Akata Witch (5 pts): Harry Potter, Take Notes!

     Yeah. I said it. You Potter fans can say I'm wrong all you want, but I honestly enjoyed this novel better than any of the HP books. Don't get me wrong, Rowling's series is still classic and enjoyable, but it just didn't really stick with me, and it took me reading Akata Witch to figure out why. 

It's the way Okorafor plays into the senses to develop her magical world. Every description of the world around Sunny kept me hooked and reading more. It really sucked me into this world of spirit faces and juju knives.

For example, the way she described Leopard Knocks really made me feel like I was in Sunny's shoes, experiencing this world firsthand. I could practically feel the clay of the buildings, hear the hustle and bustle of the people and shopkeepers in the streets. You can tell that Okorafor planned out every single detail of the city in order to immerse her reader.

There were two scenes that really enraptured me and made me feel like I was in Sunny's world, those being when she first meets Anatov, and the Zuma Festival student social.

Anatov's hut is described in so much detail that I was painted a perfect picture of his living space before even meeting the guy. From the red walls painted with white symbols to the out-of-place saloon doors, I could see everything clearly in my mind's eye. What really hit me, though, was when the air of the interior is described as being "heavy with incense" (29). I have a very sensitive nose, and just reading that line gave me the sensation of my nose being itchy and needing to sneeze. That's how well Okorafor writes for the senses.

In terms of the Zuma festival student social, the description of the food selection is what had me reacting physically. Sure, Okorafor described the air as being humid and the soil beneath Sunny's feet smelling extremely earthy, but none of that could compare to just a simple food spread. Maybe I was just really hungry when reading this part, but I could feel myself beginning to salivate just reading about the food. I didn't even know what half the stuff was! I actually looked up pepper soup and red stew recipes, and oh man, they look so tasty! It was then that I realized that Okorafor got me once again with her magnificent writing. She made me hungry for something I didn't even know existed, just with words!

So, congratulations Okorafor! You made me hungry for more of your works, and I will definitely be reading Akata Warrior sometime soon!

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