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jebecky's review
I really struggled with the narrators voice for the main character and I also really struggled to pay attention to this book. I think people might really enjoy it tho and my opinion is not a great one to go off of.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Violence
sarrie's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Abeni's Song by P. Djèlí Clark is a fantastic coming of age story about a young girl who sets out to save her family. It's clearly the first in a series, and I can't wait to see more of it. The story follows Abeni who watches her entire family and village taken by living ropes, seemingly commanded by Storm Women and a man in a Goat Mask. She is saved by Auntie Asha, the witch who was used to protect their village but seemingly can't anymore.
I'm going to be honest, the start of this didn't quite get me. The opening chapter isn't even from Abeni's perspective but from another girl as the children of her village are kidnapped by a song. Then we move to Abeni and it's a bit of a slow start. Then as the Storm Women attack we begin to see magic and once we're with Auntie Asha? It kicks into full magical mode. Auntie Asha's everything is magic. The House, the grass, the blankets, and Asha herself is an intriguing and fantastic character. That same level of magic and lovability bleeds into everyone and everything. Abeni is adorable, she acts and thinks like I remember acting and thinking when I was a young girl at times. Her friends she meets along the way all have unique and interesting stories. The darkness of the world around her is hinted at, not completely revealed and having kept up with P. Djèlí Clark's backlist I know it's going to hit when it does.
The book is also metaphorically dealing with a lot of big and heavy topics but in ways that I think are well executed. The slave trade, blood diamonds, etc. It's clear but done in such a way that kids won't feel spoken down too and adults will also enjoy. This was a great middle grade, one I was hesitant about though this author is a favorite. I honestly should have just known going in I'd love - he never lets me down.
4.5 fighting blankets (the blanket was my favorite character, I'm sorry I loved it)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery, Kidnapping, Trafficking, and Violence
ezwolf's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this! Reading books with settings and magic systems different from what’s commonly used in western fantasy is so interesting. I will excitedly be awaiting the next book in the series!
Abeni is such a fun character and I found her so adorable. The friends she meets and makes along the way are also just as interesting. I really liked that her growing friend group was (almost) all girls. I feel like often in books like this the group tends to be more boys than girls but that wasn’t the case for Abeni. The relationship between Abeni and Asha is so complicated but done well and I loved that Abeni just kind of became the guardian for more girls along the way.
This book gets the story moving quickly, it didn’t have that expositional drag some books tend to have in the first 20%, which I appreciated.
I only have one personal grievance with the audiobook which is that I was not a fan of the voice acting for Abeni or Asha. But I did like the narration and being able to hear the proper way to pronounce names.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Abeni is such a fun character and I found her so adorable. The friends she meets and makes along the way are also just as interesting. I really liked that her growing friend group was (almost) all girls. I feel like often in books like this the group tends to be more boys than girls but that wasn’t the case for Abeni. The relationship between Abeni and Asha is so complicated but done well and I loved that Abeni just kind of became the guardian for more girls along the way.
This book gets the story moving quickly, it didn’t have that expositional drag some books tend to have in the first 20%, which I appreciated.
I only have one personal grievance with the audiobook which is that I was not a fan of the voice acting for Abeni or Asha. But I did like the narration and being able to hear the proper way to pronounce names.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Slavery
Moderate: Body horror and Vomit
Minor: Ableism and Animal death
2treads's review
adventurous
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I loved it! There is something about the way Djeli creates and shapes a story, infusing it with history, mythology, fun, and compassionate characters that just make me fall for his books every time. Abeni's Song was no different and holds teaching moments for both young and old.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Violence
laurareads87's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I requested this ARC because I absolutely love P. Djèlí Clark’s work and I will read absolutely everything he publishes. I read exclusively adult fiction 99.99% of the time so I will say in rating this, I really can’t compare it to what middle grade fiction tends to be like and I certainly can’t speak for the book’s intended audience.
Abeni’s Song follows a young girl, Abeni, who sets out on an adventure to rescue her village thwart a Witch King. Along the way, Abeni meets and befriends spirits, develops her magical and fighting abilities, and learns a lot about herself. A lot of what I love in Clark’s adult fiction is present here: a complex, multi-faceted female protagonist, a well developed and compelling world, and an exciting plot. The book tackles intense themes mindfully, and is a great adventure story that I think middle graders will really enjoy. I particularly love the cast of girls, their friendship dynamic and their bravery - Abeni, Asha, Nyomi, and Zaneeya - and think many young readers would too. One of the things that really stands out to me in Clark’s adult fiction is that he’s written some female characters I’m truly, truly grateful for, and I’m so happy to see this in his middle grade debut as well. I would absolutely buy this book for young readers in my life, and if this is going to be a series, I’d happily read a sequel.
Content warnings: references to slavery, colonialism, violence, grief
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing / Starscape for providing an ARC in exchange for this review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Slavery, Colonisation, Violence, and Grief
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