I adore Abeni and her band of friends. Clark has a treasured series here and I will always come back for more. the pacing and plot is great, keeping me engaged and interested. the stakes are always important and I love how he writes these characters, they are always learning and questioning. the strength of the friendships are on point and just fantastic to see on page. there is danger, adventure, time for reflection and introspection. Just a truly great read that shows the spirit of children.

This was an excellent follow up to Abeni's Song. I really appreciate how the author does not shy away from the darker, more intense content, just because the primary audience is young. I'm sure the kids appreciate being taken seriously and it makes it easy to enjoy this series as an adult as well. It's full of magic, whimsy, adventure, and heart, while remaining genuinely high-stakes, fast paced, and interesting. I am excited for the next in the series!

The audio was well-narrated. The distinct character voices weren't always consistent, though.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen and review! I will be posting on Instagram this week as well.

3.5 rounded up.

This may be on me? I had such high expectations from the first book and this one maybe suffered from second book whatever… it was packed with so much action and plot it felt like the characters which we had an attachment to maybe were put on the back burner to the go go go of action packed plot.
I definitely will read the next book but my expectations will definitely be adjusted.
Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan audio for an alc

This is fast paced and action packed, much more than the first novel in this series. I was surprised and delighted with how quickly this story moved. Abeni is in a new environment and I found the world building a treat. Much like with the first novel in this series, this felt like well established mythology. This novel was darker with violence that felt more real world than fantasy. This featured Abeni and her support crew in a more mature situation. This sophomore installment in the series felt leaner but in a positive way. I truly adore the world of Abeni and look forward to her next escapade. This audiobook is narrated by Nneka Okoye. Nneka was a delightful improvement over the narrator of the first novel in this series. Her narration enhanced the story by leaps and bounds

Thank you to P. Djèlí Clark, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

My thanks for the audio ARC goes to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Readability: This is book 2 and is best to be read in order.

I adore Abeni! ABENI AND THE KINGDOM OF GOLD is a fast paced fantasy.

I love how the friendships build in this book. The world building is amazing in this series. You'll find the danger amps up in this installment, and I would recommend it for about 10 and up, while I thought the first could be read by a slightly younger audience. That depends on how an elementary school aged child handles violence.

Abeni goes in my stack of recommendations for reluctant readers.

⭐Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold⭐
💫Book 2 in the Abenis Song Series💫
✨Should not be read as a stand alone✨

This book beautifully deepens the rich fantasy world established in the first book. The pacing is exhilarating, packed with nonstop action that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Much like its predecessor, "Abenis Song," it tackles heavy themes and social issues, but Be prepared—things can get quite intense and violent at times! This sequel is better suited for a slightly older (upper middle-grade) audience than the Abenis Song.

This book didn't quite have the emotional depth of the first, but I would recommend it to those who loved Abenis Song and want to continue the story.

3.5 ⭐️

Abeni returns in Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold, a thrilling middle-grade adventure that builds upon the success of the first book Abeni's Song.

While this delivers a action packed narrative tackling themes of oppression, Facism and injustice. It lacks some of the emotional depth that made the first book so compelling. While the environmental and social commentary remains, it's less overt this time around. Fans of the series will appreciate Abeni's continued courage and resilience as she faces new challenges, but be warned: it gets violent at times, making it more suitable for older middle-grade readers.

This African-inspired fantasy world is brought to life by a superb audio narration. While not quite reaching the heights of Abeni's Song , this is still a recommended read for those eager to continue Abeni's journey.

Thank you to MacMillan audio and NetGalley for this Advanced copy for my honest unbiased opinion

3.5 stars rounded up

Abeni is back with a new adventure! I LOVED the first book in this series and went into book 2 with pretty high expectations. While I think Abeni and the Kingdom of Gold is a good book, it wasn't quite what I was expecting.

Book 1 brilliantly crafts a narrative that uses a fantasy world as a jumping off point for discussions of topics such as environmental degradation, blood diamonds, the history of enslavement, and the use of child soldiers in a way that is age appropriate for a young audience. Book 2 touches on themes of oppression, systemic injustice, and the insidious nature of fascist governance, though it is perhaps less obvious. This is a fast-paced, action-packed adventure that does get quite violent at times. I would recommend it for the older half of the middle grade audience and even lower YA - 10+ feels right.

Abeni is courageous and resilient in the face of whatever is thrown at her. In this case, being trapped by members of the titular Kingdom of Gold and sparring once again with the villainous Witch Priest. I wanted more emotional depth from this novel than we got. It's so plot and action-driven, I felt like some of the quieter moments of relationships and emotion were missing. It's good, but I didn't love it quite the way I did the first installment of the series. That said, I will definitely keep reading with the next in the series and do recommend it!

The audio narration is great for an African-inspired fantasy series! I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I love the Abeni series! I also love the narrator in this audiobook for she helped make the book come alive! The narrator portrayed all the characters wonderfully and made them feel real! Therefore, I love the book even more! More to come!