Scan barcode
the_wistful_word_witch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The vividness of the world Adeyemi builds is breathtaking and her characters suck you in, carrying you along with them on their whirlwind adventure. You can't help but root for Zélie, Tzain, and Amari, and the other maji they meet along the way, as they face near-impossible odds to take down their royal oppressors and bring magic back to their oppressed peoples.
I am both eager and hesitant to start the second book because even though I think I know how it will end, it's the getting there that I know will break my heart again - just like the Children of Blood and Bone. Exactly what a great book should do! 😉
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Child death and Injury/Injury detail
abbszabbs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Classism
queenofsages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Genocide, Torture, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
whatkireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The audiobook for this is phenomenal, I'm convinced there is no other way to read this, the narrator really transported you into the story and the entire story itself?? Was so haunting and intriguing and devastating.
So much happens and it's such a good commentary on oppression and inequality.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death
jasminedaria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Torture, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
marysunburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Juvenile, I know, but nothing could be more apt.
Children of Blood and Bone – from this point onward COBAB – is a chilling, action-packed, emotional and necessary fantasy saga that embodies like nothing I've ever seen before the sheer pain, rage and discomfort that comes from imperialism and oppression. From the moment we see our main character Zélie first wield her staff in combat we ache with her same desire to slam it onto the guts of whichever pawn of the king first comes her way, and we cheer for her whenever said desire is fulfilled.
Despite it being labeled young adult, COBAB is gritty and pulls no punches. Death is always present, a constant threat and a lived reality, that doesn't even spare the young and innocent. Or, to put it more bluntly, don't get too attached.
This constant stream of young blood is put in perspective once we read the conclusion of the book and we see how author Tomi Ayedemi was inspired by real-life events of police brutality and anti-black racism, many of which, such as the death of Tamir Rice, had very young victims. And despite the main villains being as black as the people he oppresses (there's no white people in this book except as background dressing in some of said villain's dialogue and analogies, which is very "main villain" of him), the parallels to these real-life acts of cruelty and vile prejudice ring just as true through the earnest, heartfelt portrayal of their demise, each one being remembered and commemorated by Zélie even after many chapters of vicissitudes and daring-do, and the genuine call to action and resistance that permeates each one of the pages.
Zélie is one of the best literary protagonists I've had the pleasure to come across. A passionate, vibrant young woman whose anger and indignation, thoroughly woven with a strong sense of morality and desire to do what's right, even if it's strategically inconvenient or seems impossible at first glance, drives the plot and her party through every obstacle like a righteous burst of energy.
She's surrounded by a well-developed and engaging cast, from rebellious princess Amari, who has the best character evolution in the books, to reluctant crown prince Inan, to Zelle's protective and level-headed brother Tzain, to even minor characters like Mama Agba and Admiral Kaea. Yet, in her defiant persistence and spirit, Zélie seems to dwarf them all, and when she lights up, so do we.
If there's anything in Children of Blood and Bone that doesn't spark joy, aside from the involved indignation at the villains' depravity and the many deaths, is the fact that even after six years since its release it's still not getting its due. A movie directed by Gina Prince-Blythewood has been announced, but nothing seems to be made of it and I'd not be surprised if the ever-delayed, ever-nebulous The Old Guard sequel comes first. If it does. But by all means, keep saying black and diverse books don't sell because people don't want them, while you peddle abusive Booktok alphahole tripe that recycles the status quo.
In the end, COBAB's world is as real as many things around us – and even more so than meritocracy.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
The main character gets tortured in a POV shot. The story involves imperialistic conquest and suppression of one's true self, embodied by magic. It tackled a genocide of a fictitious culture of magical individuals, with two POV character's parent characters dying on screen. Many child characters die.peggy_racham's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
black_rainbow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
sydapel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
sweetchocolatez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Blood, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Animal death and Sexual harassment