Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor follows a young boy named Nnamdi who tragically loses his father, the police chief in his town, when he is shot by an unknown assailant. Nnamdi gains powers from an Ikenga which allow him to turn into a super-strong, shadowy figure. Nnamdi uses his powers to attempt to find his father's murderer and improve the town of Kaleria, which is being ravaged by several famous criminals.
I found this book very endearing and enjoyed it as an adult just as much as I think the target audience (middle grade readers) would. I loved the book's exploration of grief, especially a child dealing with grief and how at times that can manifest as anger or sadness or happiness depending on the situation. I thought this was also a great coming of age type of story as Nnamdi comes to realize that his world is not always equitable and things aren't always as simple and straightforward as they seem.
Another wonderful aspect of this story is the friendship between Nnamdi and Chioma. Chioma not only comes to help Nnamdi on his adventures at times, but she also provides balance and pushes Nnamdi to rise above his anger to pursue justice. Her connection to Nnamdi's father was also a very sweet touch.
Okorafor noted in her acknowledgements that she spent 10 years and several trips to Nigeria working on Ikenga. I appreciated the time she took to craft this novel to make sure that it was accurate in terms of descriptions and culture. I think the time she spent really paid off, and she included small details that really made the story pop.
I found this book very endearing and enjoyed it as an adult just as much as I think the target audience (middle grade readers) would. I loved the book's exploration of grief, especially a child dealing with grief and how at times that can manifest as anger or sadness or happiness depending on the situation. I thought this was also a great coming of age type of story as Nnamdi comes to realize that his world is not always equitable and things aren't always as simple and straightforward as they seem.
Another wonderful aspect of this story is the friendship between Nnamdi and Chioma. Chioma not only comes to help Nnamdi on his adventures at times, but she also provides balance and pushes Nnamdi to rise above his anger to pursue justice. Her connection to Nnamdi's father was also a very sweet touch.
Okorafor noted in her acknowledgements that she spent 10 years and several trips to Nigeria working on Ikenga. I appreciated the time she took to craft this novel to make sure that it was accurate in terms of descriptions and culture. I think the time she spent really paid off, and she included small details that really made the story pop.