Children of Blood and Bone(The Legacy of Orisha) is a YA book by writer and author Tomi Adeyemi. This is the first book within the trilogy and boy does it pack a punch. I first heard about this book via the MostlyLit podcast who described it as a fast paced book full of action and suspense. I am usually put off by YA Books however i am so fricking glad i gave this marvellous book a chance.
The Plot
The story of Children of Blood and Bones takes place within the fictional world of Orisha. Long ago this world consisted of talented and powerful Majis who had a range of powers such as Tiders, Burners, Winders, Reapers, Connectors, Welders, Grounders and so on. However due to certain circumstances their powers were stripped away from them. The novel switches narratives between three main characters, Zelie who is the main protagonist, Amari and Inan. Zelie is a girl from a family who are tormented by their past having lost her mother during “The Raid” and being Zeliebeing left with her widowed and broken father and overprotective but caring brother Tzain. Zelies mother was once a very strong and powerful magi who had the power of bringing back the dead from( Reaper). One night magic was snatched away from them this night is known as “The Raid”. People who used to have magic are known as “Diviners” and can be distinguished due to their long white hair(Like Storm from X-Men). These individuals are ridiculed, bullied, beaten basically treated like shit to the extent that they are called “Maggots” by the people who killed many of their kind (The Orishan Royal Family).
The second and third characters within the novel is Amari princess of the Orishan royal family and Inan prince of Orisha. Amari who having seen her families violence towards diviners which impacts her on a personal level runs away escaping with something which could bring down the Orishan family. The rebel princess on her escape bumps into Zelie unexpectedly and thus begins the journey to bring magic back. However hot on their trail is Amaris brother and prince of Orisha Inan, an absolute prick in my personal opinion who needs to grow a pair but anyway his aim is to chase down Amari, Zelie and her brother Tzain and stop them from bringing magic back.
In addition to this from the get go this book is an absolute roller coaster ride the fact that this is soon going to become a movie isn’t a surprise because it has the set pieces and charisma to become a great franchise full of suspense and action. It consists of all you could want betrayal, a power struggle between good and evil, a beautiful world and yes a romance no one expected. I also loved how the characters grow and develop especially Amari who at first comes across as weak and naive however as the story goes on she changes into a head strong ass kicking princess. Many people will compare this book to the Harry Potter franchise and i see it myself but its more than that Tomi Adeyemi has put her own twist on it. Tomi implements a lot of elements from the Nigerian culture i.e. food, clothes, the use of the language Yoruba. The way this book embraced African culture was fresh and a delightful.
Moreover one of the things i found which was portrayed well was how Tomi Adeyemi uses the familiar and real time issues such as the ongoing issue of police brutality and implements this within the world of this book through the struggle and persecution diviners go through at the hands of non magis.
Thus I think this book is a brilliant read for people of all cultures and ages and i cant wait to see what more Tomi Adeyemi has install for us in the future. This is a book which i could not put down once i started even if i tried. Even though its over 500 pages the pacing is fast and chapters short which allows it to go by without any issues. I am now so so so excited for book two of this epic trilogy.
Lastly i would like to thank the MostlyLit podcast team for recommending this book especially the wonderful Raifa who was very passionate about her love for the novel. I am very thankful to you guys because you have become part of my Monday routine. Its always a learning experience i look forward to when i listen to the podcast and i’ve learned a lot from all of you. So to whomever is reading this be sure to checkout the podcast on Itunes and Soundcloud every Monday.
