Spectacular and original fantasy incorporating many intertextual elements while inventing in the genre. Exciting enough to keep you awake but layered enough to also return to more slowly and take in the details of the world.

Children of Blood and Bone is a really memorable fantasy book that I feel like influenced a lot of books through it. While it has been some time since I have read the story, it is one that I still remember how it made me feel and I still remember a lot of the plot. I have not read the sequel yet, but I can't wait to as I am sure that it will be as good as this one, Children of Blood and Bone is a well-written and immersive fantasy story that everyone should read.

This is one of those books you definitely reread over and over I can't wait to read the next one! Great world building, loved it!!

I was expecting to be blown away by this book given the 7 figure advance, the frenzied hype and the glowing reviews. I was not blown away. In fact, I was left wondering if I'd read the same book.

The writing is immature and riddled with clichés. The characters are shallow and tedious. The plot, well, let's say I've encountered similar elsewhere. The world building is flimsy. The system of magic is unconvincing. And as for the romantic relationship - predictable, formulaic and a touch problematic. The allegorical aspects of the book are worthy (inequality, racism, genocide) but it as subtle as a house brick to the forehead. The action is so high octane and unrelenting without actually being interesting or exciting that it becomes exhausting and, ultimately, boring. There is so much killing that it loses all poignancy and becomes meaningless. It's all just so overwrought. I thought the use of graphic torture was out of place in a YA novel. It's just not very good.

The opening of Children of Blood and Bone was great we meet Zelie, who is a diviner. A diviner is a child of a Maji, the Maji are a magical race of people who were all but wiped out in the Raid including Zelie’s mother. She has been training with Mother Agba despite not having magic, they are trained to protect themselves. The maji were killed on the orders of King Saran and the children of these fallen Maji are still being persecuted today, when the guards raise taxes for the diviners, Zelie must travel to Lagose to trade fish to pay their taxes and her brother Tzain is going with her, but they must leave their father with Mother Agba. We are also introduced to Princess Amari whose best friend and handmaid Binta has been summoned before the King. When she tries to help her friend, she uncovers that magical items have been awakening the abilities of some magi including Binta and they are killed for it, deeply scarring Amari to the point where she questions her father’s rationality. While I was enjoying the story so far it seems like a ton of exhibition and not a lot of plot at the moment.


As we approach the ¼ mark in the novel, Zelie enters Lagose to sell her fish which she does but she also comes across a fugitive who she helps escape the city putting her own life in danger in the process. When then learn through Prince Inan’s perspective that the fugitive is his sister Amari and that she has stolen the scroll that gave Binta’s power, that caused her death and now it is in Zelie’s possession. Things pick up a notch when the guards track down Zelie and aim to kill her and retrieve Amari despite her traitor status and obviously her brother Inan is given this task. When they group bring the scroll to Mama Agba she tells them that they must travel to the sacred temple and bring back magic for good to give them a fighting chance against the King and despite being scared all agree. However, Zelie get sucked into Inan’s dream and she learns that he is a connector, a maji with power of the mind especially in dreams, because of his father’s views on maji Inan knows that he can’t allow Zelie to live know she knows his secret but with his gift he can pinpoint her location, now it is a race against time. As the group travel together, they slowly begin to learn about one another putting their prejudices aside although it is hard for Zelie. While they are being hunted by Inan nowhere and no one is safe especially since Inan is desperate because he knows he can’t go home or he is a dead man.

As we cross the ¼ mark in the novel, the group reach the ancient temple and feel the magic within it but they are also confronted with the guardian of the temple; Lekan. Having been cheated once before Lekan has to make sure that the group are not going to steal from or harm the temple and Zelie does this with her magic. They learn they have to bring back the magic by going to the sacred island, the island of the Gods and performing an incantation that only a female maji can perform and Zelie has been chosen for this. They learn that 2 of the 3 object they need to perform the ritual they have, the scroll and the bone dagger but they need the sunstone and they only have one moon cycle before the island appears. In order to do this Lekan uses blood magic to awaken Zelie’s full power as a reaper; a maji who has power of death but doing this unknowingly leads Inan to them whose own power is awakening not matter how much he tries to supress it. So far, despite the info-dumpy opening I was really enjoying where the story was going, and I can also see a possible romance developing between Amari and Tzain and maybe one between Zelie and Inan.

As we approach the halfway mark in the novel, both Zelie and Inan are struggling to control their abilities but it does affect Inan more especially when Kaea, his father’s lover finds out about his abilities and tries to tell others causing his magic to lash out and kill her. He knows that his father can never know the truth, or it will spark a war once more, but he wants desperately to be rid of the magic by killing Zelie now the novel has become a game of cat and mouse against the clock. In order to get the sunstone, they have to compete in a fight to the death and despite Zelie’s magic it is Amari who wins the competition for them and now they have all the pieces of the puzzle they can restore magic once and for all, but I have a feeling that it isn’t going to be that easy especially with Inan shadowing their every move.

As we cross into the second half of the novel, fate force Inan and Zelie to work together to rescue Tzain and Amari but the people that took them are diviners and they want the scroll too. It is now up to them to retrieve their loved one as well as the items that will bring about a new era of magic which is nice as Inan is starting to see the errors in the way his father has run the land and might be slowly changing his views of maji considering he is one. Together they train, and she learns why Inan hates his magic but after seeing Zelie’s memories he is convinced that she, her brother and his sister are doing the right thing and offers to help, and she accepts but her brother has already been injured, however, using the power of the sunstone to enhance her own she summons an army of the dead to attack.

As we approach the ¾ mark in the novel, Zelie begins to develop feelings for Inan, the same way Amari and Tzain begins to develop feelings for each other but Tzain refuses to trust Inan despite the fact that Zelie trusts him. In one stunning scene Zelie and Tzain get into a huge argument over her feelings for him and her magic lashes out injuring her brother casting a rift between them and she knows that everything isn’t going to go as smoothly as she wants it to. After giving in to her feeling for Inan, his father’s men attack scattering the maji and killing others ending with Zelie being taken prisoner and being tortured. We learn that Inan caused this but not for the reasons we assume, he is torn between his duty as Crown Prince and his feelings for Zelie. Meanwhile, Tzain and Amari are working on a plan to get Zelie out and complete the ritual in only two days’ time, but they might not make it considering the extent of the torture Zelie is being put through.

As we cross into the final section of the novel, we see Zelie rescued and they make their way to the sacred island only to be followed by the King’s men. In the final showdown between the maji and the monarchy we see some loyalties change and some deaths that meant everything. However, the ending was so unexpected I need the sequel now and this book has only just been released I don’t know how I am going to cope.

A thrilling fantasy novel influenced by African traditions. This is a thrilling hero's quest filled with magic, violence and the struggle for individuals to affect change.

What. A. Book. Right from the start you are drawn into this world that has been deprived of magic. The ruling King has taken magic away and the maji are looked down on as the lowest of society.

The main character is Zélie, she is feisty and empathetic. She never developed magic powers and relives the day her mother was killed by the King's army. One day she visits Lagos to sell a prized fish to a noble when she bumps into a rebel princess and helps her escape. The princess is carrying a scroll that when touched gives a maji their power back.

The magic system is based on west African mythology with different types of magical powers linked with a God. It's a wonderfully, visual magic system.

As much as I liked this book there were some negatives. I hate books where the characters travel. HATE HATE HATE it. I find it incredibly boring and unfortunately there was a large chunk of journeying in the middle. I also didn't like the romance in the book, you could feel the tension but they were enemies and it just didn't work for me. There were better choices like Roën or Amari.

However, I did really enjoy the book and I've bought the second book already. The author's created a fantastical world, which definitely draws parallels with the world we live in today and how people are treated by others.

This was an epic that unfortunately reminded me too much of Avatar. However I appreciated the adventure.

I didn't want to like this book as I often don't like over-hyped books but I found it strangely addictive. I liked the central characters and the elements of magic and folklore played really well. Just wish they had left out the soppy love theme in it- the book doesn't need it. Looking forward to the next one.

This was okay, but someone I know pointed out that it was basically the plot of Avatar: the Last Airbender, and it stopped working for me -- I couldn't stop thinking of the parallels. Maybe one to try again someday... when I've forgotten that!

I loved the world building, I loved The action and the newness to this book, I loved so much about this book - but what I struggled on was the characters making unlikeable choices that were hard to follow and the romance just felt inappropriate.

THIS BOOK. IM RELIEVED I PICKED IT UP AND TRIED AGAIN. AMAZING!

This is the second time I pick this up. The first time I only got 20% of the way through and then I put it down. I don’t know why and I wish I never did. But I picked it up again, a little hesitant, and flew through it. It’s quite an easy format to get through. The chapters are really small; the smallest I’ve ever seen so that pushed me to keep reading on because if I do put a book down for a bit while I have to do something else I have to finish the chapter first. Anyone else like this? The story of Zelie and the fight for Orisha is told through three different perspectives, Zelie, Amari the rouge princess, and her brother Inan, the crown prince of Orisha. This format would usually be difficult for me to understand but it was executed very well, and I truly enjoyed. Wish we could of had the perspective of Zelies brother Tzain. I feel he didn’t have enough recognition in the book which would have been nice.

Characters:

Zelie – Zelie is your main protagonist within the novel, and we mainly follow her while she journeys to find three different object that will help her in her quest to bring back magic for all diviner’s/ magi. She faces so much hardships along the way but with the help of a rouge princess and her brother nothing can stop her from helping her people. Or can it?
Amari- Amari is the daughter to king Saran and she has never be able to leave the castle walls. One day she discovers the horrible things her father does to the diviner’s/ magi and flees the castle. Here she runs into Zelie and is pulled into a life she never thought she would be in. But Amari proves that she’s stronger and wiser than she looks and shows you that she is truly queen material.

Inan – Inan is the crown prince of Orisha and of course Amaris brother. Inan is blinded by his fathers ways to teaching and the stories he uses to portray the maji, therefore he is an enemy to Zelie and her people. Can he learn the truth of his fathers actions and either help or destroy.

Tzain – Tzain is your typical overprotective brother, who I love and think he should be recognised more or have chapters from his perspective also. He journeys with Zelie to help save the magic of Orisha and venge his mothers death that happened by the hands of the king of Orisha.

Mama Agba – Mama Agba is going to be a well loved character, I just know it. She is like your Grandmother, Mother, Teacher and Best Friend in one. She will teach you and punish you if disobey but she is also loving like a mother and always there to help.

Gods, Magic, Forbidden Love and a Rogue Princess. If that doesn’t make you want to read it I don’t know what will. This story is truly unique. I will definitely be picking up the sequel.

A lush fantasy inspired by West African culture with engaging worldbuilding, a truly unique magic system and characters you can't help but root for.

The author did herself few favours when she chose to attack Nora Roberts on social media with an accusation of ripping off her title. Nora's title is Of Blood and Bone, Tomi's is Children of Blood and Bone; it seems Ms Adeyemi is unaware that Nora Roberts is a HUGELY successful author, one of the bestselling authors in the world in fact, and has no need to rip off anyone!
I was excited to read a fantasy from a non-Western viewpoint, it was exciting but for me I found the violence and implied sexual threat to all female characters difficult to stomach in a young adult novel.

If you are looking for some different fantasy this is a very good choice. But I would absolutely recommend it for those people who are starting on the genre as, for people who know the genre, it may be a bit predictable in terms of plot.
The highlights for me are characters and world-building. Absolutely amazing and gripping. The style is very easy going and not challenging at all, even if you’re not used to read fantasy. It reads very quickly and once you have started it, you wont be able to stop reading until you reach the end.
And what an ending!

A series that I will be definitely continuing reading. Can’t wait for the next one.

One of my favourite YA fantasies, this novel has everything; magic, romance, wonderful characters, it has everything I need. It is totally absorbing, and the world is so well crafted, it is a pleasure to read.

Wow! What an imaginative well written world using different mythology and culture than usual adding the unique richness of the world. Zélie was well written, flawed and relatable as were all the other characters. Truly exquisite background and geography.
In love with this world, series and author.

Decent young adult fantasy and so refreshing to have one loosely based upon Nigerian mythology. I found it a little too angsty and chaotic at times, just like most other teen fantasy novels I've read lately, but definitely worth a read.

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

Because I want to support the author's future writing, I don't want to be publically negative about this book. It simply wasn't for me and it, in my opinion, is very obviously a first book rushed through publishing. It needed a lot more work, it was jam-packed with cliches, cringy scenes (especially that rope-bridge scene) and was so predictable I just didn't care. The worldbuilding was underdeveloped and relied too heavily on the context of our own world to stand on its own as another world all its own with its own history and culture. I won't be posting this review anywhere but here because I don't think it's necessary - plenty of other people enjoy this book, even if I didn't, and I'm keen to see how she further develops as a writer.

I really enjoyed this YA fantasy novel. Steeped in West African mythology, the book follows the fortunes of two sets of siblings on either side of the social divide. Zelie and Tzain are caught in the aftermath of the massacre of majis, including their mother, and anyone with magic powers by a king hellbent on eradicating any form of magic. Amari and Inan are the children of the King, who have been brought up to believe that all magic is wrong and could destroy their kingdom if allowed to return. When these four meet, the fallout is devastating.
Although the differences between the two sides are specific, the events, attitudes and prejudices could be applied to any conflict situations. Fear, bigotry and the desire for power results in total inhumanity again and again.
This debut novel is tense, exciting and full of adventure. I’m not surprised it’s being made into a film.
My thank to Netgalley for this copy.