Arrah should be one of the most powerful witch doctors in both the tribal lands and the capital city of Tamar, born to the heir to the great, magical Aatiri clan and the High Priestess of the kingdom. Instead, she was born without the ability to control any magic. To make matters worse, she can see it– twisting and sparkling, but always just outside of her grasp. Arrah desperately wishes for powers, if only to ease the disappointment of her mother, who is almost always emotionless and severely critical. Arrah’s only chance to control magic is to trade years of her life, which would make her old before her time, a visible marker of the hated charlatans. When children from her village start disappearing without a trace, however, she may be forced to use the dangerous magic, especially once she suspects the work of the terrifying and murderous Demon King. Arrah uses everything she has to fight against the actions of the Demon King and his cohorts, putting herself in danger with desperate attempts to stop the destruction and save her father, her friends, and her kingdom. 

This book, Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron, epitomizes the perfect balance between a fantastical setting, action based plot, and lovable characters. Rooted in the cultural beliefs of her West African ancestors, Barron’s world of witchdoctors and Orishas (magical deities) is vividly displayed through sensory descriptions of the setting, be it the smell of roasting peanuts in the marketplace or the grandiose sight of the temples in the city. In reading this book, I really enjoyed the setting and the creativity of the story, but felt like the plot became a bit too convoluted and confusing towards the end. It was difficult to follow, partially because of the number of plot twists and some of the incomplete explanations of many of the major events, including the deaths and subsequent reincarnations of many characters. Still, I enjoyed reading the book, and would recommend it to anyone who like creative fantasy settings, strong female characters, or the writing of Tomi Adeyemi (who wrote Children of Blood and Bone).