Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston, narrated by Imani Parks
I had seen lots of good reviews of Amari and the Night Brothers and so, when I was looking for my next audiobook to borrow from the library before a busy week of driving for work, I was excited to see it was available. Although I do not read many books aimed at children, I have enjoyed many of the ones I have read over the past few years, but Amari and the Night Brothers proved to be one of the strongest examples of that genre that I have read in a long time. I really loved the characters, friendships, and the worldbuilding within this novel and I am looking forward to reading the sequel before too long.
Amari and the Night Brothers follows Amari, a young girl whose brother, Quinton, has gone missing and is presumed dead by most people. When a gift that he left for her leads her to a world of magic, supernatural creatures, and adventure, Amari decides to investigate his disappearance and try to clear his name in the real world once and for all. However, in order to do this, she must take part in a supernatural summer camp in which she will train to be part of the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs and pass a complex series of tasks in order to become a Junior Agent. During this time she befriends a weredragon, called Elsie, and Dylan, the younger brother of Quinton’s also-missing partner, Maria.
I was really impressed by the narrative of Amari and the Night Brothers, which did not follow the route that I expected for a work aimed primarily at a younger audience, and which gave me several moments of genuine surprise. There was one moment in particular which shocked me so much, not necessarily because I hadn’t suspected it, but because I had dismissed it on the grounds that it would be a nuance that I would not expect to find in a narrative such as this. It put me in mind of the very first time I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and realised that it was Quirrell, and not Snape, who was helping Voldemort. The way in which Alston teases the key revelations in the narrative, whilst also providing enough doubt for the reader to wonder if they are being too harsh or overanalytical in their judgement, made the narrative even more fun and engaging to read.
The world that Alston has created is a fascinating one, existing in parallel to our own world and drawing on historical figures and events to create a feeling of plausibility to it. I enjoyed see the Bureau of Supernatural Investigations through Amari’s eyes, as a character who is new to the world, and there were lots of details which made it feel fun and interesting simply to exist in that space. From the talking lifts, to the often outlandish senior agents, to the distinctiveness of each department within the Bureau, it felt as though Amari had stepped into a fully realised world with a long history that she was only being given a glimpse of as she went through her training. It has made me excited to explore the world further in the sequel and I am looking forward to seeing how the characters develop within this world.
Overall, this was a fun, engaging, and exciting novel that is a really strong example of fantasy for a younger audience. It provided an interesting world along with a fast-paced and intriguing plot full of twists and turns. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys lighter fantasy fiction and fiction aimed at a slightly younger audience. However, there are some darker and moments that some children might find slightly scary, so it possibly would not be suitable for those who are very young. Ultimately, this was a great read even for adults and I really enjoyed this; I am looking forward to reading more novels within this world in the future.
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