Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Title: Children of Blood and Bone
Author Name: Tomi Adeyemi
Age Rating: Older Teen
Star Rating: ✦✦✦✧✧
Genre: Fantasy
Summary:
When Zélie Adebola accidentally helps a traitor escape the royal guards of the oppressive monarchy, she learns something that could change the fate of her people forever. Years ago, when Zélie was a young girl, magic was eradicated from the world of Orïsha by the cruel and hardened King who sought to rid the world of the magic that killed his family.
Now, Zélie is older, harder, and brasher. Armed with expert staff-wielding skills, and the hatred fostered ever since her mother was killed by the ruthless King’s soldiers, Zélie is ready to take on the world… at least, that’s what she tells herself.
Favorite Character:
It was somehow Amari. At the beginning of the book, my favorite character was Zélie since she was brave and outspoken. Yet as the book went on, I started to like Amari more and more. At the beginning, I felt Amari was a spoiled princess who didn’t know anything, but she showed serious character development as she become strong enough to kill her enemies and show no mercy.
Amari is overall softhearted with those she cares about, but merciless to those who get her in way. I loved Amari and how she stayed firm to the cause of defying her father. She never wavered, not like her pathetic brother did…
Storyline Development:
Meh. I did not enjoy the plot in all its unoriginal glory. I think fantasy books have overused this plotline so many times that it is no longer enjoyable or refreshing. Overall I hated Inan. He wasn’t dreamy, just painfully stupid and gullible as he blindly followed the word of his father. But the character development of other characters like Tzain and Amari was pretty good.
I didn’t like how Zélie morphed from a badass who was paranoid of Amari to becoming a hypocrite and ultimately falling for Inan… Like what the heck? Anyway, hopefully the sequel will be better, because I’m going to hate-read it in hopes of seeing Tzain and Amari together and trying to forget the fact that Inan’s fate at the end of book one was just SAD.
Worldbuilding:
AMAZING! I did like how the idea of colorism was touched upon since it expanded on real-life issues and helped to tie in worldbuilding even more. Even though everyone has dark skin, the shade of it is what really mattered. People with lighter skin were considered nobles since they didn’t need to work out in the sun, whilst those with darker skin were considered peasants.
Additionally, those with white hair were persecuted heavily since they are diviners, people who once held the potential to do magic before it was eradicated. This illustrated how in real life, colorism is very prevalent and not just in ‘white’ countries such as America. Many Asian countries such as China, Korea, India, and more have many people with the mindset that others should have light skin to be desirable (with this standard being pushed heavily on women). This helps to illustrate how hierarchies are made based on the perceived beauty standard of certain countries.
My Thoughts:
The first thing I noticed about this book is the representation! It features an all-black cast and lush worldbuilding. Yet despite all the positives, the book fell flat… The plot itself isn’t original. I mean, the characters need to collect three sacred relics and perform a ritual to get to their goal… (in this case, save magic).
Honestly, this same plotline is very prevalent in other books such as shadow and bone with the three amplifiers and harry potter wherein the master of death has to collect the deathly hallows. Overall, I found this aspect of the plot to be disappointingly predictable. And each setback that was faced in the journey to the sacred temple was because the characters took way too long at their pit stops…. Like what?
On another note, the whole enemies-to-lovers plotline isn’t my cup of tea. It’s been executed quite well in the past, but the thing about this plotline is when you have enemies to lovers, slow burn is vital.