bionic body parts and network connectedness is a way of life, the War Girls are undoubtedly a contingent of the underdogs in this battle and scrambling for every tiny resource is a way of life.  In a climate that's become desperate enough to send colonies into space, Onyii and Ify know that their dreams of peace may be only just that - dreams.  But they know they are dreams worth fighting for.

Dang I wanted to love this.  Afrofuturism with strong, fully fleshed out female characters and a cause to fight for.  Sister love.  The world building here is expansive and intricate.  The bionic body part plot device was intriguing and the "band of sisters" vibe really did work for me.  But it didn't all work for me, unfortunately.  It went on too long - the last quarter of the book stretched my ability to suspend my disbelief while I kept feeling like it should be done and the narrative continued to rush from scene to scene.  Plot holes kept pulling me out of the action and frankly, I just got tired of battle, I guess is the truth of it.  I know that really exposes my privilege - I recognize that people LIVING a civil war probably get crazy sick tired of battle too, so maybe for some teen readers this book can really help them get a taste for the senselessness and exhaustion of war.  As a reading experience it just didn't hit the spot for me right now.