Akata Witch

A misfit loner is chosen to save the world. I know, it’s been done before. But this story is special. Firstly, it is set against the backdrop of Nigerian culture and lore. And secondly, Sunny. The main character is memorable for more than just her “differences.” She is determined and fierce, making her a hero you want to see bring home a “w” over and over again.

Sunny Nwazue is Black and albino, born in the U.S., but living in Nigeria. While she loves soccer and excels at it, her condition makes it impossible to go out in the sun. When she learns about the Leopard People, a magical community in West Africa, and forms a coven with three other magical children, her path unfurls before her, just as her coven is sent to capture a magical serial killer. Exploring themes of ethnicity, identity, and accepting the curses or gifts we are born with, Akata Witch is a book in which anyone can find themselves. 

The worldbuilding in Akata Witch is incredible, it is the kind of book that transports you into an entirely new environment. You will genuinely forget you're reading, glance up, and realize hours have passed! I love the emphasis on friendship and teamwork. And, the main character deals with bullying at school and has to learn to open up and rely on others (which is uniquely challenging when you also view them as potential threats). She has to learn how to find people she can trust. I highly recommend Akata Witch if you're looking for a story you can lose yourself… show more.

This book gets called “the Nigerian Harry Potter” a lot. It’s about a magical school sorta and the worldbuilding is delightful and includes things like pouty blue wasps that are diva artists, perimeter bushes that confiscate weapons, and other fantastical inventions that are unlike anything I’ve ever read. However, what I loved most was the unexpected spirit of the main character Sunny Nwazue. She’s not your typical middle grade heroine who is defined by self-doubt and who follows the expected rising self-esteem arc. Instead, she’s incredibly no-nonsense and is very focused on doing the work she needs to do, whether… show more.

Akata Witch has a magic system like no other. Reading this book made me rethink the “rules” of magic systems in fantasy fiction. The weirdness, the silliness, the insects! Okorafor has also found a way to think about identity in magic (there’s the secret) that is both profound and fun.