Tristan Strong Keeps Punching by Kwame Mbalia (review)

It’s been two weeks since Tristan’s last bout with the dark forces of King Cotton, a fight which destroyed the fantastical world of Alke and sent its inhabitants scurrying into the real world. Now Tristan’s taking some downtime in the French Quarter for a Strong family reunion, but he’s quickly distracted, first by his quest to help sky god Nyame locate Alkean refugees, and then by the reemergence of Cotton, who is loose in New Orleans and ready for the next round. Soon Tristan finds himself aboard Mami Wata’s riverboat, steaming up the Mississippi, with familiar compatriots at his side. As the stalwart fighters travel from New Orleans to Vicksburg to Memphis to Tristan’s hometown, Chicago, they track the seemingly unstoppable Cotton, who’s raising specters of violent history in pursuit of the ultimate power: control over who tells the story. With this final installment, Mbalia delivers the knockout readers have been waiting for, and while the episodic plot is somewhat choppier than previous volumes, readers caught up in the action are unlikely to notice. The shift from folklore to untold stories from Black history—from plantations, prisons, patty rollers, and the United States Colored Troops—will likely require more work from readers but will draw many to educate themselves about the references. Tristan, meanwhile, emerges as a more complex hero, reckless in the grip of anger, grief, and powerlessness, but relatable to young readers grappling with the enormity of systemic inequalities. Familiar favorites return, of course, including Anansi in his cell phone prison, Gum Baby, and Ayanna, and memorable new sidekicks arise as well. Ultimately a celebration of Black resilience, the novel offers up a rousing conclusion that will inspire readers to keep up the good fight, just like Tristan does.