Book Review #015 : Children Of Blood And Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Synopsis
"As it fades, I see the truth - in plain sight, yet hidden all along. We are all children of blood and bone. All instruments of vengeance and virtue. This truth holds me close, rocking me like a child in a mother's arms. It binds me in its love as death swallows me in its grasp."
They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.
Now we rise.
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.
But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.
General Information
Genre : Young Adult / Dystopian / Science Fiction / Fantasy
Paperback : 372 pages
ISBN : 9781509871353
Publisher : Macmillan Children's Books
Author : Tomi Adeyemi
Review
- SPOILER ALERT * SPOILER ALERT * SPOILER ALERT*
Magic was bestowed by the gods but denied by the king - can magic be returned to the world?
This is a story of a young girl coming of age in a world where her people are persecuted and slaughtered and enslaved. She has to find within herself the strength to stand by her convictions and to follow through with her decisions.
She also finds love for the first time and just she seems to get a handle on these emotions, including all the consequences that may come of it, more obstacles are thrown in her path; betrayal and loss and sacrifice - can she find balance in her life again?
It turns out that Zélie has been chosen by the gods to restore magic in the world and has a very short time to do it; which isn't easy when she is being hunted, by friend and foe alike. Her companions also find that they have to uncover truths about themselves and the foundations that they were taught to believe in.
The characters are well written but still seem to be lacking something; their growth is good - well paced and believable - yet there is still some questions as to how they reached a particular conclusion or why their demeanor virtually twists so that they seem to be polar opposites of what they were or are supposed to be.
The world of Orishä is magnificent, beautifully written in way that paints a picture for you to see. Even though the language and places are all a work of fiction, the African influence is most noticeable in the names of the characters.
Unpopular Opinion: Despite whatever the author says about spreading a message, against slavery, against segregation, etc, there really isn't a hidden message in this book - if this is the case, then writer's like Leigh Bardugo and Sarah J Maas have also tackled these issues in their respective works - this story is not unique, it has been told a thousand times before and will be told again!
Children of Blood and Bone, nonetheless, is thoroughly enjoyable and I do recommend this book to lovers of young adult and fantasy. If you liked the Six of Crows duology and the Throne of Glass series then you will certainly enjoy this book.
Please do share your thoughts with me; what did you think of the book, do you have an unpopular opinion, would you read more from this author, etc.
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Keep smiling!!