First let me say that Bahni Turpin is hands-down my favorite audiobook narrator, which probably means I'll be biased to like anything she narrates. Add to that the fact that Black Panther is a masterpiece and I will read anything set in Wakanda--or in this case featuring a character that originated in Wakanda. Oh, and have I mentioned I have read everything by Ibi Zoboi? (Everything I have managed to get my hand on that is.)

This is just to say that I loved this book. I enjoyed being a witness to Okay's trip to America and I will read anything else Zoboi writes, especially if she collaborates with Marvel again... who am I kidding? Regardless of whether or not she collaborates with Marvel again!

I don't often like books based on movies or comics. But I felt like Okoye was an undervalued character in the movie and was eager to explore her in more depth, especially when this promised young Okoye. We are looking here at how she becomes the imposing figure we know. More than that, this is a look at gentrification and the responsibility of community, country, and the world to help a group in need. A solid listen.

This was a bit of a slow start for me. I wanted to see Okoye be an awesome fighter and we did get a little of that but a lot of this book is discussing gentrification, which is an important subject for kids to learn about and discuss but equals a lot of talking and less action. There is a lot of important discussions in this book so I will definitely recommend this to our patrons, but the pacing of the story just feels off.

Okoye is a new recruit for T'Chaka's royal guard: the Dora Milaje. Known for their loyalty and warrior abilities, the Dora are respected and revered in Okoye's home country of Wakanda. But when Okoye is sent on her very first mission—to America—she'll learn that her status as a Dora means nothing to New Yorkers and her expectations for the world outside of her own quickly fall apart. Chosen to accompany King T'Chaka on a humanitarian mission, Okoye finds herself trying to help teens dealing with addiction and gentrification in a forgotten neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Okoye to the People is an easy to read and enjoy novel that is filled with both action and powerful themes of gentrification, community displacement, and drug dependence in a small black community. Brownsville is just one (fictionalized) example of the current state of POC communities around the world. As said in the book "gentrification is the new colonization." Despite the heavy topics, there is plenty of action and it gives Marvel fans a new view of one of the most popular Black Panther characters.

As always, Bahni Turpin was fantastic. She is one of the few audiobook readers that if I see she is reading I will always listen.

Unfortunately this one is a no for me. I really loved the first part of Okoye and being back in Wakanda, meeting Okoye as a teenager, however, when the plot fell for me with the reveal of the "drug" and I couldn't get myself to keep reading. I did think the voice of Okoye was engaging and resonates with the reader that I think kids will enjoy.

Ibi Zoboi writing a Black Panther origin story about Okoye... sign me up! This was great. It was a fun look at what everyone's favorite tough-as-nails, Dora Milaje was like before T'Challa. This story shows us Okoye traveling outside Wakanda for her first big mission to the United States. She experiences culture shock for sure, but jumps right into action when she discovers something is amiss in a local neighborhood. This was a great book for both older middle grade readers and young YA readers - the pacing was great and the plot would appeal to teens. Zoboi's storytelling skills are second too none. I hope to see her produce more Black Panther stories. Oh, and did I mention that Bahni Turpin narrates this one!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ALC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I LOVED the narration of this audiobook. Narrators never get enough credit for bringing a book to life, and I would literally die for Bahni Turpin. Sh'e insanely talented and breaths a voice into this book and into Okoye's character that was missing in the print version. Excellent social commentary in this book for teens and younger readers. What I liked most about this book was the return to 'true' YA- our readers who are aging out of J and into YA, or readers who are needing to move up their reading level will enjoy this one. I'm certainly not complaining, but most YA these days feels like it was written more for new adults than fourteen-year-old readers- this book is perfect for that demographic. Well-paced and written in a simple style.

Both Shuri and the Black Panther, King T'Challa, have had their chance to shine in recent middle grade books and now it is Okoye’s turn! In scenes from the Black Panther movie, the Dora Milaje are striking in their red armor. This book begins to pull back the curtain on Okoye, the head of the Wakandan armed forces, while she is still in training and not yet captain. Okoye has earned the honor of joining King T’Challa for her first trip abroad to New York City. Wakanda has been sponsored by the organization, No Nation Left Behind, to learn about their efforts in “revitalizing” communities and expanding globally. Okoye is quick to see past this after meeting the young people of Brownsville who are close in age, but face much different challenges than she does. Okoye learns that actionable change is essential and is torn between her duty and what is right throughout the book. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook and Ibi Zoboi crafted an important middle grade read in the world of Black Panther.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this advance listener copy and advance reader copy.

Description from NetGalley:
Before she became a multifaceted warrior and the confident leader of the Dora Milaje, Okoye was adjusting to her new life and attempting to find her place in Wakanda’s royal guard. Initially excited to receive an assignment for her very first mission and trip outside Wakanda, Okoye discovers that her status as a Dora Milaje means nothing to New Yorkers.
When she meets teenagers not much younger than herself struggling with the gentrification of their beloved Brooklyn neighborhood, her expectations for the world outside her own quickly fall apart. As she gets to know the young people of Brownsville, Okoye uncovers the truth about the plans of a manipulative real-estate mogul pulling all the strings—and how far-reaching those secret plans really are.
Caught between fulfilling her duty to her country and listening to her own heart urging her to stand up for Brownsville, Okoye must determine the type of Dora Milaje—and woman—she wants to be.
Okoye is one of my favorite characters from the MCU. So a book about her and the Dora Milaje? Sign me up. The narration was fantastic at bringing the characters to life. The book felt very true to what I know about Okoye and the Dora Milaje (to be honest that might be not as in depth as I would want to be overall since I have only seen the movies). The story is straight forward, which is what I would expect of this age group. Just like with the recent middle grade Black Panther books, they bring Okoye to the US and definitely bring that personal conflict into play.
I would recommend this book for any middle grade/YA reader that is into the Marvel universe, particularly fans of Black Panther.
Overall: 3.5/5

When I saw this on NetGalley, I instantly requested it. I loved the two Spellbound novels and I was excited to see another perspective from Wakanda. Okoye is part of the Dora Milaje: the elite royal guard for King T'Chaka. She goes with the king on a diplomatic mission to New York City ans what she sees is more than she can idly stand by and watch. There is corruption and disparity in New York on a whole other level. Okoye meets some local teenagers and uncovers a whole under ground drug ring that is enabling the gentrification of their neighborhood.

Okoye has to choose between her duty to her king and country and helping those that need her help the most. She has to decide who she can help and how to balance her wants and her needs.

What I loved most: the conviction of Okoye and her dedication to helping people she barely knew. I loved the messages of empowerment of this novel as well as its scathing social commentary. It was a unique balance.

I also loved the narrator.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Disney Audiobooks, and Marvel Press in exchange for an honest review.

A story about Okoye (the badass leader of the Dora Milaje) as a teenager written by Ibi Zoboi and narrated by Bahni Turpin was an absolute no-brainer read (well, listen) for me. OKOYE TO THE PEOPLE does not disappoint. While this novel deals with some serious subject matter, this is a YA title I can happily put into tweens hands knowing that it's a YA title that was written for teens, meeting them on their level, rather than a YA title written for adults pretending it's for teen readers.

On a trip to NYC, Okoye meets the teens in Brownsville, a neighborhood in Brooklyn and realizes that something bad is happening. She finds herself going against her Dora Milaje training, and testing the limits of her King's understanding as she investigates - even after being told to let things be. Okoye is smart, but she's not perfect, she stumbles along the way. I found the narrative to be engaging, the characters interesting, and how gentrification and colonization destroys neighborhoods (and countries) impactful.

This is a quick read that Marvel and non-Marvel fans will enjoy. You definitely don't need to be familiar with Black Panther, the Dora Milaje, or Wakanda to enjoy this novel.

This is definitely going to appeal to Black Panther fans and I loved getting to know Okoye a bit better. I think it probably benefits the reader to have at least a familiarity with Wakanda to really appreciate what's going on.