Publisher's Weekly Review
Courageous 12-year-old Serwa Boateng has trained her entire life to become a fully fledged Slayer of the Abomofuo order, Ghanian warriors blessed by the gods and charged with defeating dark creatures, including the adze--shape-shifting vampires that can inhabit a human host. When a surprise attack compromises the family's northern U.S. safe house, precipitating their flight, Serwa's parents are tasked with slaying Boahinmaa, a witch who leads the forces of black magic and killed Serwa's paternal grandmother. Instead of fighting alongside her parents, though, Serwa is forced to stay with distant family she barely knows, attending middle school in a town utterly devoid of magic. But all is not what it seems in Rocky Gorge, Md., and before long, Serwa is caught up in a startling vampire hunt of her own. Planning an underworld heist, meeting with deities, and dodging school bullies are just the beginning of Serwa's journey, undertaken alongside "smelly forest spirit" Boulder, a gnomelike mmoatia; supportive cousin Roxy; and new friends Eunju, Gavin, and Mateo. Via Serwa's savvy narration, Brown (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin) melds Ghanian folklore, smart action, thoughtful commentary about liminal spaces, and a healthy dose of tween hijinks, making for an exhilarating introduction to Serwa Boateng's magic-filled world. Ages 10--14. Agent: Quressa Robinson, Nelson Literary. (Sept.)
Kirkus Review
Serwa Boateng's parents are a big deal in the Abomofuo, a secret organization of hunters of dangerous, magical creatures of Ghanaian lore like the adze--dangerous, vampiric shape-shifters. Serwa, who comes from an Akan immigrant family, has trained to be a Slayer, a magical hunter imbued with power directly from the gods. When an adze attack leads to a near-fatal confrontation with her parents' longtime black magic rival, Serwa is hurried away to live with her aunt in idyllic Rocky Gorge, Maryland, and enter nonmagical middle school while her Slayer parents pursue the perpetrator. Rocky Gorge, however, has a history of supernatural secrets that are directly tied to Serwa and her parents in ways that can't remain hidden much longer, especially as an adze threat starts wreaking havoc upon her arrival. Luckily, Serwa makes friends and immediately enlists an army of four charming, complicated 12-year-olds into her battle against the adze, who could be masquerading as anyone. Roxy, Mateo, Eunju, Gavin, and Serwa--alongside mmoatia Boulder, a plucky, gnomelike Slayer partner--form a powerful team thanks to their quintessentially middle school bond based on bad jokes, fun sleepovers, and much-needed emotional support. It's a bond so impressive the gods take notice, and although there are some unforeseen obstacles to defeating the adze, Serwa discovers more about herself than she could've imagined. This textured, richly mythological story will keep the pages turning as readers are drawn into Serwa's world. A superb, action-packed series starter. (author's note, glossary, Adinkra dictionary) (Adventure. 10-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Brown's middle-grade debut is an action-packed, Ghanaian-influenced contemporary fantasy that explores the bonds of family, friendship, and what happens when you don't know (or are kept from) your own history. Serwa Boateng has been raised her whole life as a Slayer (supernatural hunters blessed by the gods) by her parents, both of whom are renowned Slayers in service of the Abomofuo, a secret organization dedicated to hunting down dangerous black-magic creatures, such as the adze (shape-shifting vampires) and obayifo (witches). As such, she's spent her whole life traveling from one hunting ground to another and has no experience with (or interest in) a normal childhood. However, after an attack from an especially powerful foe from her parents' past leaves the Boatengs without a home, Serwa's parents leave her in the care of her nonmagical aunt and cousin in the decidedly mundane Rocky Gorge, Maryland, while they hunt down this threat. Despite her unconventional life, Serwa's struggles with feelings of powerlessness, abandonment, and an overwhelming emotion that she refers to as the "Big Feeling" will resonate with many young readers, as will her attempts to understand who she is and where she came from. Her diverse, ragtag group of friends simultaneously provide depth and levity to the story.
