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sunrae_booknook's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This book came with the trigger warning but it did not let you take a second away from them. It was a very dark and hard read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Rape, Torture, War, Blood, Bullying, Gaslighting, Genocide, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Gore, and Hate crime
teifrank's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
This book here...what a ride! A lot of trigger warnings, so please read them! This story has such a strong hold on my heart and soul..I could not put it down. It will live in my mind, rent free, for a long time! And to think the author took this story from headlines and made it her own...no words. I hope people will not only enjoy this fictional story but take away the true story and injustice the was the driving factor behind the author creating this masterpiece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Slavery, Gun violence, Rape, War, Blood, and Fire/Fire injury
lennie_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Blood, War, Violence, Gun violence, Grief, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, and Colonisation
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Self harm
bookishflower's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I really wanted to like this, but I think it was just not my thing as I found it quite triggering. (This is my own fault for not knowing reading this book would not be good for me personally).
However, this book has my total respect and there is no doubt that this is a rich world that will be so meaningful to other readers. You can tell the sheer amount of research that Falaye put into this book, how the topic of child soldiers was handled brutally beautifully.
However, I was just not mentally prepared enough for the unrelenting and hard-hitting reality built into Blood Scion. I’d strongly advise checking the trigger warnings. I feel this book should be approached with the same discretion as The Poppy War which I have avoided but respected from a distance for this very reason.
I’m glad I read Blood Scion because of Fairyloot and the read your own adventure read-a-thon, but I don’t think I will read this book again (at least not for a while).
However, this book has my total respect and there is no doubt that this is a rich world that will be so meaningful to other readers. You can tell the sheer amount of research that Falaye put into this book, how the topic of child soldiers was handled brutally beautifully.
However, I was just not mentally prepared enough for the unrelenting and hard-hitting reality built into Blood Scion. I’d strongly advise checking the trigger warnings. I feel this book should be approached with the same discretion as The Poppy War which I have avoided but respected from a distance for this very reason.
I’m glad I read Blood Scion because of Fairyloot and the read your own adventure read-a-thon, but I don’t think I will read this book again (at least not for a while).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Violence, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Self harm, War, and Xenophobia
ashleyrunswild's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
This book was excellently written. The story is really well done as well. However, this is also one of the most painful and gut wrenching books I have ever read, and I don’t mean that as a criticism of the book at all. But definitely read the content warnings, and know what you are going into. This book deals with a lot of triggers, including but not limited to: child soldiers, sexual abuse/rape, death of a parent, death of other friends and loved ones, being forced to kill, genocide, death of children, etc. You have been warned. That said, it was a very well written and engrossing story, and I definitely want to read the next one when it comes out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Child abuse, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Genocide, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, and War
bookswithlee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Grief, Child death, and Abandonment
azrah786's review against another edition
dark
4.25
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I received a proof copy from Harper360YA in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, gun violence, blood, gore, injury, death, child death, death of parent, grief, murder, torture, war, genocide, rape/sexual assault, fire, emotional abuse, racism, cultural appropriation
--
This book is intense, it is dark and it is one hell of an addictive debut.
Blood Scion is a story inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology following a child soldier, Sloane as she is forcibly conscripted into the army of a colonist regime known as the Lucis. They have occupied the continent Nagea after slaughtering many of its native people and have a particular animosity towards those known as Scions, descendants from the Orisha gods who have been gifted some of their magic.
Sloane, who is a Scion herself, manages to hide her identity and slip under their radar when she is drafted and is determined to uncover records on her mother’s disappearance, which she is sure the Lucis, are behind. It also provides her with the opportunity to bring the Lucis down from within but as she fights to survive, each day comes with the threat of her losing more and more of her humanity.
**I received a proof copy from Harper360YA in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, gun violence, blood, gore, injury, death, child death, death of parent, grief, murder, torture, war, genocide, rape/sexual assault, fire, emotional abuse, racism, cultural appropriation
--
This book is intense, it is dark and it is one hell of an addictive debut.
Blood Scion is a story inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology following a child soldier, Sloane as she is forcibly conscripted into the army of a colonist regime known as the Lucis. They have occupied the continent Nagea after slaughtering many of its native people and have a particular animosity towards those known as Scions, descendants from the Orisha gods who have been gifted some of their magic.
Sloane, who is a Scion herself, manages to hide her identity and slip under their radar when she is drafted and is determined to uncover records on her mother’s disappearance, which she is sure the Lucis, are behind. It also provides her with the opportunity to bring the Lucis down from within but as she fights to survive, each day comes with the threat of her losing more and more of her humanity.
"When I was a child, Momma always taught me to fight for those too weak to raise their fists. Scream for those too afraid to find their voice. And stand for those too tired to rise on their feet."
Falaye’s writing immediately draws you into to a world and a story that reads like the perfect blend of An Ember in the Ashes and The Hunger Games - both big favourites of mine and if you loved any or both of those series you'll really enjoy this book too - but also brings something totally new to the YA genre. Not only are we introduced to elements of Yoruba-Nigerian culture and lore (which I really hope is further expanded on in the sequel along with the magic) but we are pulled along on a storyline that meticulously explores the brutal realities of war, colonialism and the cost of survival.
Sloane is a fierce and strong-willed protagonist and like pretty much everyone in this book doesn’t make the most moral of decisions throughout the story, but you can’t help but root for her.
My favourite aspect of the book has got to be the relationships and alliances that form between the various characters. Not only were the supporting characters fleshed out really well but by using that air of mistrust and reluctance that floated around Sloane and her fellow recruits, Falaye carefully shaped some really interesting dynamics between them all that really invests you with their stories too.
"Sometimes, you have to walk in the dark before you can see the light."
The only real issue I had with the book was the age of the characters or more so how often we were reminded of Sloane being 15 years old. The themes within this book and just how deeply they were being explored are definitely more characteristic of the adult fantasy genre and I’m not trying to say that they can’t be used in YA. It’s just that the way the characters were written made them feel older that being reminded of the ages on page threw me off at times - it felt as though it was constantly being pointed out as a way to box the book in as YA more than anything else.
All that aside I really enjoyed this one and though I’ll admit I did see some of the reveals coming, the ending was such a gripping set up for book 2 and I can’t wait!
If you like morally grey characters, twisty storylines with intriguing magic and high stakes then this book is for you.
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, War, Genocide, Sexual assault, Racism, Violence, Gun violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gore, Rape, Child death, and Torture
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Cultural appropriation
mxkanteven's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book is… amazing.
That’s the best word to describe it. Deborah Falaye did a phenomenal job creating the world of Nagea, taking inspiration from Yoruba lore and real world colonial histories to weave together a challenging yet gratifying read.
The book doesn’t shy away from the atrocities of war, colonialism and subjugation. Nor does it sweep rage and anger under the rug in favour of a love & light message. It paints a vivid picture of the realities of being a child living and fighting in a world of systemic inequities and oppressions.
That’s the best word to describe it. Deborah Falaye did a phenomenal job creating the world of Nagea, taking inspiration from Yoruba lore and real world colonial histories to weave together a challenging yet gratifying read.
The book doesn’t shy away from the atrocities of war, colonialism and subjugation. Nor does it sweep rage and anger under the rug in favour of a love & light message. It paints a vivid picture of the realities of being a child living and fighting in a world of systemic inequities and oppressions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Physical abuse, Self harm, and War
Moderate: Physical abuse, Gun violence, Confinement, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, and Genocide
bookstarbri's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
4.5
Whatttt on earth did I just read? I'm scared. I am in FEAR. I feel like since page 1 of the book, I was descending further and further into darkness. I expected it to be dark, but didn't expect it to get as graphic as it did, especially so early on. See CWs because this book is not for everyone. Though this book is dark, it is a YA, so perhaps not quite as dark as it could've been had it been adult.
However, if you are able to get past all of those, this book is WORTH IT. I have never read anything like it my life. It is a stunning YA military, fantasy novel. Its main character, Sloan, is what's called a Scion, which is basically a being descended from gods who harbors magic. The people in charge, however, despise Scions and hunt them down. So when Sloan lands in the heart of the very people who want to kill her, she has figure out how to survive in such a perilous world, away from her friends and family.
Sloan is a wonderful character. Watching her do everything she has to do to survive was horrific and terrible and such a fascinating character arc. She loses a lot of herself in this book. She does a lot of horrible things. She makes a lot of bad decisions and, worse, she loses a lot of her humanity because of this terrible world. We do a lot of moving in this book and the person she was at the start of its 430ish pages is not at all who she is at the end, yet the core of her remains very much the same. The side characters were good too. I think I wish we could've gotten more from them. There was a lot of Sloan's inner monologue that I wish could've been condensed so we could have her interact more with the other characters. Because of the nature of the book, I pretty much consider all of the characters besides Sloan side characters, since none of them really stood out enough to be a main character along with Sloan.
The plot of this book is amazing. It did get a bit slow in the middle and, again, the inner monologues got to be a bit much and repetitive at times. However, there are a lot of twists and turns and BIG surprises. I guessed the big one at the end a few chapters earlier, but I hadn't guessed many of the other ones throughout. This is one of the darkest YA books I've ever read. But everything that happens happens for a reason and isn't simply to frivolously put the MC through hell. This book is amazing. It is brilliant. The writing is fantastic. I don't know where the sequel will go, but I am both terrified and ecstatic to read it.
Thank you to the author, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
However, if you are able to get past all of those, this book is WORTH IT. I have never read anything like it my life. It is a stunning YA military, fantasy novel. Its main character, Sloan, is what's called a Scion, which is basically a being descended from gods who harbors magic. The people in charge, however, despise Scions and hunt them down. So when Sloan lands in the heart of the very people who want to kill her, she has figure out how to survive in such a perilous world, away from her friends and family.
Sloan is a wonderful character. Watching her do everything she has to do to survive was horrific and terrible and such a fascinating character arc. She loses a lot of herself in this book. She does a lot of horrible things. She makes a lot of bad decisions and, worse, she loses a lot of her humanity because of this terrible world. We do a lot of moving in this book and the person she was at the start of its 430ish pages is not at all who she is at the end, yet the core of her remains very much the same. The side characters were good too. I think I wish we could've gotten more from them. There was a lot of Sloan's inner monologue that I wish could've been condensed so we could have her interact more with the other characters. Because of the nature of the book, I pretty much consider all of the characters besides Sloan side characters, since none of them really stood out enough to be a main character along with Sloan.
The plot of this book is amazing. It did get a bit slow in the middle and, again, the inner monologues got to be a bit much and repetitive at times. However, there are a lot of twists and turns and BIG surprises. I guessed the big one at the end a few chapters earlier, but I hadn't guessed many of the other ones throughout. This is one of the darkest YA books I've ever read. But everything that happens happens for a reason and isn't simply to frivolously put the MC through hell. This book is amazing. It is brilliant. The writing is fantastic. I don't know where the sequel will go, but I am both terrified and ecstatic to read it.
Thank you to the author, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Blood, Child abuse, Colonisation, Grief, Sexual assault, and War
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Rape, Self harm, and Torture
Minor: Trafficking
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