Abeni's Song finds P. Djeli Clark broaching a new, younger, audience for his works combining history, magic and the supernatural. Abeni's Song tells the coming of age of Abeni, a young West African girl who seeks to find and rescue her village from the grip of the Goat Headed man and the ghost ships. She is saved from this fate by an old woman who lives in the forest. Under her tutelage Abeni learns how to care for herself and begins to learn of the magics hidden behind doors.

Clark excels at blending historical fact with steampunk, magic, folklore or some combination of all three. Here, for Abeni's Song the strengths are a little more muted. At the beginning, Abeni and her village are celebrating a festival and life is as it always is in the remote village. Through the arrival of outside forces life is irreparably changed. It is clear Clark is using this setting to tell the story of slavery from the African perspective.

Abeni goes through clear growth, physically and emotionally. The latter is particularly well handled. as Abeni's attitudes or behaviors are directly challenged with verbal or internal dialogue. She is also not helpless, while only a child at the start, she seeks to have her own agency and it is her choices and actions that drive most of the plot.

Clark has created a new and engaging character who will hopefully have the chance to further her quest. You never quite know where the woods will take you.

What a wonderful and charming read.

Abeni is at first quite an annoying character and I can’t help but laugh at the thought of children reading this and yelling ‘Abeni, NO’! At the thoughtless things she does. She does grow as the book trods along. She's a typical middle grade protagonist who just wants to leap into the action without thinking, which excitedly moves the story along.

It is a bit slow to start. Abeni spends about 1/2 of the book with her village and old witch, then the adventure begins with her new friends about 1/2 in. I’m not sure how children will appreciate how much focus was on doing chores with the witch and how long it took for her to meet other children.

My main gripe was with a comment an aunty made at the start of the book. It’s Abeni’s birthday and everyone is commenting on how big she's growing and her aunt mentions something about her waist and how the men ‘want something to hold on to’. Sexualising 12 year old girls is gross and should be left out of middle grade books.

I loved the second half the most. Abeni really shines around other children and I loved watching them all interact and work as a team.

Obviously I am not the target audience, so we’ll just have to wait and see what the kiddos think.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor/Starscape for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On Abeni’s birthday and the harvest festival the worst happens, first the old witch comes for her, than some warriors come and between them and these vine shackle things they drag off everyone into the forest. Incase there were any children left hiding the goat man comes and with his tune of promise he takes everyone else too. The only reason Abeni is left is because the witch grounded her so the tune could not affect her. But this starts Abeni’s quest to find her people and bring them home.
This was a great book of how little Abeni picks herself up faces the bully that just couldn’t lose but does it just the same because she might lose herself to save the rest. Great book with awesome characters that I just can not wait to see what happens next.

I think kids are going to love this one. It jumps right in with adventure (so much so that I thought I was missing something at first), that it will keep kids engaged right away.

Clark is a gifted writer and is able to create such interesting, vivid worlds. This middle grade fantasy was a bit uneven at the beginning and I struggled to feel invested in Abeni's journey to save her village, but the second half of the book more than made up for the slow start. I loved the characters who joined Abeni's quest, I loved her battle against a great evil, and I loved some of the unusual directions the plot took. This is how you wrap up a first book in a series (trilogy?) - I felt satisfied with the way this arc of the story ended, but there is still much work ahead for Abeni and her companions. I will definitely be picking up the next book when it comes out. Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Starscape for a digital review copy.

It's always a great time reading a Djeli book and Abeni's Song was no different. I love the sense of adventure amidst danger and loss, the fortitude of his characters, and the compassion that grows between companions then friends to chosen family.

Djeli Clark also always infuses his books with myth, magic, and history. Coming from the Caribbean those are always finding their way into our stories and tales from the simplest to the personal. I love the gems that are spread throughout the book that are just for us, that clue us in to how what is happening here in this land and in this story is a part of our colonized past and present.

I love reading middlegrade books because there is something about the honesty, bravery, and at times naivete of our young characters that endear them to me. I enjoy watching them grow and learn and fight for what is right and who they love.

The Pied Piper with an African twist. Not sure why but I have read a number of recent pied piper books and this one is excellent as well. The African background makes it original and yet identifiable. A true enjoyment.

Abeni’s Song is a great middle grades adventure that I think many children will enjoy. Abeni is a smart, courageous, and headstrong girl who has a strong sense of wrong and right - but is still very much a child. I adored the woman who took Abeni to live with her. She is a gruff lady with a complicated past, but her magic is amazing. Her house was really impressive and a unique take on magic! The story was fast paced and interesting. I feel like some of the action was a little too fast paced and not as explanatory as I wanted, perhaps, but the book sets up nicely for a sequel. I would enjoy revisiting Abeni and her friends!

A really fantastic start to an African-inspired middle-grade fantasy adventure story that is grappling with some heavy issues albeit metaphorically. By the end of the book, it's clear that Clark is using the story to talk about the Atlantic slave trade, child soldiers in Africa, blood diamonds, and environmental degradation due to mining.

That's a lot but it's seamlessly woven into this fantasy story about a young girl who is the only person in her village to escape being taken because an old woman who might be a witch whisks her away. Abeni is coming of age, learning to use magic, and finding the courage (and friendships) she needs to save her people. This leans a little dark and heavy at times, but it's also whimsical and has great found family and friendships. The way Clark tackles these really big and difficult issues is so smart and age appropriate. This book could be used as a jumping off point to discuss the real world parallels to the story. I definitely recommend it. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I haven't read a middle grade in a while and I'm happy to say I came out of this one happy!. Abeni, our main character is growing up in a small village in Africa. She's been having strange dreams and it turns out other kids in her village have been having them as well. And these dreams are about a magical song that makes kids forget everything and leave and never come back. Abeni is determined to find them and get them back. A very interesting concept, I love the setting and I know this author has written many other great books so if you’ve read them then you should check out this new release next month.
Full review to come on YouTube

"Better to be scared together than alone."

Our journey with Abeni starts with her village being attacked by the followers of the Witch Priest. Luckily, her mother had made a deal years prior with an ancient spirit, a witch named Asha, and Abeni ends up being the only person from the village to escape unscathed. In order for Abeni to rescue her village, Asha helps Abeni cultivate and learn her own magic. When Asha and Abeni are found and attacked by the Witch King, Asha is forced to reincarnate as a young girl. The two must go on a quest to find Asha's sister to gain the knowledge they need to rescue her village. Along the way, they come across other spirits who are facing their own hardships. Together, Abeni and her newfound companions face various trials on their journey, giving them chances to come to know one another as friends.

The character development and self-discovery showcased in this novel is incredible. We see our most stubborn and headstrong characters learn to be kinder. The most timid and weak learn of their true strength. Our characters are send on their own personal journies of self-discovery and self love that are so touching. Seeing these young girls slowly come into their own was so healing to my own inner child so much more than I had expected. The strength and confidence Abeni herself cultivates throughout our time with her is so admirable.

This is a wonderful tale of adventure, peril, unexpected friendship, and self-discovery rooted in intriguing African folklore. P. Djèlí Clark does an amazing job of fully immersing readers into his stories and worlds, using lush language, captivating storylines, and overall beautiful storytelling. Truly, he has such a compelling way with words that is unmatched. Abeni's Song is absolutely a tale suitable for preteens and adults alike. I feel like there are lessons to be learned from Abeni and friends for all ages. Ultimately, I really enjoyed my time in this world and getting to know these characters. I sure hope we get more time with Abeni in the future! Abeni's Song was impossible to put down, and I'd encourage everyone to give it a shot!

"Songs and stories aren't riches to be locked away. Sometimes it helps to share. Or we carry our burdens all by ourselves."

As a slight sidenote, one of my favorite things when reading is the times I get the urge to do more research on a subject. The African folklore elements in this novel really made me curious to know more about the stories. There is truly nothing better than a work that piques my interest in learning more about the world and what different communities have to offer. I'm a seeker of knowledge at heart, and I'm always so please when a novel encourages me to expand my knowledge of culture and human nature. As a firm believer in the fact that knowledge breeds compassion, I hope to learn more of African folklore, history, and mythology in the near future.

When all of Abeni's loved ones are captured, she must begin her journey to bring them back home.

I absolutely adore P. Djèlí Clark, however I think I had a hard time reading this objectively as I read nearly entirely adult fiction. I thought this was gorgeous, however. The imagery was beautiful (as it always is in Clark's work), and the characters were surprisingly complex for a middle-grade novel. I think young adults are really going to love this!

I'm a huge fan of P. Djèlí Clark's work, so I was very excited to pick up Abeni's Song. This middle grade adventure follows our heroine, Abeni, who is a very believable preteen who has big feeling, quick reactions, and tons of agency. I liked how we followed her storyline and character development, and how through it all she knew what her end goal was, even if she wasn't sure how to get there. We meet more characters along the way that support and guide Abeni, and each of them felt in depth and genuine, and I loved the found-family aspect that was felt at the end. The plot carries the characters all over their known world and beyond, and leaves a lot of room for a sequel. A huge thank you to Tor and Netgalley for an eArc in exchange for my thoughts!

Abeni is growing up in a loving supportive family in a small village somewhere in Africa. She's been having strange dreams and it turns out other kids in her village have been having them as well. A woman, Asha, has been trying to protect the village and she's been sending the dreams-dreams about a magical song that makes kids forget everything and leave and never come back. When warriors attack the small village, Abeni is forced to go with Asha as a payment for protection for the entire village, but it's too late, the village has been destroyed and the kids are gone. Abeni is determined to find them and get her friends and her family back. This is a super exciting story with interesting well developed characters. Don't miss it!

This is a book that younger me would have loved! My taste for fantasy has slowed as I've gotten older but I can see the appeal of this book. It wasn't an easy read for me, I had to focus hard, but some of the characters were downright irresistible. Obi!!!!! Tastefully wrapped up at the end while setting up for the next installment.

2.5 Stars

I've enjoyed another book by P. Djeli Clark before, so I was very interested in this book. From what I know, this is Clark's first Middle-Grade novel; unfortunately, it is very easy to tell.

There were inconsistencies in the language used in this book. The words spoken by Abeni matched what you would expect from a child her age, however, her internal monologue switched from "age-appropriate" (for lack of a better term) to too old. The writing that described things outside of Abeni's thoughts also seemed a bit out of place in a middle-grade novel and I found it jarring and struggled to get 0past it. I think this is something other readers can look past to enjoy this book more than I did and I hope that does happen.

The idea behind the book was quite interesting and I think the story itself was written well. The character work was an enjoyable element of the book with each character in the ensemble being distinct. I think a lot of the character interactions within the group were summarised and told to us by Abeni instead of us seeing it for ourselves, that is another element that I think took away my enjoyment of the book.

Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectation but I do have hope for other works by the author.

This story is definitely one of the most interesting reads this year. With the author penning this story from the main character’s point of view primarily, Abeni is a young girl when her world is rocked on her 12th birthday! An unfilled promise places Abeni at the center of what is happening -warnings of destruction from a Spirit in exchange for a village child.

It is then Abeni learns much about not only her village but the villages all across the land. A song that connects all children makes the difference of friend or foe. With the support of some unlikely characters, Abeni sets out to right a wrong which involves the stealing of children in all villages.

The writing was pretty good. Fast paced and even losing me at times where I had to reread a couple of sentences back to make sure I didn’t miss anything. A few grammatical instances had me puzzled but didn’t pull me away from the story. I saw people I knew in this story just based on the character of those involved.

This story has me excited about what is to come from this author. And I could NOT put this book down!

Rating: 4.5

I really loved this book. I loved the characters, especially Asha and Obi. The only complaint that I have is that it got a little bit slow and boring in the middle. I would recommend this book, even if you don't typically read middle grade.

Thank you, Tor Publishing Group and P. Djèlí Clark for giving me the opportunity to read and review this free ARC of Abeni's Song.

This book is the first of an anticipated trilogy of African-inspired middle grade fantasy books. I enjoyed the charming setting (a small African village), the various mortal and spirit characters and the lore/magic system. The plot was one I've read before in many middle grade fantasies (a child has to save the day, with help, when her home is attacked), but the small African village and its customs, the lore/magic and the spirit characters and magical beings gave it a degree of freshness that I appreciated and probably would have loved even more as a child.

I do wish the chapters had been a bit shorter or that there had been more scene breaks throughout the story. The long passages, especially those wherein they were travelling or sitting and talking did slow the pace down more than I preferred, The "action" scenes were well done and I was happy with the resolution even though it is clearly left open for additional adventures. Also, the first half of the book had an excess of exclamatory statements. Either this decreased in the second half or it became less noticeable to me.

During the time I was reading this book, I read some of the author's other works. His Dead Djinn universe is so good and is probably some of my favorite reading this year. It gives me hope that the remainder of the Abeni's Song series will achieve the same level of excellence. 3.5 stars

A beautifully written book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I will be patiently waiting to read more from this author.