Booklist Reviews
*Starred Review* Magic is gone in Zélie's kingdom; it was violently eradicated by power-hungry King Saran, and anyone with the capacity for magic abilities—the maji, who all have snow-white hair—is now a second-class citizen. But Zélie holds tight to the old stories, and she's secretly learning to fight, unwilling to take the unjust treatment of her people lying down. Meanwhile, Saran's daughter, Amari, has escaped her cruel father's palace with a relic containing the power to reignite magic among maji, and after a chance run-in with Zélie and her brother, Tzain, the trio traverses the kingdom, hoping to use the relic to restore magic to every maji. But Amari's own brother, Inan, who's convinced magic is too dangerous to permit, is hot on their trail. Adeyemi's expansive debut plunges readers into a dense, vivid world full of intriguing politics, evocative magic, and brutal violence. Cinematic pacing, alternating viewpoints, and well-choreographed action make the pages fly toward the cliff-hanger ending, which will surely leave readers eager for the next installment. Though she often uses tried-and-true fantasy tropes, Adeyemi keeps it fresh with an all-black cast of characters, a meaningful emphasis on fighting for justice, a complex heroine saving her own people, and a brand of magic made more powerful by the strength of heritage and ancestry. Perfect for fans of the expansive fantasy worlds of Leigh Bardugo, Daniel José Older, and Sabaa Tahir. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This debut trilogy opener is already building lots of buzz, thanks to a movie deal in the works and a huge marketing campaign. Copyright 2018 Booklist Reviews.
BookPage Reviews
A debut that exceeds the hype
BookPage Teen Top Pick, March 2018
Tomi Adeyemi's hefty fantasy debut—set in a kingdom with traditions and mythology reminiscent of Nigeria and greater West Africa—is an astounding feat of storytelling and world-building.
Seventeen-year-old Zélie is a divîner, one who is born with the ability to perform gods-given magic and easily distinguishable by their white hair. When their magic fully manifests, divîners can become maji—but that was before the cruel king of Orïsha ordered an anti-magic raid that killed Zélie's mother. Since the raid, magic has disappeared, and divîners have been relegated to second-class citizens.
When hotheaded, impulsive Zélie and her nondivîner brother, Tzain, go to the market in the nearby capital, they end up helping a young woman escape the city guards. The girl turns out to be Amari, princess of Orïsha, who has discovered the reason magic disappeared—and a possible means to get it back. However, next in line for the throne is Amari's older brother, Inan, who is determined to thwart the trio's plan. But Inan has a secret of his own: There is a power awakening within him that connects him to the magic he fears and to his enemy, Zélie.
This epic is filled with fascinating landscapes, complex mythology and nuanced characters coping with a world on the brink of massive change. The royals must confront their power, privilege and the horrific deeds of the king, while Zélie and Tzain reckon with the psychological ripples of their mother's death.
Unmistakably descended from traditional high fantasy, Children of Blood and Bone is perfectly positioned to join the ranks of sprawling speculative worlds for teens, bringing with it a much-needed Afrocentric perspective.
This article was originally published in the March 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
Copyright 2018 BookPage Reviews.Horn Book Guide Reviews
Amari, daughter of maji-persecuting King Saran, has stolen a magical scroll, which awakens divnner Zilie's latent maji power to command the dead. Joined by Zilie's brother Tzain and pursued by Amari's brother Inan, the young women set out to restore magic to the kingdom of Orosha. References to Nigerian culture and geography give this fantasy a distinct flavor; impassioned prose evokes intense emotion. Copyright 2018 Horn Book Guide Reviews.
Horn Book Magazine Reviews
When magic suddenly disappears from the kingdom of Orïsha, King Saran seizes the chance to murder all the maji (rare and powerful magic-wielders), leaving alive only the divîners (children born to be maji but too young to have yet developed their powers). Eleven years later, Zélie, a divîner whose mother was murdered in the raid, is at the market when Saran's daughter Amari begs for her help. The princess has stolen a magical scroll, which, when Zélie touches it, awakens her power to command the dead. Joined by Zélie's brother Tzain and pursued by Amari's brother Inan (whose own power comes to life when he accidentally touches the scroll), Zélie and Amari set out to use the scroll to restore magic to Orïsha permanently. Zélie, Amari, and Inan share narrative duties, and each has a compelling growth arc, particularly Zélie, whose initial self-doubt is eased by reliance on her hard-won martial skills and her increasing love of magic, but who suffers a paralyzing crisis of confidence at the climax. The delicious romantic tension that develops between Zélie and Inan and between Amari and Tzain adds extra layers of complication and reader engagement. References to Nigerian culture and geography (Yoruba is the language of magic here) give this fantasy a distinct flavor, further distinguished by the intensity of emotion evoked by the impassioned (if occasionally overly dramatic) prose. anita l. burkam Copyright 2018 Horn Book Magazine Reviews.
Kirkus Reviews
Seventeen-year-old Zélie and companions journey to a mythic island seeking a chance to bring back magic to the land of Orïsha, in a fantasy world infused with the textures of West Africa.Dark-skinned Zélie is a divîner—someone with latent magical abilities indicated by the distinctive white hair that sets them apart from their countrymen. She saves Princess Amari, who is on the run from her father, King Saran, after stealing the scroll that can transform divîners into magic-wielding maji, and the two flee along with Zélie's brother. The scroll vanished 11 years ago during the king's maji genocide, and Prince Inan, Amari's brother, is sent in hot pursuit. When the trio learns that the impending solstice offers the only chance of restoring magic through a connection to Nana Baruku, the maternal creator deity, they race against time—and Inan—to obtain the final artifact needed for their ritual. Over the course of the book allegianc es shift and characters grow, change, and confront traumas culminating in a cliffhanger ending that will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next installment. Well-drawn characters, an intense plot, and deft writing make this a strong story. That it is also a timely study on race, colorism, power, and injustice makes it great. Powerful, captivating, and raw—Adeyemi is a talent to watch. Exceptional. (Fantasy. 14-adult) Copyright Kirkus 2018 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.
Publishers Weekly Reviews
Eleven years ago, King Saran cemented his grip on the throne by banishing magic from Orïsha and slaughtering the realm's maji—Zélie Adebola's mother included. The maji's descendants—dark-skinned, white-haired people called divîners—have lived under tyranny ever since, but now there is cause for hope. Thanks to information gleaned from Saran's kindhearted daughter, Amari, 17-year-old Zélie has a chance to restore magic to Orïsha and activate a new generation of maji. First, though, Zélie, Amari, and Zélie's brother Tzain must outrun the crown prince, Inan, who is determined to finish what his father started by eradicating magic for good. Book one in the Orïsha Legacy trilogy, Adeyemi's devastating debut is a brutal, beautiful tale of revolution, faith, and star-crossed love. By making tangible the power that comes from embracing one's heritage, Adeyemi conjures a story that resonates with magic both literal and figurative while condemning apathy in the face of injustice. Complex characters, colossal stakes, and a kaleidoscopic narrative captivate, and the book's punishing pace catapults readers to a jaw-dropping conclusion that poses as many questions as it answers. Ages 14–up.
School Library Journal Reviews
Voice of Youth Advocates Reviews
Zélie is an apt pupil, a trained fighter desperate to show Mama Agba and the rest of her community that she is a worthy defender of her Divîners' culture. Zélie remembers the time before, when magic was a way of life in her West Africa city of Orïsha, when Maji and non-magical people coexisted, when her mother was a powerful Reaper who could summon souls. When King Saran eradicated magic, killing and burying the Maji traditions he felt threatened by, Divîners lost their powers—and their hope. Although they secretly maintain their culture, it is not until an ancient scroll is uncovered that the magic begins to return. Zélie, her brother Tzain, and the king's own daughter embark on a dangerous quest to bring a sunstone, a scroll, and a bone dagger—relics of the old magic—back to Zélie's people. This book, with its movie deal already made, will be the next "big thing." It is the perfect book follow-up to the movie, Black Panther, too. Full of action and layered with social commentary—and a touch of romance—this alternating-narrative novel extends beyond typical marketing categories to appeal to readers of many genres, from high fantasy fans to lovers of complex books with smart political commentary. This is an exceptional debut from the author and will have a huge audience desperately waiting for more. Children of Blood and Bone is perfect for fans of Nnedi Okorafor, Nancy Farmer, and Angie Thomas.—Jennifer Miskec. 5Q 4P S Copyright 2018 Voya Reviews.