Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

45 reviews

mrs_bastos's review

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Hate crime, Child death, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Gore, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail

amyhasel's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A fantasy take on colonialism and racism against Black people in America. I could not be more impressed by the world-building, including a culturally informed magic system, and cast of characters. Absolutely a must-read for all fantasy-lovers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Racism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Colonisation, Classism, and Death of parent

inez_hunter's review

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, and Racism

bookishperseus's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gore, Child abuse, Colonisation, Hate crime, Slavery, Child death, Confinement, Kidnapping, Murder, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, War, Self harm, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, and Death

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

kyrstin_p1989's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Stunning. This book is about taking back your power and embracing your magic. It’s well-written, interesting, and powerful. The chapters are short, the characters are interesting, and the plot is exciting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Torture, Colonisation, Confinement, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Gore, Murder, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Genocide, Grief, Infidelity, Police brutality, Violence, War, Suicide, Sexual assault, Animal death, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Sexual harassment, and Sexism

micaelamariem's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I’ll post a full review on my blog in the morning but omg this was a wonderful book! Based on Orisha mythology from West Africa, and inspired by the urge to fight back against police brutality of unarmed Black citizens, Tomi Adeyemi examines a fantasy world where magic users are stripped of their power and beaten down until a few characters decide they want a change, and how they can fight back against how they were taught their whole lives. Loved the character development, the world building, the important themes, and the shocking betrayals. Ends on a cliffhanger and I need the next book now! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, War, Cursing, Death of parent, Gore, Genocide, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, and Vomit

ericageorge91's review

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Spoilers ahead!

Children of Blood and Bone (CoBaB) is about a quest to restore magic to the oppressed dîviner/maji people in a Nigerian-inspired world. It’s a multiple POV book that follows Zélie (a dîviner that lost her maji mother one fateful night), Amari (daughter of a violent king that wants to rid all magic), and Amari’s brother, Inan (heir to the throne with secret maji abilities). 

My favorite part of this book is the mythology of Sky Mother and her deity children. As a kid, I loved that part of the Greek Mythology units where we learned about Zeus and the Olympians magical abilities and this book brought back that joy. I wished CoBaB explored more of that mythology in the story. Maybe, they’ll delve more into it in the sequel?

This is a YA book. I felt like the plot was predictable, but entertaining for the most part. This story definitely doesn’t shy away from the brutal oppression of the dîviner/maji in this world so be aware of that. 

Random Thoughts:

Inan’s POV: Of the different POVs, reading Inan’s was the most frustrating experience. He harbors a lot of self-hatred after discovering his maji abilities. While this is completely understandable in light of his upbringing, it was still a lot 🙇🏾‍♀️ If this was a book full of trans characters, it would be like reading Kaitlyn Jenner’s POV and seeing her committed to destroying gender-affirming care, you know? I understand internalized hatred, but I need you to be so fucking for real right now. Do you really think they’re gonna pick you? Did Kaea not completely show her ass when she used her dying breath to call you a magical slur?? Do you really think your father won’t treat you the same 🤨 

The Celebration: While that gods festival was beautiful and touching, the lack of urgency I often find in YA books needs to be studied. Did we not learn from the last time pursuers caught up with you when you let your guard down? Why THE FUCK are we throwing a party when you haven’t accomplished your task?? A vicious king is after you and you’re over here making eyes at your enemy-turned-love 🤦🏾‍♀️ 

The Romance: Amari and Tzain…fine…at least they’ve been traveling together so there was time for that relationship to develop. Inan and Zélie’s?? I know it’s supposed to be enemies-to-lovers but it felt so rushed and contrived. It just didn’t feel earned…at all. If I’m being honest, the only romantic relationship I believed in was Amari and Binta’s and they’re not even canon 💀

Zélie and Inan’s views on magic: Their flip flopping over whether or not magic should be dispersed didn’t feel consistent with their  upbringing. Why does the girl who grew up revering magic fuck up once and immediately think, “Hold on now…maybe everyone getting magic isn’t a good idea?” Why do you have the guy who grew up despising magic have a moment of clarity and immediately gets on board with it? 

Characterization: Amari was pretty fleshed out and had a decent amount of character development, but the rest of this cast felt flat. I’m not in love with any of these characters. Like, I would politely hold the door open for Zélie Adebola, but I would gently lay my jacket (or myself) across a puddle to protect Bree Matthews’ feet, you know what I mean?

Pacing: Along with Zelie and Inan’s romance, I felt like Inan’s character arc in CoBaB could have spanned across the entire trilogy. Same goes for gathering the magical items. Having them all in the first part of the book felt entirely too Convenient. 

Lingering Questions: How did the king find Baba in the end? Did they explain that his sudden capture? And how is magic showing up with Inan and Amari? When it was just Inan, I thought it was because the queen cheated. Unless she did it multiple times? Or is this supposed to mean the gods found this non-maji worth it to gift powers? I don’t know. 

Overall, I’m mildly curious to see where this story goes, but not pressed 🤷🏾‍♀️

TW: Murder/execution, grief (loss of parent), sexual harassment, colorism, child abuse (mention), death, arson, infidelity (mention), torture, self hate, abduction, PTSD, violence, animal death (brief), body shaming (brief)

Rep: BIPOC characters (Nigerian-inspired world)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Blood and Slavery

Minor: Fatphobia, Child death, Classism, Body shaming, Animal death, Child abuse, and Infidelity

annorabrady's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, War, Racism, Grief, Child abuse, Death, Classism, Violence, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Murder, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Blood

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Child death

Minor: Trafficking, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Slavery

daya_fae's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was such a great read. I just fell in love with all the world building that coated the pages. At every point in the book I could imagine myself there in the scenes taking place in the book. My only complaint about this story is the romance. The first official romance didn’t seem as convincing as the side romance. I feel like the romantic feelings weren’t given enough to full develop so that the eventual heartbreak could really be felt by readers. But overall I can’t wait for the movie to finally come out so I can see everything come to life. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Death of parent, Death, Blood, and Child abuse

overthinkereading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

So good. Just…so, so good. Honestly, I would have given five stars if I weren’t so sensitive about violence and bloodshed (and CW THERE IS A LOT OF THAT). 

Even so, the magic and tension and love (romantic and familial) and history of Orïsha is immersive. Before I even realized it, I found myself completely invested in the characters and their mission, and the cliffhanger ending makes it easy to jump right into book 2 of the series. The Author’s Note is the most powerful part of the book, though - do not skip. (Contains spoilers).

Highly recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Death, Classism, Racism, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child death, Gore, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia