<i>arc provided to me by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review</i>

The audiobook narrator for this book did an absolutely incredible job! They really got me hooked into the story right away and made these characters and the settings come alive so wonderfully in my mind. I highly recommend checking out the audiobook version of this if you’re able to!

The actual story was great, I really enjoyed the main character and all of the struggles that he had to go through. I do wish this one had been a bit longer though. I felt like we didn’t get to see the full potential of Nnamdi and what he was capable of.

I still very much recommend this one though! Especially if you enjoy middle grade novels👀

3/5 ⭐️

TW: death of a parent, assault, blood, violence, kidnapping, gun violence.

This was good fun, a nice story well told.

I found it a little frustrating that the heroes essentially used only superhuman brute force and guess work to solve the case - no deduction, critical thinking, accumulation of evidence. And the slow, deep-voiced narrator was an odd choice for a story told from the point of view of a 12 year old.

But I was happy to look past these relatively minor issues, as the characters Nnamdi and (especially) Chuma were compelling, and the setting and plot were intriguing.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy for Ikenga's audiobook.

Ikenga is a fairly standard 'child discovers powers' story and it's narrator does an incredible job of delivering it. I felt like I was transported back to elementary school circle time. Some middle grade books have a pretty wide audience appeal, but this one just didn't have that impact on me which has nothing to do with the content or writing and everything to do with me being outside of the target demographic. This is still a wonderful read if you're looking for middle grade superheroes.

I enjoyed this middle grade book set in Nigeria.
I liked that Nnamdi is questioning if his new found abilities are good or not, but sometimes things came to him very easy while other times it took him very long to realize something.
I think the target audience of this book will enjoy it a lot.

I was unable to listen to the audiobook before it was archived unfortunately. I was so excited to it but I was only approved a day beforehand.

I don’t usually read middle grade fantasy novels but this one sounded so good .

I actually listened to the audiobook and I very much enjoyed it.

THIS IS A MIDDLE GRADE NOVEL SET IN NIGERIA, WITH GRIEF AS ONE OF THE MAIN THEMES. NNAMDI'S FATHER WAS MURDERD AND NNAMDI IS DETERMEND TO AVENGE HIS FATHER. AND AFTER A MYSTERIOUS MIDNIGHT MEETING HE FINDS HIMSELF WITH SOME SUPERPOWERS THAT WILL HELP HIM. OKORAFOR DOES NOT SHY AWAY FROM THE ANGER NNAMDI FEELS AFTER HIS FATHER'S DEATH, WHICH MAKES THIS AN ORIGINAL SUPERHERO MIDDLE GRADE NOVEL IN MY OPINION. I'M NOT THE TARGET AUDIENCE, AND IT DID'T TOTALLY GRIP ME, BUT I WOULD DEFINITLY RECCOMEND THIS. I LISTENED TO THE AUDIOBOOK THROUGH NETGALLEY, AND IT WAS REALLY WELL NARRATED. 3.5/5

This book was a wonderful cross between a murder mystery and a super hero story. I loved the inner conflict that Nnamdi experiences with the evolution of his new "super powers", and the unique way the author approached Nnamdi's development as a character. While he thinks his new powers are "cool" and he is anxious to find out the truth behind his father's murder, he also struggles with the responsibility he feels towards his father to do the right thing. The narrator does a superb job bringing the story to life, and providing the characters with individual voices. I hope there is more to this story, and that is not the end of Nnamdi.

I was very excited for Nnedi Okorafor's first middle grade book. This read as older middle grade; I believe the characters are 12, but they felt older to me (this could very well be a difference in culture as Americans tend to treat their children as less capable and independent than other countries/cultures do). The plot deals with grief in a very real way. Nnamdi responds with anger to his father's death (murder) and ends up distancing himself from his friends and family.

The plot hinges on the fantastical way Nnamdi expresses this anger: having been gifted an Ikenga figure by the spirit of his father, Nnamdi has the ability to become a Hulk-like (Hulk being his favorite superhero) vigilante, thwarting the attempts of a notorious group of criminals. Like in all vigilante stories, there are those in the community who fear and spread lies against him.

This all sounds very unique and intriguing, but I felt pretty bored and at 80% through the audiobook, haven't quite decided if I am committed to finishing it.

I love the setting and atmosphere, as well as the criminal characters (their names and signature crimes), but I feel like the character development overall falls flat, as well as the transition from scene to scene, conflict to conflict...very much how I felt reading Binti.

I don't believe my failure to connect with the story is an issue with the book itself. I can objectively say it is a good story, just not for me. For every qualm I have I can give myself a reason why I may not like it. Ultimately this is a book that is important in allowing African children to see themselves reflected as heroes of a story, and I am neither African, nor a child... this book was not written for me to connect to and I can appreciate that.

We follow the young boy Nnamdi who loves superheroes and has a pretty strong sense of ethos. His father works as the chief of police in the town Kalaria. His father gets murdered, but comes back and grants Nnamdi an ikenga (an important warrior spirit for Igbos in Nigeria (and surrounding countries, I’d imagine), which gives Nnamdi the power to turn into a three meter tall, superbuilt muscleman who is on the hunt for his father’s killer.

I found Okrafor’s first middle-grade book to be good, as middle-grade books goes. I love, love, love that she sets the story in Nigeria and indulge the reader in Nigerian culture, history and mythology. Love it when books do that, especially in books aimed towards children, as this opens up new perspective and ways of living around the world in a fun way!

Also really enjoyed the narrator – Ben Onwukwe – as he had a Nigerian accent which only further opened up to this – for me – relatively new culture.

It was a lot of fun to see all the different classic superhero references. The characters have pieces of many comics woven through them. This is kept from being your same old superhero story by both the setting and culture they live in. There are aspects of the book that felt surprising in a children's novel but that added plenty to the narrative.

This is definitely more plot driven than character driven and it would be great for kids who like darker action stories. The story has a lot of elements to it and the fantasy aspect is interesting. I wasn’t personally a fan of the ending because it felt a little rushed but this is a book for younger audiences so I’m sure they’d still enjoy it.

I couldn’t have chosen a better title to be my first audiobook for review… I’ve tried listening to them before and I just get too distracted. But Nnedi Okorafor’s prose paired with the vocal talents of Ben Onwukwe made this a most enjoyable experience. It took me about a chapter to get used to Onwukwe’s accent, and after that it added to the atmosphere of the book perfectly.

Let’s get to the book itself… With an epitaph from Bruce Banner, you know this is gonna be good!

The protagonist is named Nnamdi and he is the son of Kalaria’s late Chief of Police. The novel opens at The Chief’s funeral… the grief, and the responsibility on Nnamdi’s shoulders. A year passes and the killer is not found, and the night of the one-year memorial, Nnamdi’s father visits him. He gives his son a special ebony figure, the Ikenga. With its powers, Nnemdi is able to fight crime and ultimately search for his father’s murderer.

A blend of so many genres I love. There’s the prominent coming of age theme, and the pure superhero vibes. You have to fall for a story that creates such a true blend of ‘with great power’ and teen angst. I also appreciated the setting… the descriptions of food, the names, and the culture of Nigeria. It felt as if I was walking alongside the characters.

I could see myself sharing this story with one of my classes. And I could imagine their eyes lighting up to hear Onwukwe read Okorafor’s words.

5 out of 5 stars

“Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” – Bruce Banner from The Incredible Hulk television series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio, the author and the narrator for an advanced copy for review,

So far I've only read Okorafor's middle grade fantasy novels! Akata Witch, Akata Warrior, and now Ikenga. And I've really enjoyed them! So I should maybe probably start reading her adult novels, especially since I own the Binti trilogy and recently picked up Remote Control and Who Fears Death.

I really liked Nnamdi. He's obsessed with superheroes and especially loves the Hulk. It's no surprise what happens next! I enjoyed Nnamdi and Chuma's platonic 12-year-old wholesome friendship. Every kid needs a friend like that.

The audio was good but I had to speed it up to 1.75x. 1x was soooooooo sloooooowww. But the sound quality was good and I didn't have any trouble understanding the narrator's Nigerian accent. I enjoyed listening to it.

Thank you to Netgalley and RB Media for the AARC of this book.

Ikenga is the story of a 12 year old boy named Nnamdi from Nigeria whose police officer father is killed by a crime boss. This leaves him and his mother in a very difficult situation financially and emotionally. At first people reach out to help but as time passes, his family is forgotten for the most part, and they must survive on their own. Nnamdi vows to avenge his father.

This story is darker than I anticipated it being, but in a good way. I'm not the audience for this as a thirty year old woman but I was drawn in with the prose and storytelling skills of Okorafor. The narrator is excellent as well.

I liked Nnamdi coming to terms with his power in his own way. He's very angry and struggles with control which is relatable and understandable for a wide audience. I think this is an excellent book for middle grade students as it deals with a lot of big emotions and teaches social issues all wrapped in this fantasy/super hero package. It's wonderful.

I think reading this directly on the back of Okorafor's newest novella, <i>Remote Control</i> was a mistake. Overall, <i>Ikenga</i> was a cute and fun read and felt perfect for it's chosen audience: young kids. However, it just didn't catch my attention in the way that Okorafor's other works did. I'm not sure if this was because of the age group (though I have read Juvenile before without feeling this) or something about the story but I just couldn't fall into it the way I usually do in Okorafor's work.

Nnamdi was a cute main character. I liked the general superhero feel of the narrative- a young boy gets granted superpowers (this time in the form of a magical Ikenga) and then decides to rid his city of the bad guys one at a time. It felt a little cartoonish or Marvel-y which was both a draw and a deterrent for me. On one hand, I loved experiencing this young boy discover his own power and strength like any hero but on the other, how many bad guys with special nicknames could there be? It felt like the Nigerian Gotham City which was FINE but maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it?

I do have to say, whoever casts Okorafor's audiobooks does a great job. The narrators do a wonderful job of not making her main characters too childish (even in they are children). Ben Onwukwe's was so gorgeously deep and soothing (which I loved) but it didn't speed up very well. I opted to listen to this audiobook at 1.25x because while Onwukwe's voice was beautiful, it was a little slow to my liking. However, either the track I was listening to (NetGalley's app) or the voice itself sounded strange sped up and felt like it skipped over itself sometimes.

Overall, I would recommend this book to it's intended audience but wanted a little more universality, especially coming from an author who writes across the age spectrum.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for a copy of the audiobook ARC of Ikenga. Nnedi Okorafor writes across all age ranges having written children's books, young adult, and adult. That experience shows well in this, apparent, middle grade debut. What Okorafor does so well is to demonstrate Nnamdi's adolescence. As a twelve year old he does not have emotional maturity and makes decisions rashly. What would you do if you find an item that grants you powers just after your father is killed. Nnamdi experiences the pitfalls many twelve year olds would find themselves in when choosing revenge. What happens with Nnamdi, as the story progresses, is that he matures and learns from mistakes.

This was a delight to listen to and I would be remiss if I didn't mention Ben Onwukwe's wonderful voice that gave life to this story.

This story was so heart breaking and sweet at the same time. My heart hurt to Nnamdi and his loss. I loved the idea of the ikenga and his dad being the one to give it to him. The reference to pop culture was great. I think this story is very important, especially today. I liked the references to the media making the bad people the victims. And how the people knew these bad people were bad, but wanted to villainize someone that was trying to help get rid of the bad guys.

I love how Nnamdi was struggling and Nnedi Okorafor made that evident. He is a little boy who lost his dad and everyone knows who killed his dad, but can do nothing about it because he is a powerful man. My heart hurt when Nnamdi was hurting and I was angry when he was angry.

This audiobook was great too. The narrator was amazing and transported me to where Nnamdi is.

Nnedi Okorafor really is an amazing author. Her story telling was amazing in Binti and is chef's kiss in Ikenga. I am excited to get a finished copy of this book and have it for my girls to read when they are older.

IKENGA is a faster-paced, beautifully written book about how we deal with trauma, friendships, our relational and independent identities. It’s a really powerful exploration of how trauma can clear or cloud our judgment, too, in an incredibly accessible and captivating format that young readers will not be able to put down (I couldn’t!).

Nnamdi is such a relatable character. He is determined to make his mark and avenge his father’s death, but he’s a 12-year-old child who is also bound to make some errors in judgment and find it hard to control certain emotions and responsibilities. I also loved the relationship with Chioma, because it perfectly models - for young and adult readers alike - how important it is for us to have people we feel safe confiding in. How deserving we are of being able to share our innermost lives, feelings, dreams, fears with another person without fear of judgment or alienation, while also knowing that part of that kinship and love is being able to respectfully challenge your friends and family. The key is doing it while remaining respectful, ensuring that the other person never feels devalued, disempowered, or unseen. That was one of the most poignant takeaways from IKENGA for me, and I’m excited to know that this kind of relationship will be represented in middle-grade lit.

The narration was also brilliant. The narrator’s voice is rich and evocative, and the way he brought the characters to life was striking.

I’ll definitely be recommending IKENGA! Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance e-copy of the audiobook.

A middle grade fantasy novel by the author of Binti? Yes, please!

I read this book with my 5th grader and after finishing it he declared it "one of the best books you've ever read to me!" He loved it!

Set in Nigeria, this novel has elements of African folklore, mystery and fantasy. Nnamdi is the 11 year old son of the chief of police of their town Kaleria. His father is the best police chief the town has ever had. He readily pushes back the criminals that are trying to invade the town. And then, Nnamdi's dad is murdered. No one knows who killed him. Nnamdi and his mother are left alone. After the death of the police chief the criminal element is free to reign over the town.

On the one year anniversary of his father's death, Nnamdi follows a mysterious figure out of his home's gates and is presented with an Ikenga, a figurine with mystical powers. With the Ikenga in his possession, Nnamdi soon discovers he has new powers. Powers that can help him track down his father's killer and avenge his father's death. BUT, will he be able to control the powers and stay true to his own morals?

This was a great story. It was interesting and engaging throughout. It had lessons about using power for good vs. evil and staying true to yourself. Nnamdi was a relatable character and the author did an excellent job expressing Nnamdi's inner turmoil. We also really liked that the book was set in Africa and gave us a peek at what life is like there.

I highly recommend this book to middle grade and older readers!

The audiobook narrator has a deep soothing accented voice that helped to add to the atmosphere of the book.