A review by jennireadsmaybe
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

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
Honestly, I don't think there are other books doing it like Children of Blood and Bone is. This is fantasy! This is dark and gritty and a big abcdefu to colonialism. The world building happens naturally throughout the book instead of all at once in the beginning, which I really liked. It's been weeks and I can't stop thinking about this book. 

Every single character feeds the plot so well. Zélie is a badass, magical warrior from start to finish and you just want to root for her forever. Amari's character arc starts off strong from princess to rebel; her romance with Tzain adds a bit of sweetness to an otherwise intense book. Inan is a mess, but the kind of mess that makes you so invested in his story. Tomi Adeyemi captures the nationalistic system and the struggle to deradicalize when you are actively benefitting from said nationalistic system. 

Read this if you like fantasy rooted in social issues, lush environments, real, honest to god enemies to lovers to enemies, messy teenage decisions, and intentionally causing yourself pain by reading a book. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings