This was the first book by Nnedi Okorafor, and it began the process of me reading any and every book written by Okorafor. I haven't read them all, yet, but I am working on it, and I am loving them all. So, for that alone, I love this book. But, since books should also be read on their own merits and not just those of the author, let's focus just on Ikenga.
Nnamdi is an eleven-year-old boy who is struggling with his grief. His father, a chief of police who was working to root out the criminal elements that had invaded their town, has been murdered, and most people believe that the Chief of Chiefs, the most powerful of the criminals in town, is responsible for it. Nnamdi is determined to avenge his father's murder, but he has no idea how. No idea, that is, until he gains possession of a magical object that grants him superpowers on the one-year anniversary of his father's murder. Now Nnamdi has the ability to avenge his father's murder. But will he be able to control his new powers in order to actually do it?
I loved this book. Having read numerous novels about superheroes, all of which were rooted in mythologies that were very white, it was a breath of fresh air to read one that was situated firmly in African mythologies and histories. In addition to that, I enjoyed Nnamdi's inner struggle as he learned to use and control his powers. Faced with abilities that were as awesome as they were terrifying, Nnamdi was struggling to maintain his own moral compass. While certainly not in the same scope and manner as Nnamdi, that struggle is something that many children and adolescents can identify and relate to, and that makes Nnamdi a wonderful protagonist.
For this book, I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, which was narrated by Ben Onwukwe. He did a wonderful job with the narration, and I would certainly listen to another audiobook narrated by him.
Nnamdi is an eleven-year-old boy who is struggling with his grief. His father, a chief of police who was working to root out the criminal elements that had invaded their town, has been murdered, and most people believe that the Chief of Chiefs, the most powerful of the criminals in town, is responsible for it. Nnamdi is determined to avenge his father's murder, but he has no idea how. No idea, that is, until he gains possession of a magical object that grants him superpowers on the one-year anniversary of his father's murder. Now Nnamdi has the ability to avenge his father's murder. But will he be able to control his new powers in order to actually do it?
I loved this book. Having read numerous novels about superheroes, all of which were rooted in mythologies that were very white, it was a breath of fresh air to read one that was situated firmly in African mythologies and histories. In addition to that, I enjoyed Nnamdi's inner struggle as he learned to use and control his powers. Faced with abilities that were as awesome as they were terrifying, Nnamdi was struggling to maintain his own moral compass. While certainly not in the same scope and manner as Nnamdi, that struggle is something that many children and adolescents can identify and relate to, and that makes Nnamdi a wonderful protagonist.
For this book, I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, which was narrated by Ben Onwukwe. He did a wonderful job with the narration, and I would certainly listen to another audiobook narrated by him.