Ikenga (novel)

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Ikenga
Ikenga (novel).jpg
Author Nnedi Okorafor
Audio read by Ben Onwukwe
Cover artistGreg Ruth
LanguageEnglish
Genre Fantasy
Set inKaleria, Nigeria
Published2020
Publisher Viking
Publication date
August 18, 2020
Publication placeNigeria
Pages240
ISBN 978-0-593-11352-3

Ikenga is a 2020 middle grade fantasy novel by Nigerian American writer Nnedi Okorafor. [1] [2] [3] It is Okorafor's first book to feature male protagonist and was nominated for the 2021 Edgar Awards. [4] The novel follows Nnamdi, a boy who can access superhuman powers with the help of the Ikenga. [5]

Contents

Background

Okorafor's stated that she started writing the novel's first draft in 2009 and based it on Nigerian mythology and the Igbo culture in reference to the Igbo god Ikenga. [5]

Plot summary

Set in Kaleria, a fictional town in contemporary Nigeria, Nnamdi's father who was a chief of police known for capturing criminals was murdered by an unknown group which is rumored to be the Chief of Chiefs and 12-year-old son Nnamdi vows to avenge him.

On the day of his father's memorial celebration, his father spirit soon appears to him and give him a gift of a small figurine known as Ikenga which can transform Nnamdi into a huge black figure with superhuman strength and rage, nicknamed The Man by Newspapers. With his newly found powers, he becomes a vigilante and takes out Kaleria's dangerous criminals including the Chiefs of Chiefs.

Reception

The book received positive reactions [6] with the New York Times praising Okorafor's characters. [7] School Library Journal in a starred review stated that "this wonderfully fresh superhero origin story offers a look into the shadowy, inexplicable powers that are sudden bestowed in a child". [8]

Kirkus Review noted it for being "a memorable middle grade murder mystery". [9]

Award and recognitions

References

  1. 1 2 NNEDI., OKORAFOR (2021). IKENGA. VIKING CHILDREN'S BOOKS. ISBN   978-0-593-11353-0. OCLC   1225190265.
  2. ↑ Okorafor, Nnedi (2020). Ikenga - Nnedi Okorafor | BookishFirst. Penguin. ISBN   978-0-593-11352-3.
  3. ↑ "Ikenga". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Edgar Award Winners and Nominees". www.theedgars.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "A Boy Avenges His Murdered Father, With The Help Of A Magical 'Ikenga'". NPR.org. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  6. ↑ Njoku, Eboni. "Review of Ikenga". The Horn Book. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Review of Nnedi Okorafor's Ikenga". New York Times Book Review. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  8. ↑ Nnedi, Okorafor. "Ikenga". School Library Journal. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  9. ↑ IKENGA | Kirkus Reviews.
  10. ↑ "Ages 9-12 @ Amazon.com". www.amazon.com. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
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