By Tomi Adeyemi
Henry Holt and Co, 2018, 531 pages, Young Adult Fiction
Seventeen-year-old Zélie, her older brother Tzain, and rogue princess Amari fight to restore magic to the land and activate a new generation of magi, but they are ruthlessly pursued by the crown prince, who believes the return of magic will mean the end of the monarchy.
Children of Blood and Bone is arguably this year’s hottest young adult novel, and I’m happy to say that this book is not over-hyped. This is a compelling epic fantasy with world building based on Africa and various African cultures, which automatically makes this book unique and appealing. I also enjoyed that the characters in the book are flawed, but they are all trying to do the right thing. This book does fall victim to a few YA tropes, but for the most part the pacing is tight and I really enjoyed all of the plot twists (including one at the end, which has me anxious for the sequel!). Older teens who liked last year’s Strange the Dreamer, or any other epic fantasy, will love this book.
MB
2 comments:
I listened to the audiobook of Children of Blood and Bone and felt like the narrator was fantastic. She added an element to the story that would have been missing had I read it and heard my own voice in my head. The story was compelling and I was invested in the characters’ lives. I agree that it followed some YA tropes that made certain developments predictable, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The world building in this novel was one of my favorite parts. The setting and cultural depictions definitely make this YA novel stand out from others. More please!
-ACS
I listened to Children of Blood and Bone as well. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters paths over the course of the story. I also feel like the author was true to what characters in the situation presented would do and sometimes it was exhilarating and other times it was heartbreaking. This story does a beautiful job taking you through the high and low emotions and building a relationship with each of the main characters.
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