King of Dead Things by Nevin Holness (review)

Reviewed by: King of Dead Things by Nevin Holness Fiona Hartley-Kroeger Holness, Nevin King of Dead Things. Atheneum, 2024 [320p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781665946919 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781665946933 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 7-10 Four teens search for a fabled weapon as they race to contain an ancient power, navigating a secret London that brims with magic inspired by Afro-Caribbean folklore. Eli turned up three years ago with no memories of his past but possessing the ability to heal others and siphon magic from them. He and his friends Sunny and Max make ends meet by running magical errands of a more or less nefarious nature, operating out of cheap take-out joint that acts as a magical sanctuary. The trio encounters a series of killings where the victims' magic was ripped out of their bodies—definitely not business as usual—and while searching for a legendary artifact rumored to be capable of killing a god, they cross paths with Malcolm, son of the duppy king of London (a powerful death magician, though not much of a father). Through Eli and Malcolm's third-person perspectives, magics rooted in the Afro-Caribbean diaspora leap off the pages in a tangle of sensory and emotional touchstones: community, food, family, the way a neighborhood feels—all speak of a tangible power tied to cultural tradition and folklore. Eli, Sunny, Max, and Malcolm are each sympathetic and engaging; while Eli and Malcolm's perspectives shape the narrative, the two girls nonetheless have an assertive presence. The arc of the plot is clear and compelling, even if some of the details are a bit wobbly, and one crisis dealt with still leaves a multitude of lingering mysteries for (hopefully) future novels. [End Page 252]