ARC Review: “The Gatekeeper’s Staff” (TJ Young & The Orishas #1) by Antoine Bandele

“The Gatekeeper’s Staff” (TJ Young & The Orishas #1) by Antoine Bandele

Publishing Date: June 19, 2021

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, YA

Page Length: 461 pages (eletronci review edition)

Synopsis:

TJ Young has been surrounded by magic his entire life, yet he has never tapped into it… until now.

Fourteen-year-old TJ grew up normal in a secret community of gifted diviners in the heart of modern-day Los Angeles. His powerful sister was ordained to lead his people into a new age of prosperity, but her mysterious death in Nigeria threatens to destroy the very foundations of TJ’s world.

Desperate to pick up where his sister left off and uncover the secrets behind her questionable death, TJ commits himself to unlocking the magical heritage that has always eluded him. So he enrolls in Camp Olosa—a remedial magic school for the divinely less-than-gifted in the humid swamps of New Orleans.

But little does he know, TJ is destined to cross paths with powerful spirits of old thought lost to time: the orishas.

Delve into this young adult fantasy based on the mythology of the West African Orishas, where TJ will encounter unlikely allies, tough-as-gatorhide instructors, and the ancient secrets of the orishas. (Description from Goodreads)

Review:

The Gatekeepers Staff follows the story of TJ Young, who is a part of a secret community of diviners. While his brother has powers passed onto him from his mother, TJ feels like a failure because he has shown no signs of receiving them. Grieving over his sister’s death and disheartened that he feels like an outsider to his community has him struggling and feeling conflicted. Then everything changes in an instant. What seems like an untimely death for his sister proves to be something more sinister. And TJ is determined to find the truth as he comes into the use of his ashe and sets off to Camp Olosa for the summer.

Camp Olosa is the place for young students who have not been accepted into Ife academies and need help honing their powers. With this journey, he’ll meet new friends and learn about himself. but things aren’t as easy as it looks and he’ll have to work hard to discover his power within.

Life at the camp is fun but it also proves to be challenging for TJ and the other campers. I enjoyed the overall setting of the camp and its lagoon setting. It feels calming but mysterious at the same time. The fantasy elements are thrilling too and it enhances the reading experience. There are enchanted trees, talking books, classes on Orisha history, and walking statues all amongst the backdrop of a summer camp. Though the campers face obstacles they work hard to try to do their best and improve their skills.

I liked the tie into the living practice of Ifa and its many branches and West African diaspora mixed with fantasy elements. The story was incredibly rich in culture and the author also provides a glossary for things or words that may be unfamiliar to the reader. The world-building was incredibly strong and the pacing was solid. There was never a dull moment and each chapter bought new exciting things to the overall plot. It was highly engaging and I enjoyed the characters too. Seeing the way TJ and his friends develop over the story was interesting especially how they grow with their ashe, work through problems and become stronger.

This was such a adveture-fill and captivating novel. I can’t wait to see how TJ’s journey will continue.

Final Verdict:

FTC Disclaimer: I recieved this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.