Service95 Recommends is the home of the books we love and reviews from our contributors. Awakened by Kelechi Okafor is an imaginative, otherworldly dystopian fantasy set in London.
What We Say: “Set in a near-future where technology is fully integrated in our homes, and a humanoid AI is running for London Mayor, Pels is a journalist desperate to get to the bottom of a spate of disappearances of young Black British people who are then found dead by bodies of water. Travelling between London and Benin and examining modern-day concerns about AI, Awakened is a bold imagining of our future through the lens of ancient spirituality.” – Maria Padget
What They Say: “Written with vision and ambition, abounding in wit and wisdom, Kelechi Okafor challenges the apathetic film that suffocates our modern existence. Weaving together spirituality, science fiction and contemporary concerns, Awakened is utterly enthralling.” – Jendella Benson
Available on Bookshop.org and Waterstones
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Maria Padget is Book Club Director at Service95
