Scan barcode
A review by zee
Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Blood Scion is a dark fantasy story steeped in Nigerian-Yoruba mythology. It follows Sloane, a 15-year-old Scion, who is drafted into the Lucis army to continue the centuries-old genocide against the Yoruba people, specifically targetting Scions for their magical abilities. There is seriously a lot to unpack in this novel, and it is extremely violent (though, expected for a story of genocide backed by child soldiers, I guess).
Although the story teems with lore, I found it hard to engage in. The recruit training is only 30 days, which seems impossibly short for the amount of action and events, while it also managed to drag on painfully at times. The pacing was highly inconsistent, and the end is similarly (and unsatisfyingly) abrupt.
It sounds like there is already a film deal on the table, and I think this story would translate really well, while adding a rich diversity to the usual types of Western stories told. It was a very impressive debut novel, but just not one for me.
Although the story teems with lore, I found it hard to engage in. The recruit training is only 30 days, which seems impossibly short for the amount of action and events, while it also managed to drag on painfully at times. The pacing was highly inconsistent, and the end is similarly (and unsatisfyingly) abrupt.
It sounds like there is already a film deal on the table, and I think this story would translate really well, while adding a rich diversity to the usual types of Western stories told. It was a very impressive debut novel, but just not one for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Violence, Child death, War, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Sexual assault, Self harm, Death of parent, and Blood