The Changing Man follows Ife Adebola as she begins her first year at the privileged, private Nithercott School as part of The Urban Achievers scholarship program. She is missing her old friends and school and is hearing creepy stories of The Changing Man, a school urban legend. When her new friend Malika undergoes a personality change, she teams up with Ben, whose older brother has vanished, rumored to have been taken by the Changing Man. Joined by a third friend, Bee, they team up to investigate the school's history of students who have seemed to disappear and reappear.
The story started as a slow build getting bogged down with private school drama. The pace picks up in the last third of the book and the story heads in an unexpected and interesting direction. The characters felt much younger than they were meant to be which gave the book a middle grade RL Stine vibe. An entertaining mystery, horror, sci-fi story combined with dark academia with diverse rep and a strong focus on the value of friendship. ( )

"The Changing Man" by Tomi Oyemakinde is an excellent debut novel! It has everything: private high school drama, mysterious happenings, a school-centric urban legend (or is it?), and some great twists!

First, I really enjoyed the main character of Ife. She seemed very realistic, and I liked getting to know her as she struggled to maintain her own identity at a posh private school. She's a scholarship student, and didn't easily fit in with the wealthier/lazier students. I liked how she met and bonded with other scholarship kids, and how their friendships grew. Ife, Ben, and Bijal were all well-written and seemed like true individuals. I've seen other reviews mention that some of the students acted and spoke as if they were younger, but I attributed much of that to the fact that many of these are sheltered rich kids with little experience in the real world.

The mystery/urban legend plot was definitely a slow build, which I enjoyed. Much of the early part of the book is spent on Ife getting accustomed to her new school, but there are subtle hints of eerie things to come all along. Once the creepy events started ramping up, I was invested enough in the characters to really care about the outcome.

And yes, there is a twist! I didn't see it coming, and love it when a book manages to surprise me. I won't say more so you can try to figure it out as you read and (hopefully) be as surprised as I was!

Definitely 5 chunks of spicy cheddar jack! ( )

This was a fun read! I was initially drawn to this book by its awesome cover and unique premise. I really enjoyed the first part of the book – it was atmospheric and mysterious. The introduction of the changing man, the presence of the orange mist, and the enigmatic blue flowers left behind by this elusive figure created such an eerie atmosphere. MINOR SPOILER AHEAD: I was especially intrigued by the idea that looking at these flowers could bring the remnants of the 'original person' to the surface, even though they were long gone. Spooky!

I liked the urban legend aspect of the story. I wished that the story would continue to explore the supernatural/horror elements rather than shifting more toward science fiction, but I’m sure many readers will like the twist. I also wish there was more mystery and spookiness in the first two-thirds of the book. The plot felt a bit slow-paced, and most of the events unfolded in the final part of the book.

I absolutely loved the dynamic between Ife, Bijal, and Ben – their characters were so well-written and felt like real people. Even Ben, who was a bit guarded due to past experiences and ongoing grief, had a well-developed and complex personality. Ife, while not always the most likable character, had relatable struggles adapting to a new environment, and it was great to see her grow and open up by the end of the story. The friendship development between them was what really stood out in this book for me. On the other hand, all the teachers at the school seemed a bit too similar and sort of blended into one character. I think it would’ve enhanced the story if they had more distinct personalities.

Overall, it’s a pretty solid debut. I was really intrigued by the premise and felt a bit let down at the end because I was expecting the book to lean more toward the supernatural/horror genre. It’s still a fun read, with many twists and turns, so give it a try, especially if you are a fan of the sci-fi genre!

Thank you, BookishFirst, the publisher Feiwel & Friends, and author Tomi Oyemakinde for the gifted copy! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. ( )

This book was fine. I love the prologue, as it was the perfect sort of introduction to the threat in the book, known as "The Changing Man." Not totally original, but I like these kinds of openings. It's once we're introduced to the main character, Ife, and the story continues from from that point that I started to get bored. It felt like nothing was really happening, or at least it didn't keep me in suspense at all. I also didn't really care about any of the characters. They're teenagers and they talk like teenagers but some of the dialogue made me cringe.

I do like the reveal of what the Changing Man is, and the progression of the story from that point on. It was a pleasant surprise for me. Also really liked the ending. I do think that what I was expecting from this book, from the summary and such, was a lot different from what it is. I thought it would be a horror/thriller mystery, but it's really not.

The Changing Man" by Tomi Oyemakinde is his debut novel. The story is age-appropriate and definitely fits into the YA genre. One of the main characters, Ife Adebola, it a talented artist who finds herself accepted into the Urban Achievers scholarship program at the Nithercott School, a presitgious boarding school. She has mixed emotions about attending this school, as she is leaving behind her family and best friend Zanna. Even though her parents can barely afford the reduced tuition, they register Ife and force her to attend Nithercott. There is a strange "urban legend" tied to the school, about the "Changing Man". Ife attempts to keep her head low and get through the daily grind. However, once her only friend, Malika, starts acting strangely, Ife cannot help but become involved in solving the mysteries surrounding Nithercott. Ife, along with her classmates Ben and Bijal decide to investigate. "The Changing Man" is full of mystery and horror. A good YA read! ( )