Binti is a master harmonizer of her people who is on her way to Oomza University on another world. She is the first of her people to leave their land and carries with her the traditions of her home. After first being ostracized for being different from her fellow travelers, she soon makes friends and even starts falling in love with a boy. That all comes to a halt when the ship is attacked by alien terrorists who kill everyone on board except Binti. It seems that the things that set her apart from her fellow travelers are the exact things that save her life. 

She takes refuge in her rooms and learns that the edan she has been carrying around for years is actually a machine that can create electric currents and act as a translation device. With its help she starts communicating with the alien Meduse and learns that they are set to attack Oomza to regain the stinger of their chieftan. Binti offers to speak for them so they will not attack the university. 

I can see why this novella received so many accolades. It is well written and exciting and a different kind of story. I really enjoyed Binti, but think the story could have done with a bit more length. The shortness made some of the transitions very abrupt. Things like the slaughter of an entire ship full of university students and professors basically gets swept away by both Binti and the University. The alien terrorists are given their demands and even offered a place at Oomza. And Binti seems to become best friends with her main captor. Then there is the whole thing at the end where she becomes a sort of hybrid. So much happens but there really isn't enough explanation or plot to justify all the decisions that are made. The rest of the books in the series are longer so maybe they are a bit more thought out.