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 with it, and TJ deals with his sister’s deal through most of the book, because it’s not something that you just get over. But he gains friends and he gains knowledge of himself and his true power as who he is--even discounting magic--and that’s something any kid could use. I highly recommend this book!

Fans of Black Panther and Percy Jackson or Harry Potter need to read this book.