58 pages 1 hour read

B. B. Alston

Amari and the Night Brothers

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2021

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Themes

Self-Confidence and Discovering Identity

One of Amari’s biggest internal challenges to overcome is her lack of belief in herself. Although she and her brother share a close relationship, Amari has spent her life feeling she is in Quinton’s shadow and believing herself less capable than him. She does not excel academically as much as her brother did, and she feels that he has the ability to impact others positively far more than she does. Amari struggles to see her own potential, and only resolves her internal conflict when she finally embraces her full power and recognizes her true self.

Amari felt inferior to Quinton long before discovering the Bureau and magic. As a young Black girl from an impoverished neighborhood attending a wealthy school on scholarship, Amari has already had to work doubly hard to prove that she belongs. This is exacerbated by the fact that she believes she cannot live up to Quinton. When Amari enters the supernatural world, Quinton’s shadow only looms larger over her—Quinton, who had already accomplished so much in the regular world, is a downright legend at the Bureau, even earning the legendary moonstone badge as a symbol of his potential. Amari faces pressures both internal and external; while she is constantly blocked by those who would see her thrown out because she is a magician, she also puts incredible amounts of pressure on herself to succeed at the Junior Agent tryouts so that she can find her brother.