Welcome Back, Booklovers! Neverwraith is book I only heard about the month it was being released but from the synopsis I knew it had the making of everything I love in a YA urban fantasy. Thank you Entangled Publishing for a finished copy.
Neverwraith is fantasy about a boy named Yasir who has to move from Atlanta where he's spent his entire life living with his grandmother to stay with his uncle in Oakwood Grove. Yasir is just trying to fit in but becomes an easy target at school for the popular rich boy who has something to prove. He was advised by his grandma to keep a low profile and he's not sure why his eyes are changing colors, why he feels heat under his skin, and why he's so drawn to this girl named Zahra at his new school.
Shakir Rashaan offers readers a well-paced fantasy with a voice we usually don't see as the focus. There aren't a lot of fantasies featuring Black boys as the main character on the bookstore shelves. And it was refreshing to see a Black boy with a voice that's not toned down to make white readers feel more comfortable.
It's very easy to get sucked into this story right from the beginning. I appreciated the lively cast and believable relationship dynamics. The balance between Yasir attempting to fit in at his new school while still maintaining ties with his old crew is very relatable. Yasir and Zahra's relationship develops pretty quickly but they have an easy going chemistry that makes it work while hints about why their connection is so strong are dropped along the way. There's a unique magic world that unfolds as we get further into the story instead of being dumped on readers all at once. There's lots of details so a glossary would've been helpful but it nothing is overly complicated or confusing. Comic books fans will love this new kind of superhero. And the authentic voice will appeal to teen readers especially Black teens.
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