Akata Witch

The characters of the Akata Witch novel are archetypes in a way, but they don’t feel like they are. There’s something refreshing about them. Sunny’s very existence confounds stereotypes. She is the embodiment of the in-between; She’s black but with pale skin, both Igbo and American, something that leaves her feeling outside of both identities. This is reflected in the way kids at school treat her. Even when she is revealed to have Leopard powers more powerful than she could have ever imagined, she is still treated as an outsider because of her status as a Free Agent. As such, she is labeled clueless and incompetent by the Leopard People.

Not to mention, amidst all of this, Sunny must also deal with being female in a male-dominated world. During the day, Sunny must contend with a father who never wanted a daughter, brothers who expect her to cook for them, and boys who don’t want her to play soccer with them. (Which she handles beautifully later in the novel during a joint student soccer game.) People disregard the fact that she is powerful and choose to judge her on superficial terms. These moments emphasize that, though set in a magical world, Akata Witch is also extremely relevant to the real world. Sunny is ultimately a young woman of the 21st century, trying to navigate an endless maze of judgment and categorization.

As far as the world-building itself and the rest of the characters, I would agree that it compares to Harry Potter in a sense, but it is not derivative at all. Sure, she’s a Chosen One with powerful ancestral magic who was raised in the non-magical world. And yes, her destiny is to battle a great evil with the help of her generous friends. But in Sunny’s story there’s a realness and harsh earnestness that Harry Potter lacks. Leopard People aren’t unforgiving but won’t let a crime go unpunished. Africa is a continent marred by colonialism and exploitation; to build a magical world on that foundation is to imbue it with hardship. Despite this, the book doesn’t feel gloomy at all. If anything, it is very positive and charming. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As soon as I started reading, I could hardly let it go. I would highly recommend it.