Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

My Friday reading tips this week is a book that has everything you can ask for of a fantasy, AND SO MUCH MORE, the brilliant Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. This is such a moving story, with a strong female lead and intense feelings; pain, heartbreak, friendship and love. Plus magic and epic adventures.

Since this is a debut novel, I think we are all watching a giant break-through and that this book will be the most talked-about book this year, with Tomi Adeyemi as the new rising author star. This book is already so hyped, and for a very good reason. You should definitely believe the hype, this book is as amazing as everyone says it is! It’s one of the absolute best YA fantasy books I’ve ever read.

The world building is amazing; so rich and colorful and vibrant. And completely unique. And the plot is all action and about finding magical objects as it should be in a fantasy. Basically, the story is about fighting evil and bringing back magic, with each of the characters going on their own journey (literally as they race to get to the magic items needed for the resurrection of the Orishan gods before it’s too late, and metaphorically as they grow up and explore so much about themselves and their backgrounds throughout the story).

The writing style is also really different, with the three POvs; Zélie, Amari, and Inan. I love Zélie so much. She is so fierce and headstrong, but at the same time struggling with grief and fear. Amari is the spoilt and naïve princess, who follows her heart and fights for what is right. Her character development must be one of the best ever written. And then there’s Inan. To be honest I don’t really know what I think of him. My feelings for him changed all through the book; from sympathy for him being so misguided to just anger for the choices he makes to feeling bad for him. But all in all, I loved the characters and their development.

I absolutely adore the magic system in this story, and loved the visuals. I also really appreciate that this is a book with a deeper meaning. When writing the book, Tomi Adeyemi drew inspiration from both West African mythology and the Black Lives Matter movement. So, although this book is a fantasy, there were so many things you could read in between the lines, like the references to modern society and racial injustice, as well as to West African traditions, and all the other things that make this story so diverse and complex and amazing.

Find out more about this book and the author here: Tomi Adeyemi