The Boy to Beat the Gods by Ashley Thorpe is a book steeped in the traditions of the Yoruba Pantheon. The citizens of Kayode’s village have to make a sacrifice to appease the gods. The vengeful deities take what they want and leave destruction in their wake. Only suffering will slake their appetite for destruction. Kayode, the soon-to-be next victim, decides enough is enough. When an unlikely ally temporarily imbues him with the powers of the gods, Kayode decides to take them on. He’ll put pay to their tyranny forever.
What Is The Boy to Beat the Gods?
Whilst this book borrows heavily from the Yoruba Pantheon, the “Orishas” depicted have been modified to be more malevolent than they are in traditional stories. At least that is my understanding from Ashley Thorpe’s afterword.
The gods in this story are not kind. They live for destruction and suffering, and Kayode is going to stop them. After eating the fruit of the Baobab tree, he temporarily has the power of each of the gods, but can he use it to outwit them? In the tradition of all good children’s stories, he can not do it alone. Together with some unlikely allies, he will discover his true inner strength and the importance of trust and friendship.
Why Read The Boy to Beat the Gods?
It was great to read a book steeped in a different tradition from most children’s fantasy stories. Kayode and his friends are an excellent troupe that will make readers laugh as well as fear for them when things are not going according to plan. They have their own strengths and weaknesses, but by working together, they can be greater than the sum of their parts. There are more ways than one to be strong and powerful.
The Pantheon of gods, as described by Ashley Thorpe, is a terrifying array of foes. Each has a different aspect for Kayode to overcome. Each Orisha and their aspect provides Kayode with the need to channel a different power, to find a different way to defeat them. This allows the author to treat us to a number of different superhero-style shenanigans. Thorpe threatens his creations with an array of deadly situations—situations that will test their friendship and their trust in one another. Trust is a huge theme in the book, trust in yourself and trust in others.
Things are nicely wrapped up in the story. I don’t think this will be the first book in a series, though I sort of thought it would have been before starting. Nevertheless, I hope that Ashley Thorpe returns with more books in a similar vein, books that entertain whilst examining the bonds between friends and family. His is a welcome new voice to children’s fiction.
If you would like to pick up a copy of The Boy to Beat the Gods, you can do so here in the US and here in the UK. (Affiliate Links)
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I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
