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A review by rincondejoss
The Gatekeeper's Staff: An Old Gods Story by Antoine Bandele
4.0
Firsts Impressions
When I came by this book at first it sounded interesting, I don't see many that actually portrait anything from African or Nigerian culture, so that was a hook for me.
Something I liked was that it had this feeling of knowing yourself even when you're not in your roots, but you keep them and teach your children with it and it gave me that cozy family union feeling.
I liked that it try to imbued more mysticism too into our world, we have lost our ways in our own mythos and live lessons that the peoples of the world knew so well in the past, I do believe every tale has its value.
Characters
I will be realistic, the names were so hard on me because it's not what we are accustomed to, but I loved to learn a little more of this incredible culture and it's tongue that way.
TJ our protagonist had so wonderful a development actually, we could all learn from him, he had a pretty decent relationship with his family, at that age everything seems more awkward I know.
One thing that I got away from the characters it's that we can't always or mostly never should judge others we don't really know where they are coming from and what hardships they had gone through even if it doesn't show, we should be humble and learn to respect one another.
I did like the Keepers vs Diviners power plot, it was actually interesting for this, and it get an interesting onlook on some of the older legends in Nigerian culture, their Gods or Orishas and the place they have in the world.
One thing that made it for me in this regard was Old Sally, she was so fun.
Themes
I did get some of the dynamics on this book, we have a little coming of age, friendship, the insecurities of adolescence, it's pretty interesting, I do think it was very well balanced between the fantasy and the everyday problems a lot of us actually goes through.
One thing I found interesting was the how everyone deals with grief differently in this one, and it actually happens like that every person has its way to cope with this things.
Final Thoughts
The ending wasn't at all what I expected it to be, but it was so cool, I mean at the end this friends did have the adventures of their lives, and most probably will keep having them in the future hopefully.
The how everything came together at the end was very organic and felt so right at that moment, really it was a great read.
When I came by this book at first it sounded interesting, I don't see many that actually portrait anything from African or Nigerian culture, so that was a hook for me.
Something I liked was that it had this feeling of knowing yourself even when you're not in your roots, but you keep them and teach your children with it and it gave me that cozy family union feeling.
I liked that it try to imbued more mysticism too into our world, we have lost our ways in our own mythos and live lessons that the peoples of the world knew so well in the past, I do believe every tale has its value.
Characters
I will be realistic, the names were so hard on me because it's not what we are accustomed to, but I loved to learn a little more of this incredible culture and it's tongue that way.
TJ our protagonist had so wonderful a development actually, we could all learn from him, he had a pretty decent relationship with his family, at that age everything seems more awkward I know.
One thing that I got away from the characters it's that we can't always or mostly never should judge others we don't really know where they are coming from and what hardships they had gone through even if it doesn't show, we should be humble and learn to respect one another.
I did like the Keepers vs Diviners power plot, it was actually interesting for this, and it get an interesting onlook on some of the older legends in Nigerian culture, their Gods or Orishas and the place they have in the world.
One thing that made it for me in this regard was Old Sally, she was so fun.
Themes
I did get some of the dynamics on this book, we have a little coming of age, friendship, the insecurities of adolescence, it's pretty interesting, I do think it was very well balanced between the fantasy and the everyday problems a lot of us actually goes through.
One thing I found interesting was the how everyone deals with grief differently in this one, and it actually happens like that every person has its way to cope with this things.
Final Thoughts
The ending wasn't at all what I expected it to be, but it was so cool, I mean at the end this friends did have the adventures of their lives, and most probably will keep having them in the future hopefully.
The how everything came together at the end was very organic and felt so right at that moment, really it was a great read.