The Gatekeeper's Staff

Paperback, 416 pages

Published May 25, 2021 by Antoine Bandele.

ISBN:
978-1-951905-16-3
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5 stars (1 review)

3 editions

Review of "The Gatekeeper's Staff" on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I haven’t read much West African mythology, but from playing Capoeira, some of it was instantly recognizable to me. TJ is a fantastic character, and I was really invested in his struggle to master his magic, limited as it was. I absolutely adored the concept of his true power being to encourage others (this isn’t really a spoiler, don’t worry). The real spoiler attached to that though blew me away and I did not see that coming. It was excellent!

I loved the way the real world and the fantastical merge and meld in this, but I also loved how diverse the characters were, from a range of backgrounds. And each of the side characters felt fully developed and real, and I could root for them all, though I really enjoyed Joshua. I loved the way the book handled grief too. It was such an honest, respectful way to deal …