Review: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Hey everyone!
Today, I am sharing my review of Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi with you all.

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GoodReads Synopsis:

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.
Now we rise.

Zelie remembers when the soil of Orisha hummed with magic. When different clans ruled – Burners igniting flames, Tiders beckoning waves, and Zelie’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 Zelie without a mother and her people without hope. Only a few people remain with the power to use magic, and they must remain hidden.

Zelie 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, Zelie must learn to harness her powers and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orisha, where strange creatures prowl, and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zelie herself as she struggles to come to terms with the strength of her magic – and her growing feelings for an enemy.

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My Review:

Children of Blood and Bone is totally out of my usual comfort zone. I usually stick to thrillers and horrors, but I am trying to broaden my range of reading, and I had heard so many good things about this book. I have actually had an ebook copy of it for quite a while, and never chose to read it, but I am so glad that I finally did. This story certainly lives up to the hype!

Tomi Adeyemi has written this story so beautifully that you can completely immerse yourself in to it, and the world she has built within. The magic is so enchanting and powerful, and I can honest say that this is one of the best magical books I have ever read. I loved all of the different types of magic that the Maji could have, and that the Divîners didn’t know which powers they would have until they became Maji. It was also very interesting to see the different powers used in different situations.

From the very beginning Children of Blood and Bone is full of excitement, and I could tell straight away that Zélie was going to be a strong, fierce character, who I was really going to enjoy throughout the book. She was so full of hatred, anger, and pain, and she really didn’t seem to know what to do with it all, but once she figured out how to harbour it in to her powers, she really grew in to her own. I loved watching her powers grow, and watching Zélie grow as a person too.

Tzain is such a genuine, good character, who’s love for his family knows no bounds. His relationship with Zél is strained at times, but only because he cares about her so much, and he doesn’t want to see her come to any harm. Especially after witnessing what happened to their mother.

Inan is the complete opposite. He can’t seem to figure out which side he wants to be on, and it causes more bad than good. There were times where I began to feel a little sorry for him, and where he began to redeem himself a little, but it was never enough.

Amari is one of my favourite characters in the story. She may come from a world of wealth, and have no understanding of what Zél and Tzain are truly going through, or the oppression of the Maji and Divîners, but she really tries to learn and understand. Her character development throughout the story is absolutely brilliant, and I think people could learn a lot from Amari. She shows that you shouldn’t turn a blind eye to something, just because you are on the easy side of things.

There are a few scenes in particular that were absolutely brutal, and on multiple occasions I was closed to tears. The pain, the misery, the bloodshed, and the murder of innocent lives is completely heartbreaking, and really resonates with the way black people have been treated throughout history, and the way they continue to be treated today, purely for the colour of their skin. This book really sends a powerful message, and I think a lot of us need to be reacting the same way that Amari did towards the situation, and fight for what is right, instead of hiding from what is happening, even if that means standing against people that you love.

The ending of the story was explosive, and action packed, and had me on the edge of my seat. It was the perfect way to end the book, and sets you up perfectly for the sequel. I absolutely loved every second of Children of Blood and Bone, and I can not wait to read Children of Virtue and Vengeance (despite the very mixed reactions to it). This is a book that I could definitely re-read over and over again.

I give Children of Blood and Bone an easy 5 star rating!