I have really loved P. Djèlí Clark’s adult works, so I’ve had this middle grade on my TBR for a while. I’m so glad I got a chance to listen to the audiobook so I could sink into this one. Keep reading this book review of Abeni’s Song for my full thoughts.
Summary
On the day of the Harvest Festival, the old woman who lives in the forest appears in Abeni’s village with a terrible message: You ignored my warnings. It’s too late to run. They are coming.Warriors with burning blades storm the village. A man with a cursed flute plays an impossibly alluring song. And everyone Abeni has ever known and loved is captured and marched toward far-off ghost ships set for even more distant lands. But not Abeni. Abeni is magically whisked away by the old woman. In the forest, Abeni begins her unwanted magical apprenticeship, her journey to escape the witch, and her impossible mission to bring her people home.Abeni’s Song is the beginning of a timeless, enchanting fantasy adventure about a reluctant apprentice, a team of spirit kids, and the village they set out to save.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I have been looking forward to Abeni’s Song ever since right after release. Abeni’s Song is a descriptive middle grade which I feel like would make a phenomenal adaptation. While I didn’t love the child voices for the audiobook, I quickly switched to my book and explored this story about how loss grabs us, takes a hold of us, and shapes us with dull blades. If you love a story with mentor, training montages, and unlikely allies, you need to read Abeni’s Song. I also love a good middle grade series – it brings the nostalgia back!
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Abeni’s Song showcases the importance of community, of friendships, and challenging our misconceptions. There’s a slow build up to the action of the story and you can really see the series outlines. Some parts are a bit dense and I’m not sure how middle grade readers perceive this, but I loved the care and consideration to the world and the greater context. The themes of friendship are a later book theme, but one of the ones that stuck with me the most. Find Abeni’s Song on Goodreads, Storygraph, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.