Interesting concept and likable protagonist, but the writing didn’t really grab me. I love learning about a new (to me!) mythology, but I found the pacing and writing style less engaging, and am not sure this title will stand out in a crowded market.

What an incredible book about the western African mythology of the Orisha.. I was delighted to be part of the blog tour for this book and look forward to seeing more work from this author. https://margaretpemberton.edublogs.org/2024/07/10/the-boy-to-beat-the-gods-by-ashley-thorpe/

A superb Middle Grade adventure story with a confident and sassy main character backed up by a brilliant cast of characters. The plot is captivating and you will be hooked!

Rooted in West African mythology, this is a fantastic, fast-paced and gripping fantasy adventure with a bright burst of comedy. Really enjoyed this one and can't wait to see what the author does next.

The Boy to Beat the Gods is a new middle grade fantasy adventure, which draws on a rich seam of storytelling culture from West African Yoruba beliefs and folklore.
I was hooked in by the setting and the intricacies of the traditional belief system of Yorubaland and my interest was sustained by the god-killing quest the young protagonists must pursue!

Kayode, the young goatherd, lives with his iya (mum) and sister, Temitope in the village of Ikire. Despite the elders’ beatings for his disobedience, & risk of angering the gods, Kayode feels compelled to climb the ancient baobab tree which bears the fruits of the gods. If a mortal consumes the fruit and does not die, they are said to receive the powers of the gods. The Orishas, powerful gods descended from the creator of everything, return to the land every five or so years looking for tributes. They feast on the souls of human sacrifices and believe they are helping to keep humankind in check through their reign of terror.

When the gods pay their latest visit to Kayode’s village, chaos erupts. Kayode’s destiny is quick to present itself when his little sister is among those snatched by the Orishas and a fruit belonging to the gods is left behind.
Despite his new god-like powers, which are still to be tried and honed, the odds are still stacked against Kayode and when help turns up in the form of a trickster god, Kayode must take another gamble. When they join up with Tiwa, a vengeful princess from a neighbouring village, the trio to take on the gods is complete.

The Boy to Beat the Gods evokes both the wisdom of ancient fables and the epic quality of Marvel adventures. It is well paced and the author has managed to give enough life to his world and characters to connect readers and make them care, without overwhelming them with detail- this must be a challenge with such a rich source of inspiration.

For fans of Rick Riordan, Louie Stowell and Tọlá Okogwu. Readers 9-12 will love this adventure, which sees kids being the heroes and which features some laughs amongst the peril- some of which were unexpected and quite…explosive!

I read this on @netgalley thanks to the author, Ashley Thorpe and the publisher, Usborne.

To have their power, would you eat the fruit of the Gods?

The Boy to Beat the Gods is the debut novel from Ashley Thorpe, released on 4th July, that ponders that very question. From Usborne, this middle grade fantasy fiction opens a whole new world of Gods that many of us will never have entered before.

A young goatherd from Ikire, Kayode’s dream has forever been to eat the fruit of the Gods, become an Orisha himself, and live their life. However, his attempts are always thwarted by the Elders, who demand the fruit be left. When the Orishas descend on the village, they take the fruit, and any humans they desire, as a sacrifice.

Interrupted in the middle of the night, Kayode watches as Princess Tiwa is captured trying to steal the fruit for her own village. Helping her escape, Kayode’s caught by the Elders and offered as a sacrifice when the Orishas invasion commences. However, his little sister Temitope can’t sit back and watch this happen, intervening, and being taken by the Orishas herself.

Distraught, Kayode vows to do whatever he can to get Temitope back, agreeing to take on the Orishas, and end their reign of terror over their world. Left one of the pieces of fruit by the trickster Orisha, Eko, Kayode is imbued with the power of the Gods. Discovering Eko is fed up with Orisha life and rule, the duo team up with Princess Tiwa, and the best fisherman in the world, Bami, to destoy the Gods, release the souls of all those they’ve taken (and eaten!), and restore peace.

However, Kayode soon uncovers that the fruit of the Gods provides him with five days and five days ONLY of power. Can he save Temitope, unite the divided villages and defeat the Orishas in time, or will the world he knows fall victim to the Gods?!

The first thing I have to say about this novel is Ashley Thorpe’s world is beautiful. Like any realistic world, it is flawed and contentious, yet the scenery, landscapes, history and characters are breathtaking. I can hands-down say this is one book where I had zero issue visualising the scenes, the characters, the settings, and even the feelings. I found myself lost in the world and sad when I had to depart at the end of The Boy to Beat the Gods.

Conceptually, the idea of preteen/teen with newly Godlike power vs Gods is something that we’ve all come to see released year after year and regurgitated to various points of unrecognition (From a family heavily embedded in Greek culture, I’ve said Zeus’ name more than I’ve said some of my friends’ names in my lifetime). However, Thorpe has found an ingenious, historically and culturally charged innovation in the heavily saturated genre and I ADORED it! I was immediately pulled back to my childhood and could tell young me would have consumed this book as quickly as adult me just has!

Kayode, Eko, Tiwa, and Bami are a foursome that I think everyone can relate to also. They’re written in a way that we can all find those characteristics of ourselves at 11-13 in. Kayode’s determination but question of his sense of self, Tiwa’s drive and battle between strength and vulnerability, Bami’s insecurity around who he is being enough, and even Eko’s storyline of standing up for what’s right even if you’re on your own, they’re all meticulous.

The Orishas were the right level of ‘the unknown’ in the novel with their unpredictability and higher power omnipresence striking the right adrenaline rush of fear and anticipation within. Additionally, the guidebook at the end of the novel to the Orishas, their origin and their real history gives the story that extra cherry on top to make this a most enjoyable read.

Kayode and his friends’ stories are so rich, vibrant, and full of potential that I hope this isn't the last we see of Kayode in literature! The Boy to Beat the Gods will make the perfect summer read for middle grade, and older, readers! Join Kayode on his adventure on 4th July, and I’ll see you all at the Baobab tree!

Action packed and full of adventure, I haven't read many books at all with African Gods as the focus, so this book was really informative, and was as very easy to follow.
Humour, tension and comedy, this book truly has it all. I think fans of Fireborn or Percy Jackson would love this one!
Would also like to add that the author's note was particularly insightful, and an important read on the importance of African culture.

I absolutely loved this book, I didn't read much about it, just the title and it didn't disappoint. The story is actually based on African Gods, so this book would make a great read if your covering this topic within school. The story centres on Kayode and his dream of eating the forbidden fruit, only reserved for the Orishas, until one day his life is turned upside down and with the help of a trickster God, he is given the opportunity to gain a power and take on the Gods. Determination, friendship and unlikely hero's feature in this book. A perfect read!

Thank you for Netgalley and Usborne for giving me an ARC of this in return for a fair and honest review.

TL;DR: a Percy-Jackson style adventure based of West African mythos with fun and endearing characters that's sadly let down by it's bland writing, and a pacing that blitz through this plot and characters making them feel undeveloped.

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Full Review:
The Orishas are gods to be feared and having lost a Father to them, Kayode knows all this too well. So when they come and take his sister, he eats the fruit of the gods to fight back.

The plot is such a cool concept and I think really fertile ground for an awesome Percy Jackson style series! But this book is 272 pages long which means you're burning through Orisha without any of the characters stopping and asking why? You never get to hate the Orisha as you only spent a moment with them before their battles take place. The battles between Kayode and the Orisha are showy and fun to read but lacked a punch more in-depth development would have given me.

The characters though are very endearing. Motives are clear, all read and interact really well with particular shout-out to Eko, the trickster God who aids our merry band take on the Orisha, who was really enjoyable to read.

The biggest "flaw" I had with this book was it's writing. There's nothing really exciting about it! It's plain, and simple but that means we lose out on humour or even interesting descriptions in favour of a choppy, simplistic sentences that do the job but don't make it interesting, especially in the early sections.

All in all, this is a great book if you're craving another Percy Jackson adventure but maybe want to get away from the European mythologies that dominate myths and legends publishing! I know it'll be one I'll recommending for our myths and legends collections. It's just a shame about the pace and writing that overall really bring this cool book down.