The Side Table

Title: Akata Witch

Author: Nnedi Okorafor

Genre: YA Novel

Published: April 2011

Pages: 349

Rating: 4 out of 5

Source:  Library

Summary:

Akata Witch transports the reader to a magical place where nothing is quite as it seems. Born in New York, but living in Aba, Nigeria, twelve-year old Sunny is understandably a little lost. She is albino and thus, incredibly sensitive to the sun. All Sunny wants to do is be able to play football and get through another day of school without being bullied. But once she befriends Orlu and Chichi, Sunny is plunged in to the world of the Leopard People, where your worst defect becomes your greatest asset. Together, Sunny, Orlu, Chichi and Sasha form the youngest ever Oha Coven. Their mission is to track down Black Hat Otokoto, the man responsible for kidnapping and maiming children. Will Sunny be able to overcome the killer with powers stronger than her own, or will the future she saw in the flames become reality?

Opinion: 

I found this book from a recommended list of books for people who like Harry Potter but not J.K. Rowling. I gave it a shot, always eager to try something new. And I loved it! It has great world building of not just a different magical system but also of a different culture. The author is actually a US born Nigerian and uses her experience to weave a fantastical picture of a whole new world. I was enthralled with everything.

I will admit that the plot was sort of a second piece to this book. More was put into world building, which made me think that this was the first book in a series, but was still entertaining. There is a second book, which I’m excited about. The magical world building stayed with me even after the last page and I can’t wait to see more. It made me want to go learning more about the African culture and folk lore so I would understand more of what was mentioned but I’m glad I expanded my horizons.

I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to expand their reading choices but also to those who connect with being out of place in multiple ways. MFC is not only an outsider to the magical world and must navigate her way through things, but she’s also an albino in Africa. There’s talk of racism and prejudice that she has to deal with in her life, but watching her growth is amazing.