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From School Library Journal

Starred review from June 1, 2024

Gr 10 Up-Seventeen-year-old Malik is haunted by the memory of his mother's disappearance. Or was it her death? He can't be sure. He can only remember the confusion and fear as shadowy, cloaked figures surrounded her, taking her away from him. The opportunity to find answers falls in his lap when he gets a letter from a grandmother in New Orleans he never knew he had, inviting him to stay with her, leading him to Caiman University, an HBCU for kids just like him-kids who've inherited magic. At Caiman, he has the chance to trace his mother's footsteps, reconnect with the first girl he ever loved, and most of all, understand himself, the Black history that's been hidden from him, and the forces within which he can barely control or comprehend. Williams joins Tracy Deonn, Namina Forna, B.B. Alston, and Tomi Adeyemi in envisioning a world where Black youth uncover and harness their magical abilities. Here Williams offers a fresh perspective in Malik. Everything about Malik's world, from his neighbors to his internal dialogue, to his emotions, hopes, and fears, is written for Black boys, filling a much-needed gap in magical YA. And best of all, Williams's debut is rooted in Black history, telling the truth through fantasy. As Williams writes in his author's note, "let Black boys be the alchemists in their stories. Let Black boys be seen. Let them be colored softly." VERDICT A novel long overdue. Highly recommended for teen collections, particularly for readers wanting stories centralizing Black characters and experiences.-Amira Walker

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Booklist

May 15, 2024
Grades 9-12 A Black teen with a traumatic past learns that hidden magic is his entry into another life. When Malik was seven, his mother was attacked by mysterious shadowy figures, and his magic burst forth for the first time. In the aftermath, the attackers were dead and his mother had disappeared. Ten years later, Malik is newly emancipated and ready to rescue his foster brother, Taye, from an abusive home--but he dangerously loses control of his magic during the attempt. A timely intervention leads the brothers to New Orleans, where Malik meets his mother's estranged family and learns about his ancestors' magical history. He agrees to attend Caiman University, the historically Black magical college that his mother attended, to uncover the truth of her disappearance. Debut author Williams' impressive world building blends African and Black American history and cultures with a secret society of influential hoodoo and vodun practitioners. Malik's informal, slang-heavy narrative is immersive, though pop-culture references sometimes supersede scene description. This celebration of Black culture will resonate with readers unused to seeing themselves in traditional fantasies.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From Kirkus

March 15, 2024
Black diaspora magic manifests in a boy on the worst day of his life--but later, things only get more complicated. When Malik Baron was 7, his mother vanished in the explosive moment his powers manifested while he defended them from mysterious cloaked figures. Ten years (and many foster homes later), the short-tempered Malik isn't much better at controlling his powers, but he's ready to leave Helena, Alabama, and start over with Taye, his foster brother. Reuniting with Mama Aya, the maternal grandmother in New Orleans he never knew, wasn't part of the plan, but fate draws Malik to her--and into a secret world of magic. He discovers Caiman University--a sort of magical historically Black college--which may be where he'll find answers to what happened to his mother. Narrator Malik, who uses colorful language, is fully aware of the Black Harry Potter subtext of his story, and he's thoughtfully focused on protecting Taye, proving his mother is still alive, and surviving in a world that has never made things easy, even before supernatural threats emerged. The extensive worldbuilding incorporates West African, Caribbean, and Black American history and cultures to explain a magical reality hidden from view and relevant to the Black diaspora and Malik's family history. When Malik bumps into an old friend and potential love interest on campus, everything is in place for him to grow into his powers, uncover the truth, and face new heartbreak. A well-thought-out magical world that provocatively centers Black experiences. (Fantasy. 13-18)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From Publisher's Weekly

February 12, 2024
Trauma triggers a Black boy's dormant ancestral magic in debut author Williams's exuberant contemporary fantasy series opener. When seven-year-old Malik Baron sees his screaming mother vanish from their Helena, Ala., home while surrounded by cloaked figures, blue fire erupts from his fingers, incinerating her assailants. Nobody believes Malik's story, so he spends the next decade hiding his powers and moving between foster placements. At 17, Malik rescues his 12-year-old foster brother from an abusive home, and the two head west to start fresh. En route, a stranger conveys a letter from Malik's estranged maternal grandmother, Mama Aya, inviting the brothers to live with her in New Orleans. Mama Aya reveals that magic is in their family's blood, and enrolls Malik at his mother's alma mater, Caiman Universityâ€"a historically Black college for hoodoo and vodun practitioners. In addition to getting a "Blackgical" education, Malik vows to uncover the truth about his mother's
disappearance. Some action sequences
are disorienting, and several characters'
villainous turns feel arbitrary. Still, through Malik's slang-heavy first-person-present narration, Williams delivers a serpentine, high-intensity celebration of Black culture, history, and power. All major characters are Black. Ages 14—up. Agent: Pete Knapp, Park & Fine Literary.

From AudioFile Magazine

This outstanding audiobook opens with an impassioned introduction narrated by its author, LaDarrion Williams. Listeners will be invested from the very first line. Narrator Jalyn Hall introduces Malik, whose mother disappeared the same night he discovered he has magical powers he can't control. Since then, he has lived in foster care and kept his abilities a secret. Now 17, Malik rescues his foster brother, Taye, and is determined to create a different future for them both. At first, Hall infuses Malik with anger and confusion that match his early experiences. As the story continues, Hall gives Malik more emotion and a sense of purpose as he seeks to understand his family legacy, embrace his power, and build a future. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine