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A review by celia_thebookishhufflepuff
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
5.0
Review 1/17/20
As always when rereading something, I saw a lot that I didn't before in this novel. The main thing I focused on this time was the aspects of female friendship in the story. Both Zelie and Amari grapple with their feelings about each other, and both have to overcome a lot to trust the other. And yet, it happens. I don't think that's something you see a lot in fiction, and especially not in fantasy. Either the friendship is already there or it's not and doesn't happen. But the way [a:Tomi Adeyemi|16642745|Tomi Adeyemi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1573251060p2/16642745.jpg] writes Zelie and Amari is really beautiful.
Last time, I said a few books that [b:Children of Blood and Bone|34728667|Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516127989l/34728667._SX50_.jpg|55911580] reminded me of. This time, however, the main book I was reminded of was [b:Carry On|32768522|Carry On (Simon Snow, #1)|Rainbow Rowell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1481729252l/32768522._SX50_.jpg|43346673] because of the enemies to lovers/forced to see the other's perspective theme. Not many authors can do enemies to lovers well, but [a:Tomi Adeyemi|16642745|Tomi Adeyemi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1573251060p2/16642745.jpg] creates Inan as a very strong character in opposition to Zelie, and I'm rooting for them throughout the entire novel, despite each one's harsh decisions.
Anyway, I'm going to start on [b:Children of Virtue and Vengeance|39122774|Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orïsha, #2)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554753179l/39122774._SY75_.jpg|60725021] as soon as I can, probably tomorrow. I need to see where this story goes with the magic.
---------------------------------
Review 7/25/18
I chose [b:Children of Blood and Bone|34728667|Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516127989l/34728667._SX50_.jpg|55911580] as my summer reading book for three reasons: it's big, over 500 pages, my best friend was choosing it, and it was the most popular book in the period when my English class went to find out about our summer reading options and choose our books. I have absolutely no regrets.
One of the biggest things I felt when reading this book was that it was a mix of [b:Akata Witch|7507944|Akata Witch (Akata Witch, #1)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347794798l/7507944._SY75_.jpg|9695029] and [b:An Ember in the Ashes|27774758|An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)|Sabaa Tahir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519425615l/27774758._SY75_.jpg|39113604] / [b:A Torch Against the Night|25558608|A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2)|Sabaa Tahir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1463675717l/25558608._SY75_.jpg|45355236]. I loved how deeply rooted this was in African mythology, as in [b:Akata Witch|7507944|Akata Witch (Akata Witch, #1)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347794798l/7507944._SY75_.jpg|9695029], and even more, I made the connection to [b:A Torch Against the Night|25558608|A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2)|Sabaa Tahir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1463675717l/25558608._SY75_.jpg|45355236] because of the format that the quest was written in. I love how they both have three points of view, two who are on the right side, and one who is conflicted and knows what right is, but not how to break from wrong. This format lets you see everything that is important to every character, and lets the reader explore the story from all different angles. There isn't enough of this out there, and I'm so glad fantasy authors are starting this style more.
The points of view are what absolutely makes the story. Zelie, the first character the reader meets, is so sure of herself, and she knows from the beginning what she wants in life. Then, we are introduced to Amari, the princess of Orisha, and the daughter of the king who has destroyed Zelie's life. Her transformation starts from the very beginning, when her father murders her maji servant and best friend. She then escapes with a sacred item that her father has found, happening across Zelie in a marketplace. We are then introduced to Amari's brother, Inan. Inan is fully loyal to his father, and to the Orisha he maintains: a land where magic is fully evil, and where all with the potential to become maji must be punished.
Zelie, Amari, and Zelie's brother, Tzain, then must embark on a quest to bring magic back, once and for all. Inan, hot in pursuit of Amari and the mysterious girl who he saw her with in Lagos (Zelie), follows their path, questioning what he's been taught to believe along the way.
Each character adds something amazing to the story. Through their quest, there is trust gained and betrayed by everyone, in every point of view. I love a book with a good betrayal, and this book had so many, twisting the plot with each one. It's the exact kind of fantasy thing I want to read.
I am saddened that this is the first book in a series, and that I will need to wait until the next book is written for me to follow Zelie, Amari, Tzain, and Inan on more adventures. I really love this book and I cannot wait for the summer reading discussion when we get back to school.
As always when rereading something, I saw a lot that I didn't before in this novel. The main thing I focused on this time was the aspects of female friendship in the story. Both Zelie and Amari grapple with their feelings about each other, and both have to overcome a lot to trust the other. And yet, it happens. I don't think that's something you see a lot in fiction, and especially not in fantasy. Either the friendship is already there or it's not and doesn't happen. But the way [a:Tomi Adeyemi|16642745|Tomi Adeyemi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1573251060p2/16642745.jpg] writes Zelie and Amari is really beautiful.
Last time, I said a few books that [b:Children of Blood and Bone|34728667|Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516127989l/34728667._SX50_.jpg|55911580] reminded me of. This time, however, the main book I was reminded of was [b:Carry On|32768522|Carry On (Simon Snow, #1)|Rainbow Rowell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1481729252l/32768522._SX50_.jpg|43346673] because of the enemies to lovers/forced to see the other's perspective theme. Not many authors can do enemies to lovers well, but [a:Tomi Adeyemi|16642745|Tomi Adeyemi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1573251060p2/16642745.jpg] creates Inan as a very strong character in opposition to Zelie, and I'm rooting for them throughout the entire novel, despite each one's harsh decisions.
Spoiler
And I really, really hope Inan is alive. And also that Zelie doesn't get into a relationship with Roen, because I don't like him.Anyway, I'm going to start on [b:Children of Virtue and Vengeance|39122774|Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orïsha, #2)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554753179l/39122774._SY75_.jpg|60725021] as soon as I can, probably tomorrow. I need to see where this story goes with the magic.
---------------------------------
Review 7/25/18
I chose [b:Children of Blood and Bone|34728667|Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)|Tomi Adeyemi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516127989l/34728667._SX50_.jpg|55911580] as my summer reading book for three reasons: it's big, over 500 pages, my best friend was choosing it, and it was the most popular book in the period when my English class went to find out about our summer reading options and choose our books. I have absolutely no regrets.
One of the biggest things I felt when reading this book was that it was a mix of [b:Akata Witch|7507944|Akata Witch (Akata Witch, #1)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347794798l/7507944._SY75_.jpg|9695029] and [b:An Ember in the Ashes|27774758|An Ember in the Ashes (An Ember in the Ashes, #1)|Sabaa Tahir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519425615l/27774758._SY75_.jpg|39113604] / [b:A Torch Against the Night|25558608|A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2)|Sabaa Tahir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1463675717l/25558608._SY75_.jpg|45355236]. I loved how deeply rooted this was in African mythology, as in [b:Akata Witch|7507944|Akata Witch (Akata Witch, #1)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347794798l/7507944._SY75_.jpg|9695029], and even more, I made the connection to [b:A Torch Against the Night|25558608|A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2)|Sabaa Tahir|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1463675717l/25558608._SY75_.jpg|45355236] because of the format that the quest was written in. I love how they both have three points of view, two who are on the right side, and one who is conflicted and knows what right is, but not how to break from wrong. This format lets you see everything that is important to every character, and lets the reader explore the story from all different angles. There isn't enough of this out there, and I'm so glad fantasy authors are starting this style more.
The points of view are what absolutely makes the story. Zelie, the first character the reader meets, is so sure of herself, and she knows from the beginning what she wants in life. Then, we are introduced to Amari, the princess of Orisha, and the daughter of the king who has destroyed Zelie's life. Her transformation starts from the very beginning, when her father murders her maji servant and best friend. She then escapes with a sacred item that her father has found, happening across Zelie in a marketplace. We are then introduced to Amari's brother, Inan. Inan is fully loyal to his father, and to the Orisha he maintains: a land where magic is fully evil, and where all with the potential to become maji must be punished.
Zelie, Amari, and Zelie's brother, Tzain, then must embark on a quest to bring magic back, once and for all. Inan, hot in pursuit of Amari and the mysterious girl who he saw her with in Lagos (Zelie), follows their path, questioning what he's been taught to believe along the way.
Each character adds something amazing to the story. Through their quest, there is trust gained and betrayed by everyone, in every point of view. I love a book with a good betrayal, and this book had so many, twisting the plot with each one. It's the exact kind of fantasy thing I want to read.
I am saddened that this is the first book in a series, and that I will need to wait until the next book is written for me to follow Zelie, Amari, Tzain, and Inan on more adventures. I really love this book and I cannot wait for the summer reading discussion when we get back to school.