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A review by alwaysairie
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
4.0
Basically, Harry Potter but black, in Africa with knives instead of wands and easily two times better!
The book is great and reading it writing definitely makes me think back to my younger years reading Harry Potter but fulfilling the wish of actually seeing how would the magic system and environment be in a black country, here Nigeria.
What I very much loved is that Nnedi Okorafor beautifully built both her world and its magic system, sure taking heavy inspiration from her J.K Rowling but making sure that every detail feels like a parallel rather than a copy. First of all, because the magic system revolving around West African mythology adds an amazing layer of depth to the whole wizard trope. You actually learn about myths and heroes as well as creatures popular in West African culture and for those who have ties to it or even to voodoo culture, some creatures and stories will definitely hit home (s/o to Haitian Vaudou and the ref to Papa Legba, subtle but very much appreciated here
The book is great and reading it writing definitely makes me think back to my younger years reading Harry Potter but fulfilling the wish of actually seeing how would the magic system and environment be in a black country, here Nigeria.
What I very much loved is that Nnedi Okorafor beautifully built both her world and its magic system, sure taking heavy inspiration from her J.K Rowling but making sure that every detail feels like a parallel rather than a copy. First of all, because the magic system revolving around West African mythology adds an amazing layer of depth to the whole wizard trope. You actually learn about myths and heroes as well as creatures popular in West African culture and for those who have ties to it or even to voodoo culture, some creatures and stories will definitely hit home (s/o to Haitian Vaudou and the ref to Papa Legba, subtle but very much appreciated here