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A review by linesiunderline
Ikenga by Nnedi Okorafor
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Strengths:
• It’s essential and important to see a young Black protagonist grappling with his own sense of power and potential as he comes of age. All kids need these stories.
• Solid sense of place - Nigerian setting comes through strongly with Igbo phrases, plenty of food descriptions, the names of the villains - I felt like I was there, in the community.
• A convincing central friendship that I think kids will connect to.
Howevers:
• The pacing was inconsistent; there were times when I was turning the pages quickly (especially during the action sequences) and others where things sort of ground to a halt and it took some effort to keep reading.
• I read a fair amount of middle grade and certain aspects of this text felt more YA to me in theme and therefore jarring (occasional conversation around romantic relationships / interest between the characters - they’re 12), pretty intense action sequences and descriptions of violence.
• Overall, I wanted more. Something didn’t click - the pace, the sometimes flat dialogue, the sense that a superhero story should be more of a pageturner.
• It’s essential and important to see a young Black protagonist grappling with his own sense of power and potential as he comes of age. All kids need these stories.
• Solid sense of place - Nigerian setting comes through strongly with Igbo phrases, plenty of food descriptions, the names of the villains - I felt like I was there, in the community.
• A convincing central friendship that I think kids will connect to.
Howevers:
• The pacing was inconsistent; there were times when I was turning the pages quickly (especially during the action sequences) and others where things sort of ground to a halt and it took some effort to keep reading.
• I read a fair amount of middle grade and certain aspects of this text felt more YA to me in theme and therefore jarring (occasional conversation around romantic relationships / interest between the characters - they’re 12), pretty intense action sequences and descriptions of violence.
• Overall, I wanted more. Something didn’t click - the pace, the sometimes flat dialogue, the sense that a superhero story should be more of a pageturner.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Violence