Publication Date: 28 September 2023

The Blurb

Life in the Swamplands is tough for twelve-year-old orphan Adia. Her aunt and uncle believe she is an ogbanje, a demon-possessed child thought to bring misfortune. And when Adia manifests mysterious powers, accidentally destroying her village, she starts to think they might be right.

Adia flees to the faraway Academy of Shamans, hoping someone at the school can figure out what is wrong with her and fix it. But she doesn’t expect to stumble across a bunch of squabbling deities with a secret…

Joining forces with a snarky Goddess, a 500 year old warrior girl and a status-obsessed soldier boy, Adia goes on a mission through hidden realms to save her kingdom. But if she is to succeed, she must learn to wield her mysterious powers and figure out who she really is.

The Review

A thrilling odyssey through a captivating world filled with missionaries, mythical deities, mystery upon mystery, and self-discovery.

Adia is far bolder and more resourceful than she gives herself credit for. Years of being treated as a burden by the family that took her in, and the loneliness following the death of her cousin and only friend, have her convinced she is an obanje – an evil spirit in the form of a child to bring misery to her community.

In creating her own opportunity to be apprenticed into the Academy of Shamans, she finds herself on a path she could never have dreamed of visiting places with a person long ago lost to myth. The Academy is a character in its own right with it’s changing moods and outbursts, and I would love the time to linger in its library.

Along Adia’s journey, she meets an eclectic cast of characters, all with differing levels of belief in the new regime under the Kingdom’s boy ruler – Darian. From the servants and students at the academy, to the deities and mythical characters in her search to be free of her own demon, each has a role to play in her own self-discovery.

The intricate world-building and vivid descriptions transport readers into Adia’s journey. I loved learning about aspects of Igbo culture and traditions along the way as they are skilfully woven into the fabric of Zaria. It also opens up discussions around the history of Nigeria, and other countries, where religious missionaries sought to bring their ideals and religion to the indigenous populations.

The first in a new series, I cannot wait to head back to Zaria to find out what happens next in Adia’s story.

Great for fans of:

• Onyeka And The Academy Of The Sun by Tolá Okogwu 
• Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend
• Shadows Of Winterspell by Amy Wilson

Huge thanks to Usborne for sending me an early review copy.