Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone – Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone has been one of this year’s most hotly anticipated releases. Tomi Adeyemi’s fantasy debut has sent the book world into complete overdrive. With currently a three book/three movie deals already in the works, this book has been sensationally hyped across the globe.

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

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

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

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

Children of Blood and Bone is a story told in multiple perspectives, that of our main female protagonist Zélie, Amari the princess of Orïsha, and Inan, Amari’s brother and future king of Orïsha. Adeyemi crafts a beautiful, magical world within the pages of this book, allowing us to follow such strong and diverse characters within this entire story.

The detail in which the world is crafted sucks you right in just as much as following the actual plot does too. I savoured each and every page of this novel, and as I neared the end, started to slow my reading for fear of finishing this book. A sure sign at the wonder its pages contained.

Aside from the Sarah J Maas and Holly Black books in the world, I have not been as drawn to fantasy as I have to this story, and I haven’t been so invested in a fantasy world like this for a very long time.

The relationships crafted and the magic system in place within this world is beautiful. The sibling relationship between Zélie and Tzain and Amari and Inan, were a joy to watch unfold. Both so different, and yet so incredibly similar in a strange sort of way that made reading it’s development something to be just as invested in. What someone will do to protect the person they love, clearly prominent within this novel. The strength of each of these characters as they all overcome and face the challenges their world has thrown at them, and the fire within them to fight back and defend their right really leaves an impression at the end of this journey.

Adeyemi creates a beauty in the words she writes, you can clearly envision the world she is weaving, and become lost in the world as it unfolds around us. The action and twists and turns with each finished chapter keeps you gripped the entirety of this novel.

This is not like most of my reviews where I try to go into more detail on the story, as I really do not want to give much away. I saw the hype that was surrounding this novel, but I did not want to know too much about it until I started to read it for myself, and I can honestly say this is possibly the best way to go about it. Experiencing it for the first time with your own eyes, as opposed to someone else’s first means you can go in expecting nothing more than an enjoyable book.

But I will say this book is amazing, and by far my favourite book of the year so far. I have no idea when book two is due for release, but I do know as soon as it is out I am picking it up and finding out exactly where we are being taken to next on this journey. Tomi Adeyemi is an author to keep an eye out for and I am excited for anything and everything she does next.

I have given this a solid 5 out of 5 stars.