Akata Witch, Nnedi Okorafor

IN the novel, Akata Witch, by Nnedi Okorafor, one’s abnormalities are not only their key defining features, it is their strength. Sunny, a girl of 12, is born an albino to a Nigerian family, and due to her ‘abnormality’, she is often outcast. This book is more of a coming-of-age story where an unusual girl discovers who she is. Yet the characters cast in this book aren’t what one may consider archetypes. In regards to witches, Sunny doesn’t quite fit the stereotypical mold. In western culture, a witch is solely female and possesses the ability to fly, in addition to casting spells. Sunny, as an albino, possesses the power of invisibility, which for a typical witch, is highly unusual. Yet by providing her power, the author elevates the status of a transitional character. Sunny begins her journey as a girl, but emerges as a young woman.