– Children of Blood and Bone: A West African-inspired YA Fantasy, Filled with Dark Magic

TL;DR - Buy this book, read it, then buy it for all your friends. The Story... Orïsha was a world of magic - until the Raid. Now Zélie wants to bring the magic back. It's a story about magic, evil kings and heroic teenagers - but it's also a story about oppression. People with the capacity for magic (divîners) are born with white hair - before the Raid, this was seen as a good thing - since then, it's has been something to hate. The peoples connection to the gods has be severed, and as a result, the magic is gone. Now divîners are 'maggots', heavily taxed and massively abused. A young divîner, Zélie, soon learns of a secret ritual which could just bring restore her connection with the gods, and bring the magic back to Orïsha. She sets off, with her brother and a princess, on an epic quest to right the wrongs of the kingdom. What I liked... I usually struggle to imagine characters without reverting to the handful of famous actors I really like - but this wasn't an issue while reading this book. The world and it's characters were bought to life by Adeyemi, and by the end of the first few chapters I had a beautiful (and cruel) new world whirling around in my head. This book plunged me into a beautiful, magical world. The writing is wonderful - it's easy to read and the story is gripping. I finished it in 2 days - I think my sister read it all in one sitting. We were both hooked, from start to finish and begging for more! I usually find I enjoy the plot more than the characters in most stories, but this wasn't the case. The characters in Children of Blood and Bone and amazing. The two main characters (Zélie and Princess Amari) are strong women - both physically and spiritually - and the supporting cast is full of strong women too. This is also a refreshing change from the usual mostly male cast and (if you're lucky) supporting damsel dynamic. But they are also beautifully written. The characters feel real - you understand their motivations and their desires and their pain. This is true of all the major characters - none of them feel like 'set dressing''. The premise is fun - magic and fantasy are an enjoyable medium - but it has this strong theme of resisting oppression that is really compelling. At no point would you say this story was 'frivolous' or a 'fun romp', it's set in a fantasy setting, but the issues are hard-hitting and real. One of my favourite elements of storytelling is world building - if an author manages to construct a world that you can really believe it is a joy. If an author leaves you begging to know everything about the world, the mythology and the people it is a treasure - and on these points Adeyemi really delivers! There is so much about the world of Orïsha you want to explore (and a whole world beyond). The mythology she has created (and I must admit mythology is one of my true pleasures) is beautiful in it's presentation, and I could happily read any number of books detailing the creation stories and magical practices that are part of this book. Finally, the 'villains'. I am a firm believer that a good villain is not someone you are told is bad, and are left to hate without reason. The villain is important and the writing should reflect that. The 'villains' of this story - King Saran and his armies - are as well written as all the other characters. You see their motivations, their desires and fears - you are led to try and understand their position and I suppose, to make up your own mind. Well written villain makes for a compelling story, and this book does not disappoint. (On a playful note - I also loved the word "Baboonum" (sp?), and have chuckled to myself several times as it randomly resurfaces in my brain!) What I disliked... I wasn't a fan of some of romantic elements - however I must stress that this is because I find romantic plots uninteresting personally, not because they were badly written! Other than that, I really can't this fault this book. Final thoughts... Basically, I adored this this book. It is well written, highly engaging and left me wanting more. I have been able to recommend it to my younger sisters, and they have also loved it. It is listed on Goodreads as a 'Young Adult' book, however I would strongly recommend this to any adult who wants a gripping, fantasy action novel. If you like magic, rich worlds and strong characters - buy this book immediately. I cannot wait for the sequel!

At 25 years of age, Tomi has taken the world by storm with a culturally driven and diverse novel set in her parent’s home-country. Tomi grew up in Chicago and embraced her parent’s ethnic background and culture during her adulthood. She went on to graduate from Harvard University with a degree in English Literature, her studies then took her towards West African mythology and culture – much if it can be found in her novel. Children of Blood and Bone is a novel following a morally driven girl by the name of Zelie. Having witnessed her mother’s murder at the hands of the power-fearing cruel King Saran, Zelie and her family now live discreetly. 11 years ago the land of Orisha was flourishing with magic of all elements; from Fire and Water, to Time and Healing. However one night King Saran ensured it all came to an end by killing all the magic-powered adults; including Zelie’s mother. Zelie and her brother Tzain, alongside King Saran’s rebellious daughter Princess Amari, take on the journey to restore magic. Their journey turns to a hunt as Prince Inan is on the hunt for them—magic must not return at any cost! This novel takes the reader on a cultural and emotional journey across sand, water, ash and…markets! Who doesn’t love a good scene at a bustlingly diverse market! (Gives me Aladdin vibes). The highlight of the novel for me would have to be the well-described settings and scenery that I would expect from a colourful country like Nigeria. The romance side of the novel is quite a big feature; and I’ll be honest—not the part of the novel that I personally enjoyed the most. But with the fierce friendship created between the trio it made for a compelling tale. The writing was amazing, especially when it came to portraying the painful past of several characters, Tomi does amazingly well to get into the reader’s head and leading us to empathise with both Zelie and Amari, perhaps she does this better with female characters than with male characters. The plotline was easy to follow and easy to fall in love with, everything fell into place and I wish we got more out of the novel from a magical and fantasy standpoint than a romantic standpoint—did I mention…was not a fan of Zelie’s romance. The side characters however I did grow to enjoy and love, and many novels nowadays focus so much on the protagonist and antagonist and less so on these side characters, but the way they were described and the way they interacted with each other was thrilling. I am interested in how the story will unfold with the second book, however the first book still made a decent impact. I do hope the plot thickens and compels me enough to continue this series however, it is overall a good taste of diverse writing and—I hope—should inspire other BAME writers like myself. My favourite character would have to be Princess Amari, I believe her character development was spot on and I loved how the book ended in regards to her character. I’m not too sure where I stand with the brothers however, Tzain needed more character development and Inan…well that guy was just confusing as ****.

As someone who isn't into YA as much as she used to, I only found out about this series because of the book club I take part in. Also, I just decided to read it because it was the first YA I had ever seen that based its fantasy elements on African religions. I didn't think I would find such a compelling story with various charming (and repulsive) characters. The social commentary is on point: every character goes through an insane amount of suffering, some more than others. As the hatred some of them get is because of their identity, it is impossible to get rid of it. Being a maji is part of Zélie's pride and shame, and I both love and hate how this was worked through the story. I love it because of how strong it is, and for non-black people, how we can get what it feels like to be in her shoes, while at the same time realizing how we are worlds apart. What an awesome book. I am looking forward to reading the second one, but I'll spare some time for myself because reading the first one was, though interesting and engaging, quite a torturous journey.

Das Land Orïsha wurde einst von den zehn Maji-Clans beherrscht. Sie nutzten göttliche Kräfte, konnten heilen oder in die Zukunft sehen, beherrschten Feuer und Wasser, Licht und Dunkelheit, Leben oder Tod. Doch vor 11 Jahren verschwand plötzlich alle Magie. Daraufhin ließ der skrupellose König Saran in der Blutnacht alle Maji töten, unter ihnen auch die Mutter der 17-jährigen Zélie Adebola. Die Kinder der Maji, die sogenannten Divîners mit ihren markant weißen Haaren, durften zwar weiterleben, werden aber seitdem verachtet, unterdrückt und als "Maggots" beschimpft. Alle Hoffnung auf bessere Zeiten scheint verloren, bis Zélie per Zufall ein magisches Artefakt in die Hände fällt. Gemeinsam mit ihrem Bruder Tzain und der rebellischen Prinzessin Amari begibt sie sich auf eine gefährliche Mission. Doch ihr Feind, der pflichtbewusste Kronprinz Inan, ist ihnen bereits dicht auf den Fersen. Kann Zélie die Magie nach Orïsha zurückbringen und ihrem Volk zu alter Macht verhelfen? "Children of Blood and Bone" stammt aus der Feder von Tomi Adeyemi und ist der Auftakt ihrer Legacy of Orïsha-Trilogie. Die Autorin aus Nigeria legt hier ein grandioses Fantasydebüt vor, das seinem Hype absolut gerecht wird. Der Roman hat mich von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite in den Bann gezogen und gefesselt. Definitiv ein Jahreshighlight! Allein das Worldbuilding begeistert. Tomi Adeyemi entführt uns hier nach Westafrika - in ein Königreich voller göttlicher Mythen und einzigartiger Magie. Ob heilige Tempel, quirlige Märkte, Wüstenstädte oder riesige Reit-Raubtiere - all das wird sehr lebendig und detailreich geschildert. Eine faszinierende, komplexe und gut erklärte Fantasywelt, die mit viel Atmosphäre glänzt. So fließen z.B. auch viele Worte und Sätze in afrikanischer Sprache mit ein. Zudem sind die Parallelen zur Realität unverkennbar. Denn die Autorin greift hier allgemeingültige Themen auf wie Rassismus, Unterdrückung, Gewalt und Ungerechtigkeit und regt damit zum Nachdenken. Dazu kommen interessante und vielschichtige Haupt- und Nebencharaktere, die allesamt Schwarz sind. Auch deshalb ist das Buch etwas Besonderes. Im Mittelpunkt stehen dabei zwei Geschwisterpaare: Fischerstochter Zélie und ihr Bruder Tzain sowie Prinzessin Amari und ihr Bruder Inan. Drei davon fungieren abwechselnd als Ich-Erzähler im Präsens: Zélie, die immer mehr an Stärke hinzugewinnt, aber auch ihre verletzliche und zweifelnde Seite zeigt. Amari, die alles andere ist als eine verwöhnte Prinzessin, ihre Ängste überwindet und sich bald als toughe Kriegerin entpuppt. Und Antagonist Inan, der ein Geheimnis verbirgt, von einem besseren Orïsha träumt und hin- und hergerissen ist zwischen Pflicht und Gefühl. Mir haben alle Figuren und ihre jeweilige Entwicklung ausgesprochen gut gefallen, besonders aber Zélie und Amari. Zwei starke und gleichwertige Heldinnen in einem Buch, die auch noch eine tolle Freundschaft verbindet. Das hat man auch nicht so oft. Das Ganze ist wunderbar geschrieben und liest sich angenehm flüssig. Schon bald fliegen die Seiten nur so dahin. Action und Spannung kommen dabei auf keinen Fall zu kurz - mit episch-magischen Schlachten zu Wasser und zu Land, blutigen Schwertkämpfen und rasanten Verfolgungsjagden. Wir erleben einige überraschende Wendungen und auch ein paar schockierend-brutale Szenen, die mich richtig fassungslos machten. Etwas Romantik darf natürlich auch nicht fehlen - mit einem bezaubernden Paar und einer schicksalhaften Liebe, die allerdings unter keinem guten Stern steht. Das alles gipfelt in einem packenden und dramatischen Showdown, bei dem mir so manches Mal der Atem stockte. Gelingt es Zélie & Co, die Magie nach Orïsha zurückzubringen? Wird jemals Frieden herrschen? Am Ende steht ein richtig fieser Cliffhanger, dessen wahre Bedeutung ich nur erahnen kann. Ich freue mich daher schon sehr auf die Fortsetzung "Children of Virtue and Vengeance" und auch auf die bereits geplante Verfilmung! Insgesamt kann ich "Children of Blood and Bone" uneingeschränkt empfehlen. Grandiose und mitreißende Fantasy an tollen Schauplätzen, die ihrem Hype mehr als gerecht wird. Begeisterte 5 Sterne von mir!

Amazing ! So new and so exciting. Thrilling all the way and the Magic of the orishas ... makes everything even better. Zelie is an amazing main character and it's so good to have afrofantasy based in African lore. I loved this book. It healed something in me as a hard-core fantasy lover that never saw any character looking like me before.

This book is amazing and beautiful!! Tomi Adeyemi has created such a unique world, unlike any I have ever read! It took me a while to get through since it is quite large and life is busy, but every minute of reading it was incredible! There characters are wonderful, and have quite a bit of depth. The story bounced between a few different perspectives, and it gives you a good look into each persons motive/what drives them. I don't know what else to say about this book other than that is was amazing. I am seriously lost for words on how incredible it was! And, added benefit to a great story, the cover is BEAUTIFUL!!!! 10/10, would recommend.

Tomi Adeyemi nos abre las puertas de un nuevo mundo de magia, tradiciones y de guerra, nos presenta personajes brillantes con los que es muy facil relacionarse, un gran exito