Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi

An intense and empowering story; a must-read for all fantasy fiction fanatics!

I read this book roughly a year ago and it has stuck with me ever since. Now that I'm in the process of reading the sequel, I thought it was time I finally wrote a review.

I'll talk about the characters first, and it's probably pretty standard to have the main protagonist as your favourite, but Zélie is seriously amazing! Her fire and determination to stay true to herself and embrace her roots is so inspiring. Despite Zélie being my favourite, each of the protagonists are loveable in their own way. I love how much depth there is to each of them. They all have their own personality and motives for what they do. Tzain - Zélie's older brother - is a sweetheart while also remaining stern in order to protect his sister. I found this really endearing. Amari - the princess of Orisha - is compassionate and understanding, even though she's betraying her own family. Finally, there's Inan, Amari's older brother and the future king of Orisha. I was sceptical of him at first; I was always questioning his intentions. Despite his betrayal towards the end of the book, I still think his choices came from the right place...his love for Zélie.

The plot of this novel is so unique and gripping. I was so entranced that I finished all 527 pages in two days. Every aspect is so carefully thought out, from the different 'Maji Clans' to the 'artefacts' and the creatures. It's hard not to feel like you're part of the character's journey. Everything connects seamlessly and it really helps the story flow. I also like that the chapters differ in character perspective, for example, one chapter will be from Zélie's perspective and another will be from Amari's. You get to witness events from different angles, and it makes for a well-rounded read. I'll definitely be reading it again at some point soon!

I know we shouldn't judge books by their covers but can we take a moment to really appreciate how beautiful the cover for this book is? The colours contrast each other beautifully and every part of it embodies the story itself.

As a final rating, I give this book a solid 5/5. If an empowering read is what you're looking for, this is the book for you. I'd recommend this book mainly to readers aged 15 to 20, however, I think it would be enjoyed by an older audience too.

Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3ZZuYxQ