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the_wistful_word_witch's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Oh, my heart and soul! I KNEW this book would wreck me and it absolutely did, in the best way. That's part of why it took me so long to finish it. I couldn't bring myself to face the inevitable ending. This book had me crying so hard, especially at the end, but also awwww-ing and smiling at the bright moments in between the dark.
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! 😉
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! 😉
Content Warnings
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
silverwings's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- 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
This is the incredible start to Zélie’s story as she is pulled into an arduous journey seemingly bound by fate. Despite what sounds like the typical start of a hero’s journey, this was so much more - each of the POV characters, even some of the side characters, have a poignant role to play in the narrative.
I found the characters to be immediately compelling, more so after the first quarter. The theme of seeking justice in the face of immense violence and oppression is woven throughout - as an older reader, it is clear it is meant to be an allegory to modern violence and brutality by authoritarian groups. I felt strongly about this story and its characters: I was inspired by Zélie and her internal conflicts; Amari and her growth as more than a shy, compassionate-yet-powerless princess; Tzain as the brother enduring for his sister; and evenInan, who sacrifices everything despite awful truths about himself and blindly hopes to achieve peace for Orïsha and his father’s approval.
In short, this was a fantastic, heart-wrenching, and beautiful story.
Its small flaws (some rapid pacing and some minor character arcs left unexplored) can be overlooked since it is just the first part of the tale. I will definitely recommend it and reread it in the future, so 5 stars from me. The audiobook has a great narrator, Bahni Turpin, and she kept me in the minds of each character with her range and emotional narration. I was hooked by the first few chapters and listened to it everyday!
I found the characters to be immediately compelling, more so after the first quarter. The theme of seeking justice in the face of immense violence and oppression is woven throughout - as an older reader, it is clear it is meant to be an allegory to modern violence and brutality by authoritarian groups. I felt strongly about this story and its characters: I was inspired by Zélie and her internal conflicts; Amari and her growth as more than a shy, compassionate-yet-powerless princess; Tzain as the brother enduring for his sister; and even
In short, this was a fantastic, heart-wrenching, and beautiful story.
Its small flaws (some rapid pacing and some minor character arcs left unexplored) can be overlooked since it is just the first part of the tale. I will definitely recommend it and reread it in the future, so 5 stars from me. The audiobook has a great narrator, Bahni Turpin, and she kept me in the minds of each character with her range and emotional narration. I was hooked by the first few chapters and listened to it everyday!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Slavery, Vomit, Sexual harassment, and War
greysun69's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
5⭐️ I don’t use this word often, but PROFOUND! Ughh! I can’t wait to buy this book and give it to everyone as birthday gifts.
This book is such a powerful work of art on the concept of oppression. Oppression of others and oppression of ourselves. It talks about the effect of trauma on our sense of self and strength and power. It also brings into view the power of forgiveness and togetherness. Who is worthy of forgiveness? How far is too far to be forgiven? At what point does someone go from being a product of their environment, to being a bad person with horrible intentions? I hated Anon for majority of the book and didn’t find him redeemable at all but I was able to see the good, the bad, and the lost boy trying to make Orisa great again 👀.
I could see the fear mongering that his father fed him and even be sympathetic so I appreciate that perspective. There is so much in this book and it is made digestible and open to interpretation due to how well this book was written! Easy 5 star read.
I think Zel forgave Anon too easily and was far too eager to let him in. Yes, I believe he changed and he cared but he also burned down your village due to mind control, sis. There will be no letting bygones be bygones lmao. I understand Zane being unwilling to have faith in him. Zane is an asshole but at least we KNOW he loves his sister. The ancestor veneration in this book at the end was PRECIOUS! I CRIED! And the fucking author’s note was everything I needed!
This book is such a powerful work of art on the concept of oppression. Oppression of others and oppression of ourselves. It talks about the effect of trauma on our sense of self and strength and power. It also brings into view the power of forgiveness and togetherness. Who is worthy of forgiveness? How far is too far to be forgiven? At what point does someone go from being a product of their environment, to being a bad person with horrible intentions? I hated Anon for majority of the book and didn’t find him redeemable at all but I was able to see the good, the bad, and the lost boy trying to make Orisa great again 👀.
I could see the fear mongering that his father fed him and even be sympathetic so I appreciate that perspective. There is so much in this book and it is made digestible and open to interpretation due to how well this book was written! Easy 5 star read.
I think Zel forgave Anon too easily and was far too eager to let him in. Yes, I believe he changed and he cared but he also burned down your village due to mind control, sis. There will be no letting bygones be bygones lmao. I understand Zane being unwilling to have faith in him. Zane is an asshole but at least we KNOW he loves his sister. The ancestor veneration in this book at the end was PRECIOUS! I CRIED! And the fucking author’s note was everything I needed!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Hate crime, Racism, Torture, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
abbszabbs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Classism
enc3336's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Torture
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Why did I take soo long to read this!? It’s definitely gonna be one of my fave reads this year — and one I won’t be forgetting for a very long time!
Drawing on her Nigerian heritage and her beautifully skillful prose, it’s easy to see why Tomi Adeyemi’s sweeping YA fantasy debut has become such a beloved book to millions worldwide.
The rich magic system, vividly detailed lore and pacy, high stakes action will have any fantasy adventure aficionado on the edge of their seats. But Adeyemi’s ability to weave such dark (yet incredibly relevant) themes into such an empowering story — imbuing her cast of characters with such depth and poignancy that had me crying (and during the lighter moments laughing) alongside them.
Zelie (one of our MCs and the first POV of character we meet) was probably my favourite of all three of our POV characters. Headstrong, short tempered but utterly invested in protecting her family from the kingdom’s oppressive regime.
Delving deep into her fears, insecurites and childhood trauma we get to explore Zelie’s connections with the Orisha, her magic and her bond to her maji powers —which really brought her to life for me and helped me to understand her motivations and thought processes.
Runaway Princess, Amari and Zelie’s steadfast older brother, Tzain were both really fascinating characters too and I look forward to following the journeys in the rest of the series, I just wish we got the explore Tzain’s POV.
With the themes of oppression, inequality and genocide at the forefront of the story, it’s definitely not hard to see comparisons to current world events— highlighting the work that still needs to be done to create a safer, more equal society for everyone.
It’s rare that a book will leave me utterly speechless (and unable to think about anything else) but this one certainly managed to , and that ending?! I won’t spoil it, but if you love your plot twists frequent and shockingly unpredictable then you’re gonna be incredibly satisfied.
Overall, a phenomenally adventurous, epic fantasy that really lived up to the hype, I’m soo excited to read the rest of the series! Though do check TWs beforehand.
Also, a huge thank you to Pan Macmillan/ Macmillan Children’s Books for the finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Genocide, Slavery, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Vomit, and Sexual harassment
jasminedaria's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
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
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
The best way to describe Children of Blood and Bone is that it RIPS.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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.ceallaighsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
4.5
“I know you’re scared, girls, but I also know that you can do this. Of all the days to trade in Lagos, you went today. Of all the people you could’ve approached in that market, you chose her. The gods are at work. They are blessing us with our gifts after all this time. You have to trust that they wouldn’t gamble with the fate of the maji. Trust in yourselves.”
TITLE—Children of Blood and Bone
SERIES—Legacy of Orïsha: Book 1
AUTHOR—Tomi Adeyemi
PUBLISHED—2018
PUBLISHER—Henry Holt Company
GENRE—YA fantasy
SETTING—Orïsha
MAIN THEMES/SUBJECTS—dreamscapes, intricate fantasy worldbuilding inspired by Igbo & west African ecology, geography & mythology, classism & αpαrᎿheᎥd, bloodright magic system, magic clans & specialties, affiliated pantheon & patron deities, multi-pov narration, two sets of brother-sister MCs, legacy & familial expectation, duality of inherited power & inherited trauma, ft. fantasy tropes: contest, quest, magical artifacts, bloodright magic, & rituals, cool fight scenes
Summary:
“It is a book that I believe was born of the desire to awaken black minds and to flush out the poor representation and bad image that has been painted by the media to be what blackness is about. The book is full of appreciation of our skin which comes in all shades of brown, our massive hair that sits on heads like beautiful crowns, our nose, our physical might and mental capabilities and our culture. These are all the things that make us who we are. The way Tomi portrays blackness and the Yoruba culture of Nigeria in a different light made me cherish my ‘Africaness’ a little more and I’m thankful for it.”
— Oge Amarah, “A Contextual Review of Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone”: https://bookoclock.medium.com/a-contextual-review-of-tomi-adeyemis-children-of-blood-and-bone-75fbf06ccb85
My thoughts:
Reading this book was very nostalgic for me as it was the first book I ever read & reviewed for my bookstagram. Adeyemi lovesss to “throw rocks” at her characters. After I read this book for the first time in 2018 I actually participated in an online writing course she was teaching back then & I still remember the different worksheets about plot development & remembering those lessons as I reread this story was a lot of fun.
The other half of the fun was remembering how much I genuinely love this book. The characters are so lovable & complex. I actually think Amari was my favorite on this reading—I just really appreciated her arc—but I also had an enormous amount of sympathy for Zelie. At first she kind of feels a little frustrating but I can truly see where she’s coming from every time. She’s very human, very vulnerable, & yet so so so brave. Except for that one moment where she started to doubt herself but that was literally the only time & she corrected pretty fast & that moment was critical in demonstrating her own kind of vulnerability that is so different from that of any of the other characters. Also her relationship with & love for her mother was so beautiful. The ending made me cry kind of a lot…
Inan is the character I liked the least, again. I just don’t have any sympathy for him & I can’t track his motivations & decisions at all. I think this might be because Inan is basically the incarnation of fear & I find that really hard to relate to because it is just so senselessly self-destructive but also very real. So I’m actually looking forward to see how his character develops in books 2 & 3… 👀 Tzain is fine, but he throws fits a lot so… idk. 😆
The worldbuilding is SO cool though. I love how it feels almost like you’re looking at our world but just slightly altered as if distorted through some kind of warped or clouded glass. The similarities in the ecology, geography, etymology, & political systems creates such a good tapestry against which to play the action of the story & the arcs of the characters. I think it also effects what Oge Amarah talks about in their review on their blog (bookaclock.medium.com) that I quoted from above extremely well.
There were a few things I didn’t love like the repetitiveness in the writing, how often characters yell other characters’ names (😅), & how many contradictions there are in the characters’ motivations & beliefs. But if I have any doubts or things I’m not 100% sure how I feel about yet I’m going to wait voicing any real criticism until I finish the trilogy because I genuinely do trust Adeyemi to take this story to a good place so. I’m just really really excited now to *finally* read books 2 & 3!
“In this man—this one wretched man—is an entire kingdom. An entire nation of hate and oppression, staring me in the face. It may have been the guards who broke down the doors in Ibadan that day, but they were simply his tools. Here lies the heart.”
I would recommend this book to readers who love fantasy fiction & have never read this classic of modern YA fantasy—a formative book for the subgenre of African-inspired fantasy worlds. This book is best read with books two & three (out June 2024) ready to pick up immediately next. Trust me. Adeyemi writes like she *invented* the cliffhanger.
Final note: So happy the @B2Weird bookclub is hosting a readalong for this series in anticipation of the release of book three next month!
“As the vision ends, one whisper endures, a word teetering through the blackness of my mind. ‘Live,’ his spirit breathes. ‘Whatever you do, survive.’”
★ ★ ★ ★ .5
CW // graphic violence & traumatic deaths, torture, child abuse (Please feel free to DM me for more specifics!)
Season: Summer
Music pairing: Iniko
Further Reading—
- AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir’s (first book in the An Ember in the Ashes tetralogy)
- FAEBOUND by Saara El-Arifi (first book in the Faebound trilogy)
- SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo (first book in the Shadow & Bone trilogy)
- BLACK SUN by Rebecca Roanhorse (first book in the Between Earth & Sky trilogy)
- THE GILDED ONES by Namina Forna (first book in the Deathless trilogy)—TBR
- RAYBEARER by Jordan Ifueko (first book in the Raybearer duology)—TBR
- AKATA WITCH by Nnedi Okorafor (first book in the Nsibidi Scripts trilogy)—TBR
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Hate crime, Violence, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and War
bubblybelle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
this book truly altered my brain chemistry. the world building and characters are so rich and complex. the magic system is captivating, and the plot had me enthralled from start to finish. but beyond that, this book was so much more. the parallels between this novel and the realities of our world are stark and heartbreaking. so many of my emotions about the injustices i see were captured in what these characters went through. as i sobbed for the maji of Orisha, i sobbed for the people of Palestine, Congo, and so many others taken too soon through oppression and genocide. this is now my favorite book of all time. reading the sequel immediately.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism