Amari and the Night Brothers character list

But Amari refuses to give up hope that her brother is out there, waiting to be found. She is convinced that his disappearance has something to do with the top-secret job he took right out of high school, a job that the police don’t believe even exists. Then, a mysterious briefcase shows up in Quentin’s closet, addressed to her and containing a note from Quentin himself, along with an invitation to a magical summer camp at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. The contents of that briefcase are Amari’s ticket to the strange, fantastical world hidden just beneath the surface of her old reality, and her best shot at bringing Quinton home. 

Amari quickly realizes that the supernatural world, magical as it is, is not so different from the world she left. In the face of danger and prejudice, and with the help of a few good friends, Amari is determined to find her missing brother and to prove everyone who ever dismissed, belittled, and underestimated her wrong. 

Amari and the Night Brothers is an engaging read from the very first page. Amari is a brilliant, headstrong, and lovable character. I felt Amari’s fury at the injustices she faced, her grief over her missing brother, and her love for her friends and family. It is a joy to watch her hone her talents, outperform all those who doubt her, and grow more confident in herself. The other characters we meet are just as well-developed and interesting, from Amari’s mother to the friends and foes she finds at the Bureau. Elsie, in particular, stood out to me not just as a loyal friend to Amari but a brilliant, brave, and kind person in her own right.

At the Bureau, Amari tries out for junior agent, the position her brother held at the Bureau. She figures the position is her best chance at finding her brother but also wants to prove that she is more than what her detractors assume her to be and more than deserving of this coveted position at the Bureau. Amari thrives in that challenging environment, despite being ostracized by almost all her peers. The series of trials she goes through, tests of her supernatural knowledge and abilities but also of her logic and heart, was one of my favorite things about this book.

The book begins with Amari determined to find her missing brother, but as her world gets more complicated, so does the mystery at the heart of the story. Every time I thought I had figured out where the story was headed, something unexpected happened that threw everything into question. By the time I was halfway through, this book had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t read fast enough! This first book ends after a shocking final twist but leaves plenty more mysteries to be explored in the books to follow.

With Amari and the Night Brothers, B.B. Alston has created something truly special, a captivating story for all ages but especially for young Black kids who see themselves in Amari. Amari is an empowering protagonist, and her story is a reminder that the world around us and the people in it are more than we assume them to be. 

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, Balzer + Bray (an imprint of HarperCollins), for review.

Buy on Bookshop  Buy on Amazon

Read a full summary of Amari and the Night Brothers by B B Alston below. If you can’t remember what happened in Amari and the Night Brothers and you need a refresher, then you’re in the right place.

What happened in Amari and the Night Brothers?

• Amari gets in trouble at school for shoving a girl called Emily Grant. Emily was winding Amari up about the disappearance of Amari’s brother, Quinton. He has been missing for six months.
• Amari’s scholarship to her fancy private school gets revoked because the school has a zero tolerance policy.
• Amari’s mum goes out to work. Amari is grounded.
• Amari received a message about a discreet delivery. A mildly strange guy delivers a package from Quinton, which includes some goggles and a suit.
• Amari puts the goggles on and sees her brother. He tells her to apply for a job interview, and to wear the suit.
• Amari goes to the interview and she gets the job. Mr Ware is very impressed by the suit. Amari realises that there are lots of magical creatures out there.
• Amari tells her mother she’ll be going to the same summer camp as Quinton went to. In reality, she’ll be trained as an agent to protect people from horrible creatures.
• Amari starts going to “camp”, and meets the Van Helsing twins. Their sister was partnered with Amari’s brother, Quinton, as agents. They’re both missing. Unfortunately, Amari and the twins don’t really bond over this because the twins aren’t very nice.
• Amari is introduced to her roommate, Elsie, who is lovely and also a dragon.
• Amari goes through the initial ceremony, and is told that she is a magician. Not only that, she is the most powerful magician alive, with 100% magical blood. This is illegal, but the directors allow Amari to prove herself.
• Amari tries to talk to the twins about her brother and their sister but it doesn’t go too well.
• Amari receives a message from magiciangirl, who offers to tell her about magicians and Moreau. Amari tries to figure out who this person could be.
• The adult agents take Amari to see Moreau, who is currently being held in prison. She asks about her brother and Moreau keeps talking about magicians and how great they are.
• Amari goes to meet magiciangirl and it turns out it’s Dylan, who is a magician and a strong illusionist. He also has tech magic and can manipulate all kinds of technology.
• The junior agent tryouts begin. For the first test, Amari is paired with Dylan and they have to work as a pair in order to figure it out. They have to go through a series of rooms and retrieve something valuable. They both pass, but it’s mostly because Amari is excellent and knows what’s up. She figures out that the crown isn’t the most valuable thing, the water is.
• Amari and Dylan hack into Quinton’s account and figure out what his schedule was on the last day he was seen. He spoke to someone called KH, and he also had a meeting with someone called Horus.
• The Van Helsing house is attacked, as were a few other legacy families. Dylan is hurt but not too badly.
• Amari goes to see Director Horus about her brother. Horus reads for Amari and sees a two headed snake in her future – or her present. He says Quinton did go to see him and Quinton asked if Maria Van Helsing was working with Moreau.
• The second tryout begins. Amari and Dylan have to figure out a series of clues from various Departments. They get through and pass the tryout.
• Amari plonks spaghetti on Lara Van Helsing’s head.
• Amari speaks to a fortune teller called Madame Violet. She is told that an illusionist should never trust that which giggles and grins… whatever that means.
• Amari is on stage demonstrating her powers when the Bureau is attacked by hybrids. They create a distraction while Maria Van Helsing (or so it seems) steals the Black Book.
• Amari goes back to Blackstone Prison and finds out that Moreau isn’t really Moreau. The guy posing as him said something about “giggles and grins” and Amari figured out it was an illusion. Which means Moreau is free.
• Amari and Dylan go to find Moreau while Elsie creates a distraction. In a massive twist, it’s revealed that Dylan has been working with Moreau.
• Moreau has been draining Maria and Quinton’s life force in order to gain power.
• Dylan defeats Moreau because he wants to be all powerful, and then he turns his attention to Amari. Amari refuses to join his side and is forced to use her epic powers on Dylan. She traps him.
• Returning to the Bureau, Amari is able to speak to Maria (who’s now awake) and through her speak to Quinton (who’s in a coma). Quinton tells her he’s proud of her and it’s super emotional.
• Maria invites Amari to the secret society, The League of Magicians.
• Amari becomes a Junior Agent.

That was our recap of what happened in Amari and the Night Brothers by B B Alston. Check out our recap list for more plot summaries, and if you can’t find what you need you can request a recap here!

Who are the characters in Amari and the Night Brothers?

Who is the protagonist in Amari and the Night Brothers?

What is the main conflict in Amari and the Night Brothers?

What happens to Dylan in Amari and the Great Game?