1.75/5 stars! This is the final book in the Legacy of Orisha series by author Tomi Adeyemi. I really enjoyed the first two books and was eagerly awaiting this conclusion. Sadly this book was very disappointing. It felt like the charm and depth of the earlier entries was missing and that led to a convoluted mess. I ended up having to skim pages between plot points just to get through it.

The Legacy of Orisha series is a series that I have been reading for years. I read the first book in the series, Children of Blood and Bone back in 2018, and I absolutely loved it. I’ve been dying to see how everything was going to work out for these characters since then. I was so excited to finally see how everything was going to end. I had to read a bit of a recap of the first two books before I dove into this one, as it had just been so long since I read them, but I quickly remembered the key details as I started reading this one. Honestly, I loved this book so much. I’d seen a few mixed reviews of this one, but honestly I loved every single moment.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy picks up right where Children of Virtue and Vengeance left off, with Zelie and a number of other Orisha, kidnapped by an outside enemy. Now the Orisha must put aside their differences, whether they are Magi or Titan, and work together to find their way home, and make it safe again. But will everyone survive this enemy?

I loved every single moment of this book. Honestly, I’d forgotten how much I absolutely love Tomi Adeyemi’s writing. I don’t know what it is about her writing, but it just sucks me in every single time. I couldn’t stop reading and every spare moment I had, my head was stuck in this book. I really appreciated the short and snappy chapters. While they don’t actually have any impact on my reading speed, I feel like I’m getting through the book quicker when there’s shorter chapters. So all the way through, I was like: one more chapter, it’s only short. And I absolutely flew through this book. It was addictive.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy was such a fantastic finale to a fantastic series. I honestly love this series so much, and it has firmly cemented it’s place as one of my all time favourite YA fantasy books. I cannot get enough of it, and I will forever be hoping that Tomi decides to write more in this world as a spin off. This book broke my heart and put it very slowly back together. It’s been a very long time since I sobbed at a book, but that is absolutely what happened here. I loved every heart-breaking moment and would suffer it all over again in a heartbeat. That’s how much I truly love this story and these characters.

My one, tiny gripe with this book is that I felt like the ending was rather abrupt. It ended very quickly after the resolution of the conflict, and I really would have liked to see a few more chapters of ‘after’ to see how everything was and see the characters a little bit more settled into their lives. It felt very abrupt and sudden and that disappointed me a little bit. There was an epilogue but at 2 pages in length, it just left me wanting more. Other than that, I thought this book was pretty perfect. I loved it, and highly recommend the entire series.

Another in a great series of books. Took me a while to remember who was who and what was happening. Gets your heart racing and emotions going.

I loved the first and second book but this one was a disappointment.

It felt very rushed and parts of the story could of been expanded to provide a better reading experience.

I feel like there is a lot of unfinished business with this book and I have questions that just aren't answered.

Not the best in this series but an excellent and high level fantasy that kept me hooked.
The author is a master storyteller and this plot-driven story is a well plotted and tightly knitted fast paced novel.
It took ages to read the end of the series but it was worth the wait
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

"We weep because we feel the ancestors who watch from above, waiting for the day until we rise to meet our dead."

✨️ Bookish Reflection ✨️ ~ spoiler free!

I started this series in January following a bookish challenge to read my first fantasy fiction novel: Children of Blood & Bone. I was taken aback by just how good it was, and I couldn't believe it had taken me so many years to get into the magic of Orïsha.

Fast forward to April, in readiness for this summers final instalment, I submerged myself into Children of Virtue & Vengeance. At the time of reading, I seemed to really like it, but after I posted my review, I took some time to reflect further & realised that I had a number of issues with the plot. My main bug bearer was the ending.

Unfortunately, the opening to book 3 didn't do much to quell my disappointment of book 2's ending. Rather, it made pacing feel off kiilter & in my opinion the beginning should have featured in book 2.

Now, whilst the writing standard is great, the plot as a whole felt, dare I say it... Mediocre. For me, there were lots of unnecessary characters. Unanswered questions. Plot holes. And a very meh ending. In a nutshell, I was just hoping for more... much more.

It could be that Children of Blood & Bone was simply spectacular that any follow-ups would always struggle to compete.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC copy. It is always hard to complete a beloved series. There is so much I enjoyed and loved about this series, I just feel that this didn't quite hit the mark in terms of a finale for me. I would definitely still recommend reading this series but this book gets a 3/5.

I was sent a copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.....for a full review please see my Amazon and Goodreads accounts

"Death doesn't destroy you, Zélie... It frees you. It answers your call."

This conclusion to the 'Legacy of Orïsha' trilogy, sees Zélie, Tzain, Inan and Amari being held captive on a ship by an enemy they know nothing about, the Skulls and their fearsome, bloodthirsty king, Baldyr. He's looking for the one who can use the power of the sun, so he can siphon off that power and turn himself into a god. He's looking for Zélie.

I don't want to say a heck of a lot about the plot of this book as it's the last part of a trilogy, in case someone is still busy reading it. I'll start by saying that overall, I enjoyed this series immensely. I love books inspired by African mythology, something that's not explored in commercial genre fiction nearly enough (a discussion for another day). I've grown to love the main characters and seeing them grow.

Unfortunately, I felt like this series got weaker with each book. 'Children of Blood and Bone' was a five-star read for me and 'Children of Virtue and Vengeance' a four-star. This one is three stars, not because it was bad (it's not), but because, for me, it doesn't live up to the brilliance of the first book.

For me, this story could have been wrapped up in a duology. This third book feels like it just unnecessarily drags the plot out, with a new story that does not really connect very well with where the series started off. There's no lack of action, but I wasn't invested in what was happening, and was tempted to skim to get to the end.

The ending is what saved this for me – there are some powerful moments that made me sit up. And yet, there is a lack of depth: not exploring the relationship between Zélie and Inan further means what happens at the end doesn't hit as hard as it should have.

That said, this is a great series especially if you'd like to delve into fantasy that's really unique. I can't wait to read more from this author.

1.5 rounded up ⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Macmillan and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

What a shame.

5 years for this. Honestly don’t waste your time. The first book was good, the second ok and this was like a whole new series, one main character completely forgotten!

A superb finale to this phenomenal trilogy which I have adored on every level. I just can't wait to see what Tomi Adeyemi does next.

I just finished reading "Children of Anarchy & Anguish" by Tomi Adeyemi and I'm still reeling from the experience.
First of all, the world-building is incredible which was sorted from previous books made it very easy to ease back in. Adeyemi has created a rich, immersive world that's steeped in African culture and mythology. The magic system is unique and fascinating, and I loved learning about the Orïsha people and their history.
The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, with flawed but relatable motivations. Zélie, the protagonist, is a strong and determined heroine who will stop at nothing to protect her brother and her community. Amari is a great foil to Zélie - her vulnerability and doubt make her feel more human and relatable.
The plot is engaging and fast-paced, with plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. I loved the way Adeyemi wove together themes of colonialism, oppression, and resistance into the narrative.
If I have any criticisms, it's that some of the supporting characters feel a bit one-dimensional at times and even disappeared altogether which felt like loose ends. I was also very distracted by the fact that we gained new characters from nowhere as well as new theme that was thrown in but not explored or built up from previous books.
Additionally, some of the pacing felt a bit rushed towards the end. I felt like Adeyemi was trying to cram too much into the final act, which made the ending feel abrupt.

Thank you Netgally & Tomi Adeyemi for my arc copy.

I am heartbroken it took me this long to finish reading this book, but the loss of my Kindle was a tragedy I was ill equipped to handle. The gods however had greater plans and against all odds, not only did I find it, but despite being exposed to the elements for weeks on end it still defiantly flickered back to life.

Maybe my jubilation of having been granted the ability to read once again added to my joy of reading this particular book, but I have to say nonetheless that I loved every single minute of it.
The first title in the Legacy of Orïsha series, Children of Blood and Bone, had me falling hard and fast. But sadly I wasn’t griped by the second title, Children of Virtue and Vengeance. It could be due to my high hopes but I found the characters painfully distracted by their intertwining relationships and hated how much they struggled with their morals and their upbringings. But this, the third and final entry, Children of Anguish and Anarchy, redeemed the series entirely.
The strength this book poured into ever page was exactly what we needed. The love that was portrayed felt believable and meaningful again. The bonds that weee forged changed the characters and helped them grow. It was everything to me that I could see them display the power and destiny they were meant to.
I will say that the end was somewhat abrupt in my eyes, and I wish there was more closure by showing us the time “after”. But still, it feels like such a minor complaint in the grand scheme of things.
All in all, what a beautiful and enjoyable book, and a perfect end for a brilliant series.

It actually hurts me to say this, but Children of Anguish and Anarchy was a huge disappointment.

After waiting almost 4 years for the conclusion to this trilogy, I find the final instalment malformed and rushed.

I was immediately not a fan of the enslavement parallels at the very start of the book and by almost 20 chapters we were still fighting to get off the boat after being captured by a brand-new enemy who had not previously featured. We all know how much I despise the slave narrative and while this was not a central focus of the book, having this magical Black cast in this type of bondage for so long admittedly made me dislike it a lot more than I probably would have. The author has taken everything that was magical and special about this world and its people and joined it into struggle and plight and I hated that about this.

Where this book ultimately doesn’t work is that it is completely disjointed from its predecessors. Everything about Children of Blood and Bone and Children of Virtue and Vengeance seems to be completely forgotten. Characters are gone, motives disappear and even certain people are literally killed off so that we don’t have to deal with them anymore. It genuinely feels like this plot was an afterthought and simply inserted just to bring the series to an end when no thought on how to do so had previously been established.

The pacing and quadruple POV’s create a choppy narrative that even though I have found to be better for reading in previous stories, just made this feel too fast and unrealistic. Zelie is meant to learn how to control her new powers from new allies and I have no idea how she did it. I felt like they spent more time beautifying her then actually teaching anything which made everything feel sacrificial which I didnt care for. At one point, someone says theyd trained for 9 days but were suddenly capableof taking on armies. The rituals didnt make sense. The villain deaths were super easy and i had no clue how they were travelling back and forth so easily across the oceans.

While there was a solid attempt at worldbuilding around Orisha, I'm not entirely sure where they are and how the two worlds are connected. The use of their language while wonderful to see included felt unnecessary because you can't pronounce them anyway. I wanted to feel more connected with this and whenever a book has too much of a language I don't understand, it takes me out of the story.

I hated the ending and while I understand that you might not always get the ending you desire, this did not feel well thought out enough for it to be accepted as the ending that was needed. The deaths felt transient and unfair and the sacrifices hollow in order to pander to current tropes.

I will always be grateful to the author for paving the way for mainstream Black lead fantasy but unfortunately and to my utter heartbreak, the conclusion was not as mighty as the people it portrays.

Tomi Adeyemi is a truly talented author and her ability to create incredibly immersive worlds with fascinating magic systems is phenomenal. I can’t believe this is the end of The Legacy of Orïsha trilogy; I could have stayed in this world even longer!

This has been a rather unexpected yet action packed journey and I have been swept away into by this West African inspired fantasy. I felt like this book was setting up things for a longer series; I was barely able to come up for air with how fast paced this book was and had my heart ripped out for good measure.

The multiple povs create such depth between the characters and helps the reader develop a strong connection to them all. Zélie is such an incredible FMC! I have loved watching her grow and navigate the changing dynamics with the magi and other outside forces. I’ve had conflicted feelings about Amari throughout the trilogy, but really enjoyed her redemption arc and seeing her come into herself. I have always had a soft spot for Inan and loved seeing his character evolve, but I am struggling to talk about him without spoilers. I do wish we could have had more with Tzain and think things could have developed further with him, but I did think his arc was interesting.

Overall, I think there is space to take this series beyond the trilogy and there are so many stories that could be explored. Can’t wait to see more from this author and would highly recommend this trilogy to lovers of fantasy.

What happens when you read the last book of a trilogy without reading the first two books? Chaos and confusion that’s what.
I loved the summary of the last book at the beginning of this book because it brought me up to speed on the other 2 books that I hadn’t read, so this book can be read as a standalone because of that.
I love to see the success of a Nigerian author. The last book in this trilogy was fantastic and I can’t wait to see the translation to screen.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book!

This trilogy follows the story of Zeilie - daughter of a Magi clan in the land of Orisha. Her people used to wield magic from the gods but that was ripped from them by the rulers of Orisha. When the daughter of the king, Amari, flees the palace she, Zeilie and her brother Tzain find themselves on a quest to return magic to Orisha and set themselves against the ruling family and its heir apparent, Inan. This is the last book concluding this series and it 100% delivered for me. I loved the expansion of the world-building and character development as well as how action packed it was!

Three and a half
Wow look at that cover, it's simply stunning ! The first two books introduce characters and the persecuted world they live in and yet this time Zelie and co have been kidnapped and a whole new set of adversaries are savagely tearing the Maji apart. The Skulls have a violent blood magic and their brutal King believes he can steal Zelies magic and become a God !
This is the final part of this trilogy that started oh so strong and yet I'm sorry to say that for me this the final book just went in directions I neither expected or even wanted. As much as this is Zelies story the author brings her characters to life by giving the reader different viewpoints which means we are invested in all of them. Old enemies and even those who betrayed loved ones suddenly have to band together in light of the heinous threat the Skulls present and maybe for some readers it might feel too quick and easy. We get new alliances too as Zelie seeks to stop the vicious Skulls and they have a whole new set of magical abilities to add to the mix. I will be honest and say as this got closer to the end I did get a sense of doom and impending loss and yep you might feel the need for tissues. I don't think I can describe this as a happy ending but it's certainly a new beginning which is perhaps more apt.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I can’t believe it’s over.. I have loved this series a whole and I have cried at least once in each book. I thought I would be safe in this one, but no towards the end oh I sobbed! The world is amazing, introducing new characters and magic systems, new enemies I mean the skulls they are a piece of work! I feel both happy and sad with this one, happy that somethings have managed to amend and come together, sad that characters I have grown attached to watching them grow and evolve to meet devastating ends. My only reason for 4 stars is because the very end that last chapter felt rushed somewhat. I personally felt like I didn’t get the closure I needed. But putting the three books together I would relive it all over again.. I just need to get my hands on a physical copy now, to go with the first 2 books

Concluding books in trilogies always come with high expectations and a certain degree of trepidation- especially when you’re invested in a series and doubly so when you’ve waited a long time for the finale. It’s been five years since the sequel to children of blood and bone - long enough that I have to re read / audio book both books before reading the third.

This trilogy follows the story of Zeilie - daughter of a Magi clan in the land of Orisha. Her people used to wield magic from the gods but that was ripped from them by the rulers of Orisha. When the daughter of the king, Amari, flees the palace she, Zeilie and her brother Tzain find themselves on a quest to return magic to Orisha and set themselves against the ruling family and its heir apparent, Inan.

The first book is a quest and a journey of self discovery. The second book is civil war as sides are drawn, people are betrayed and loyalties tested. Then we have the long awaited concluding book. And this 100% delivered for me. And my expectations were very high.

This expands the world beyond Orisha and brings in new cultures, mythologies and traditions. And I think the third book really benefitted from that expansion. It was really evocative, vivid and brutal. There are also really strong parallels with the enslavement of African people in the beginning and concluding parts of the book. As for the ending…I think it was the ending I needed if not the ending I may have wanted.