APPLE BLACK ORIGINS

A thrilling fantasy manga series gets a prose reimagining.

In the kingdom of Youta on the Eden Continent, 13-year-old Willow Wantmore, a Black girl with vitiligo, dreams of joining the Youta Guild, but her tribe faces discrimination. Her estranged sorcerer father, Uzoh Olaocha, bestowed upon her a coveted and rare Golden Wand named Novajinx that she uses to keep her pale locs tied. Just as Willow achieves entry into the Guild, her life is thrown off course when she unexpectedly finds herself on a quest with Uzoh’s sworn adversary, Gideon Banburi, a Black man with albinism. As Willow unearths hard truths about her family and herself, she must choose what family truly means in hopes of saving herself and her kingdom. Williams’ novelization of Oguguo’s high-octane series is ambitious but ultimately sags under its overstuffed plotting and clunky construction. The magic systems are overly complex and fussy and feature an unrelenting barrage of artifacts, wands, and elixirs that pop up conveniently and arbitrarily. The stiff and contrived prose often tells rather than shows and will likely leave readers feeling that the story was best left in its original graphic novel form. Despite these flaws, Willow’s characterization is well wrought, making her a hero to root for as readers follow her journey of not only coming to terms with her differences but ultimately celebrating them. Oguguo’s skillful art enhances some pages.

Best suited for only the most ardent fans of the series.