The Story

They killed my mother. They took our magic. They tried to bury us. NOW WE RISE.

Zélie remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. When different clans ruled – Burners igniting flames, Tiders beckoning waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoning forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared.

Under the orders of a ruthless king, anyone with powers was targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Only a few people remain with the power to use magic, and they must remain hidden. Zélie is one such person. Now she has a chance to bring back magic to her people and strike against the monarchy.

With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must learn to harness her powers and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. Danger lurks in Orïsha, where strange creatures prowl, and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to come to terms with the strength of her magic – and her growing feelings for an enemy.

The Review

Why did it have to end there?! This is serious Book Hangover material. BE WARNED. Sometimes I think publishing a series one book at a time should be outlawed.

What a read. What a cast! What a great story. This is one of the best books I’ve read in years – I think the series is going to be incredible. It is such a beautiful celebration of African culture, love, family and the unerring belief in doing the right thing. It is also a novel filled with unexpected twists and turns. I never knew how each chapter was going to end, never mind the whole story.

We meet Zélie when she is competing in a fighting competition. She’s bold, stubborn and has a vein of anger running beneath her veins, along with the crushed remnants of her maji heritage. Crushed, because magic was wiped out years ago, during a brutal massacre called The Raid. Zélie’s mother was murdered during this same massacre, and now she fights so she will never have to suffer that same fate.

The first chapter had me hooked, and I was perfectly happy to read a novel focused on this fighting competiton. But that’s not the story Adeyemi wanted to tell. Within a few chapters, Zélie has left that world completely behind her, after running into Amari, a princess who has escaped the palace with a relic which has the ability to bring back magic.

The tale which ensues is thrilling. Adeyemi writes her characters with so much depth, so many emotions bubbling to the surface, that the reader can’t help but become embroiled in the narrative. It certainly helpes that the novel is written from the perspective of our 4 main characters: Zélie, her brother Tzain, Amari and her brother Inan. Each character is clearly defined, different from the others and motivated by their own, detailed backstories.

There is a strong thread of family running through the entire novel, which resonates with me as I’m one of four siblings. There is nothing more important than family for keeping you grounded, telling you when you’ve messed up, and lifing you up when you’ve done something well. Children of Blood and Bone is a true celebration of family, and it was a truly enjoyable read.

I cannot wait to find out what happens next.

Children of Blood and Bone will be published on 8th March, and is available for pre-order now.

You can reach Adeyemi on her website or via twitter.

P.S. This novel has been optioned for film release – if you’re someone like me who loves to read the book first, get in there quick!

4.5 stars. This was just wow. Children of Blood and Bone is so unique. It is set in a West African fantasy land where magic used to rein but has been taken away by a cruel kingdom. Maji are treated like slaves since the Raid, a brutal attack by the king, took away magic and many maji lives.

The writing in this book is gorgeous and the world building is phenomenal. Adeyemi has written a debut book that will fill you with a tonne of feelings - awe, heartbreak, sorrow and hatred.

The plot flows perfectly and Adeyemi doesn't shy away from brutality and torture. She creates characters full of life that will leave you feeling all the hurt, anger, fear that these characters feel.

Highly recommended!

4 1/2 stars. Wow, I have had quite a week. I started Children of Blood and Bone last Thursday as I was going into labour (because, why not?). Normally, I would devour a book like this in a day or two, but those of you with kids will know that's just not going to happen with a newborn.

Instead, this book rode with me through the hospital stay, sleepless nights, and postpartum weepies. It kept my eyes open on those long, long nights. It picked me up and threw me into another world of action and magic right when I needed it. All I can say is: Thank you, Ms Adeyemi.

Oh okay, that's not all I can say. Though hopefully I don't sound too delirious.

Children of Blood and Bone is a West-African inspired fantasy set in the fictional land of Orïsha. It takes all the best bits of YA fantasy - princesses, tormented soldiers, the battle to restore magic vs suppress it - and does something completely new with these familiar elements. At its core, it's an action-packed, fast-paced adventure to restore magic to the world and complete a ritual before the approaching solstice is over and magic is lost forever.

Beneath that, though, there are many darker themes. The plot is intense and steeped in racially-charged violence. Adeyemi draws many parallels with our own world, forcing the reader to pause and consider systemic racism and injustice in prison systems. And Zélie remembers the genocide executed on King Saran's orders all too well. The "Raid", as it is known, took her mother from her. Now, Zélie is a divîner - a maji without magic, though her abilities lie dormant, waiting for the missing scroll that can return her power.

The book is told from alternating perspectives. One is Zélie, another is Princess Amara who Zélie reluctantly saves from the King's men, and the third is Amara's brother, Inan, who is sent to chase down and stop his sister and Zélie. With complex characters who naturally change and grow as the story progresses, I was hooked. I cared what happened to all three of them. There was never a boring moment.

It is always risky to step into a book as hyped as this one, but I, for one, think it very much deserves it. A compelling, exciting plot, a completely non-white cast of characters, AND a thoughtful consideration of race, skin colour, and prejudice... impressive, to say the least. Though that cliffhanger is EVIL. How will we cope until the next book?

Absolutely fantastic and a much needed book. Can’t wait for the rest of the series!

I woke up the other day to a tweet from Stephen King to Tomi Adeyemi, praising how good this book is. I will repeat STEPHEN KING LIKES THIS BOOK. Okay, now that my fangirling little heart has restarted, I can finally get round to talking about what is most certainly one of the most anticipated YA reads of 2018. And for good reason. I’ve been sitting on this for a good few months now, long enough for Netgalley to pretty much give up on expecting me to review this book, but I was just so worried that it wouldn’t live up to the hype. Well, Ladies and Gentlemen [and fellow maji] I am pleased to inform you this simply isn’t the case.

Children of Blood and Bone started quite slow. There was a lot of build up, a lot of scene setting, and a lot of me pulling faces and wondering if I could squeeze in a few minutes of Magikarp Jump before I started the next chapter. This continued for about 30% of the way through the book, and then the characters got so mired in a shit-storm of action that it took me at least five minutes of internal screaming to realize that, somewhere along the way, I had grown to love them all and now feared for their lives. So thanks, Tomi, thank you very much for that. Congrats, you must have taken at least ten years off my life. Zelie [excuse my lack of accents please, silly keyboard] is so strong and powerful, and if you’re a fan of Sarah J Maas, Susan Dennard and Leigh Bardugo’s kick-ass heroines, this book is definitely for you. Zelie shoulders all of the monumental responsibility heaped on her shoulders with tenacity, wit and poise. That’s not to say that she never struggles– in fact part of the reason I love her character as fiercely as I do is how she constantly seemed to be conflicted about what she has been tasked with, and how it could lead to apocalyptic failure. There’s a strong sense of grief, and the memory of her mother’s brutal death plays a significant role in how Zelie views the world [and the people in it] around her. Her brother, Tzain, is also highly likeable, and I think Adeyemi manages to weave in an impressively strong familial bond very well, using lots of action and emotion to show, rather than tell us how we’re meant to feel about these characters. He’s also not without his faults, but again I think the author does a superb job of tempering his brilliance with these flaws to make him human enough to cheer for.

Same goes for Amari. I was a little concerned in the opening chapters of the book that she was going to be very much the princess stereotype found in fairytales– beautiful and passive, with a touch of courage to keep her interesting. But Amari was actually a very unique character. I thought sometimes her voice could have come across a smidge stronger, but really she held her own, even against some of the clearer voices in the novel. I thought her morals were really what made her– and I liked how she always stood up for what she believed in, even when others around her wavered. Also, there are key moments in Children of Blood and Bone where she is pure bad-ass. No quibbles here. Which brings me to her brother, Inan. Possibly one of the most complex and intriguing characters of the book. At times I loved him, at others I loathed him. I promised a spoiler-free review, so I won’t say too much, but urgh. That boy! Still, I thought what Tomi did with his character was very impressive, and her deft touch at moving him through all these thoughts and emotions was simply masterful. I can’t wait to see how book two turns out in regards to the characters. I won’t give too much away, but the ending is sure to leave readers hooked, sobbing ugly, ugly tears. Have tissues on hand, preferably a box of them.

The other thing that I think worked really well was the magic system. We don’t get to learn too much about how it works in this book, mostly because the plot is all about how to bring magic back, but even the glimpses we’re allowed are breathtaking. The different types are the most interesting to me right now, and I like how, much as Dennard’s Truthwitch series has done, Children of Blood and Bone mixes familiar powers such as control over elements and healing, with new ones [or at least twists on old ones]. The concept of Reapers, which would mostly be considered a kind of dark magic, sounds totally fascinating, and again I’m curious to know what kind of direction the series will take this in as it pans out. The questions raised about magic in general are also very refreshing– I’m used to magic based worlds where either magicians are all powerful, or they are repressed and forbidden. The latter is kind of true in CoBaB, with the diviners [again, sorry for the lack of accents] being labelled as ‘maggots,’ forced to pay taxes or risk ending up in a slave-system known as The Stocks. Adeyemi paints a horrifying scene of the danger being a diviner actually puts a person in, and of course it raises some interesting points about the prejudice at the core of this hatred. Because, of course, these people were once more powerful than the others around them, and again and again the characters in the novel ask what will happen if magic gets into the wrong hands, if it can’t be controlled and contained, if someone decides on revenge rather than peace? All of these are interesting questions, and I sense they will crop up again and again throughout the series.

Of course, there were moments when the novel flagged a bit. I was a bit irked by the insta-love relationships sprouting up like daisies throughout the plot, and I feel these could have been handled with a little more panache. I’ll always value the slow-build over the immediate explosive love. I like that the author again tried to balance it, and there is always that voice at the back of my head which grudgingly admits that, given the high-stakes and tension circumstances, it isn’t so surprising that the word ‘love’ is bandied around so quickly, but as of right now I am a cynical 23 year-old, typing away on my laptop in my student flat. So I’m going to call it as a point against the book. But hey, that’s me being picky. Besides that, and the sluggish opening, I really can’t fault this book at all. The characters and world were so well written, and it honestly feels like something I’ve never read before. Which is all kinds of impressive, given my obsession with YA. Also, can I just point out how refreshing it is to have a whole novel that is POC? I can’t remember the last time I came across something like this, and since I’ve started researching representation in YA, I’ve found myself growing more and more frustrated.

9.5/ 10 stars. If you haven’t pre-ordered this book yet, you’re missing out.

I'd had my eyes on this title for a while and I'm really, really glad I got the opportunity to read it in advance! I devoured this book in about twenty four hours because it just kept me hooked from start to finish: this African-inspired fantasy novel feels like a breath of fresh air in YA publishing. I had a few minor issues with some linguistic choices (the repetition of "ugh"s and "agh"s, the expression "the breath I did not realise I was holding") but overall this is not just a very solid debut, but I dare say a very solid novel. The world-building makes people immerse immediately in the world, the style is straightforward during action scenes and evocative in the descriptions and the characters are wonderfully built, balancing virtues and flaws in a very realistic way. What I appreciated most, however, was the powerful political message about power and sistematic oppression underneath: I like my fantasy to have a deeper, stronger message that goes beyond the story, and this specific one is particularly important these days. Moreover, as much as I am in love with my European-inspired fantasy, there is something very refreshing about finding new inspirations from other cultures, and I can't even imagine how satisfying this is going to feel for readers who will FINALLY be able to see their heritage in those pages.
I would consider this read a 4.5, maybe 4.75/5 but I'm kicking it up to a 5 because of how... again, how IMPORTANT it is. Trust the hype, read diverse books and support their authors!

Incredible debut novel set in a vividly imagined world, with two of my favourite heroines of all time, possibly.

A fascinating High Fantasy, full of twists and turns. In this world, there are people with the ability to control fire or water, animals or healing or the spirits of the dead. The current king, hating and fearing them, engineered a way to remove their magic, killed all the adults and ground the children into the dirt, hoping to keep them from rising up. This worked about as well as it does in any dystopia, eventually enveloping his whole family and changing the future of the country forever.

I liked the worldbuilding in this one; I've read in other reviews that it's based on African folktales. Sadly I don't know enough to know if that's true, but I'd believe it from reading this. Having said that, some things seemed to be strange for the sake of it, for example the animals were called things like lionaire and gorillaire. A lot of terms are just dropped in without explanation as well; I got most of them from context, but I had to give up on a couple.

It's a fantastic read with great characters, though, and I'll be recommending it to everyone I can. I look forward to the sequel, because that ending...

Receiving an ARC did not alter my review in any way.

This book absolutely lives up to its hype - from the very start the pace is fast, unrelenting and sweeps you into a world filled with danger and adventure. Orïsha has been stripped of its magic and those marked as dormant majis are persecuted by a tyrannical king and his soldiers.

Zélie is introduced to us as a bit of a hot mess - filled with anger and desperate to prove herself, she's constantly saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and getting herself (and her family) into scrapes. She's a brilliant character who is both brave and terrified; she's funny, quick-witted and caring, and she can handle herself in a fight. Amari comes from a very different world as the king's daughter, where kindness is seen as weakness and she's constantly cowed into submission. Throw in Tzain, Zélie's brother, and Inan, Amari's brother and heir to the throne, and there's plenty of tension - of all different kinds - as well growth.

I loved the world-building in the book - at every turn of the page I felt like I was in the story, immersed in the smells, sights and sounds that Tomi Adeyemi describes. She seamlessly develops the history and myths of Orïsha, and while the characters and plot line didn't necessarily feel brand new (what YA fantasy does?), the freshness with which Tomi delivers it all DID make the story feel fresh and original and sparkly.

That ending though. How long do I have to wait for the next book to be released?? I cannot recommend CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE enough, and I can't wait to re-read it already.

I loved this book and could not put it down once I had started.

Zelig was a very believable character working out who she was and the role of magic in her life. She lives in fear and has to learn how to live with this fear and overcome it.

Her loyalties are torn - between family and the prince she comes to love. She rescues and befriends a princess but at the end is not sure what her actions have made her.

She risks her life to bring magic back but we are left not sure what she has accomplished - I will await part two with trepidation.

A book which will definitely be gracing my library’s shelves.

I spent a long time being excited about this book and I remained excited for the first 25% of it. Then I spent a lot of time deep sighing and hating 95% of the characters because everyone irritated the hell out of me. Except Roën. He was pretty great and definitely not in it for long enough. Bring him baaaaack (in book 2 that is). If Adeyemi could also stop every character from saying "skies" every other page then that would be amazing!

Overall, this was a pretty decent read. There was plenty of action, the worldbuilding was on point, the power dynamics between the characters were something else and each characters' complexities were well executioned. Sadly, this book kind of fell into the pit of age-old cliched YA tropes. The primary cliche being the instalove theme (between Zélie/Inan and Amaris/Tzain), and despite seeing why it had to be included (one of them anyway) for plot purposes this book would have been a lot more interesting if it had taken a different direction.

All things considered this was a fiery fantasy novel that deftly handles politics and race, finally putting POC in the very heart of the action.

Gripping fantasy that sees a young girl fighting hard to restore magic to a kingdom that has forbidden it.

Zelie Adebola remembers when they killed her mother, and she's been trying to avoid the same fate ever since. But a chance encounter with a princess leaves her homeless and on the run, desperate to escape the crown prince who wants her and her kind dead.

Tomi Adeyemi has created a lush, vibrant world, full of legend and lore, more than enough to sate even the most ravenous fantasy fan. She deserves special commendation for steering away from the creatures so often shoe-horned into fantasy novels, and instead creating her own magical beasts, who fit seamlessly into the narrative. There are swoony moments, shocking moments, terrifying moments, and heartbreaking moments. It's a masterful debut, and one many readers will adore.

This chapter sampler from Children of Blood and Bone paints an impressive opening to what I'm sure will be a wildly popular book next year! Zélie is a fantastic character already and I'm looking forward to where she goes in the complete book! The writing is also a complete breeze to read and absolutely delightful.

This is one of my most anticipated releases for 2018 and I'm honestly so pleased that I had the chance to receive a sample of the novel itself. It was everything I was hoping for; fast paced and fulfilling even though its only six chapters long. ​​ The characters are rich and strong willed, I love every narrative POV and I'm blown away by how bad-ass so many of the women characters are. The plot is established quickly, the rules of the world are clear but there's enough mystery to keep me reading right until the last page.
I am completely in love with Tomi Adeyemi's writing style. She has a magical way with prose and I can't wait to read the whole thing next year. A fantastic start to a novel I know will end up blowing me away.

Well, this book definitely grab my attention.
This few chapters basically said me that I MUST READ THIS BOOK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
Worlbuilding sound interesting, characters sound interesting and the hate against magic remind me a little a story I'm writing!
Definitely 5 stars for these 6 chapters, I hope the rating will be the same for the rest of the book!

I received a free sampler of this book from Netgalley in order to provide an honest review.

In just four chapters, Adeyemi has me utterly hooked! The world inhabited by his characters is extraordinary - it bears a passing similarity to realistic (if historic) feudal societies, yet it is populated with magic, and exotically-named creatures.

I find I am already invested in the fates of Zelie and Amari, as well as their brothers. The point of view characters are engaging, individualised, and clearly drawn. It’s immediately possible to relate to headstrong Zelie, and gratifying to see Amali choose loyalty to her servant over the safety of her royal position.

Children of Blood and Bone seems aimed at the older teenager/adult section of Young Adult readership, as it deals with violence and rape, so I wouldn’t recommend it for young teenagers.

I look forward to the book’s publication so I can find out what happens next!

This was amazing. I've been looking forward to this book since the deal was announced in late March or early April. I am a black woman and was interested to see a YA fantasy about a black girl. This sample defied my already high expectations. I loved that it discussed racism, and I was so, so happy to find that it discussed colorism (discrimination based on skin shades), because I don't see that very often in the media. The way this book's society is set up is so detailed and interesting, I love the West African and North African influences, and the combination of questions class differences and race relations is everything I didn't know I wanted in a YA fantasy novel. Thank you, so, so much for the opportunity to read this, and I plan to go straight to the bookstore to buy the full novel the day it comes out.
(I will post this review online if that's encouraged; I'm just not sure of the protocol with a sample.)

*disclaimer: i only read a sample of this book, provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This took me a while to get into, i didnt think i'd like it in the beginning but looking back im like - why the hell did i feel like that?? It starts with Zélie learning how to fight in a school for girls, which is clearly illegal as they pretend to be running a tailors shop when the army comes storming in. After having some problems at home, Zélie goes to the big city to sell some fish in the big market, and finds herself helping a run-away princess escape the city...

Meanwhile, a princess - clearly different from your "average" princess, as she cares about the servants and doesn't care about the poison of the maji race, escapes from her home and attempts to leave the city without being captured by her brother, the captain of the guard.

I feel like i can't really review this properly because i only read a preview of the book, but it did make me want to read on, the Aladdin vibes towards the end especially.

// Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review //

4 stars (release date March 6, 2018)

I received a sneak peek of the first six chapters of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. This book starts off with a bang and doesn't let up. I was only able to read the first 6 chapters. I can't wait until the book is released so I can read the rest. Zélie Adebola's mother was a maji and was killed by the King when the magic of the land disappeared. She is a social outcast and lives in fear of being sold into slavery. She inadvertently helps a rogue princess escape the palace guards and discovers that magic may be coming back to the land. Zelie vows to bring back magic and take revenge against the monarchy. I can't wait to see how this all turns out!

Despite being one of those NOUN of NOUN and NOUN titles that usually put me right off, the stunning cover changed my mind a bit and I requested an arc on Netgalley. I got the first 6 chapters to enjoy, and damn, if the rest of the book stays as good then we're all in for a treat!

The story is intriguing thus far, with a promising setting with interesting characters. Those who have a natural ability for magic are born with very dark skin and white hair, so they're very easy to distinguish. This doesn't work out so well when magic disappears without a trace one day, and the non-magical folk decide to take a little power for themselves. The story is set eleven years later, and magic is still absent.

Our mc is a Diviner - one born with magical ability, though it remains dormant. She was a little brattish for my tastes, but this just means she's got some character growth ahead. Secondary characters were equally promising.

The writing is fast paced and exciting, and not challenging. It seemed like pretty standard YA prose thus far.

Oh, and the best thing? Giant lions/panthers/snow leopards ridden into war. Um, yes please.