Reviews

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor

sarahhhht's review

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

I really liked the system of magic she created here! I thought the West African/Nigerian setting was really interesting and loved seeing that intertwined with the structure and systems of magic. 

rebeccajanereads's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

bookwrm526's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

jenhurst's review against another edition

4.0

This isn’t YA since the main characters are 13/14, it’s middle grade. The writing is also very juvenile but the story is still fantastic. I liked the magic system and the blending of African folklore with modern day. It’s interesting seeing a protagonist as an Albino, since usually anyone with a disability of sorts doesn’t get to be front and centre in a story. The other characters with powers are dyslexic or ADHD. I liked seeing those celebrated

kathrinpassig's review against another edition

Es fing ganz gut an, das Versprechen "Harry Potter in Nigeria" (und mit einer weiblichen Hauptfigur) interessierte mich schon deshalb, weil endlich mal was nicht in England spielt und ich sehr wenig über Nigeria weiß. Aber bei 50% des Buchs gab es immer noch keinen Plot, nur eine Abfolge von "und dann besuchten wir diese Magieperson und dann jene und dann flogen wir auf dem Rücken eines großen Vogels herum, und dann, und dann, und dann". Auch stilistisch wirkte es in der Mitte  liebloser heruntererzählt als am Anfang. Vielleicht wird es in der zweiten Hälfte noch richtig gut, ich hatte nicht die Geduld dafür.

pacele's review against another edition

3.5

Cute and engaging! Had I read this in middle school I think I would have absolutely loved it. I’m excited to read the next few books. 

uniimitedskies's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

imaginethisreader's review against another edition

adventurous funny

4.0

maddynd06's review against another edition

2.0

2/5

I sometimes struggle with reading YA novels because they can feel very surface-level. This book especially felt this way to me because it was so fast-paced that a lot of details felt brushed over. Additionally, a majority of the book was spent building up the mystery and tension around the Black Hat, yet the final confrontation was over so quickly. Similarly, a lot of the details in the book felt contradictory. The adults in the novel would withhold information from Sunny and her friends, yet they expected them to battle a serial killer. They were deemed too immature for advanced magic, yet they were considered mature enough to go against the Black Hat. The details just don’t add up in this story, and I couldn’t overlook it.

jg12389's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Overall an interesting, unique YA fantasy story. It is very much for younger readers. Overall, I enjoyed it for what it was.