The New York Times Book Review - Jennifer Hubert Swan
It's no surprise that this epic trilogy opener has already been optioned for film. Full of cinematic action sequences…and creatures worthy of Star Wars…it storms the boundaries of the imagination. Yet it also confronts the conscience. Adeyemi's brutally depicted war between the noble, lighter-skinned kosidans and the enslaved, darker-skinned majis poses thought-provoking questions about race, class and authority that hold up a warning mirror to our sharply divided society.
Publishers Weekly - Audio
★ 04/23/2018
Turpin’s bold reading of Adeyemi’s Afro-futurist fantasy solidifies her reputation as one of the best voice actors working today. Since he took power 11 years earlier, King Saran has brutally suppressed the use of magic in the fictional African kingdom of Orïsha. When his 17-year-old daughter, Amari, is motivated by her father’s violence to flee the palace and head for the unknown, she teams up with the embattled teen diviner Zélie to restore magic—and justice—to Zélie’s people. Turpin is a star at voicing the novel’s characters, but the contralto depth she employs for Zélie stands out—particularly during religious rituals, in which Zélie cries out to the gods for help in her quest. Turpin’s sonorous incantation of prayers, as well as her brisk pacing during exciting moments of danger, will have listeners on the edge of their seats. Her depiction of the king’s rage is also downright terrifying, as Turpin is unafraid to roar. Her hypnotic performance is one to be reckoned with. Ages 14–up. A Holt hardcover. (Mar.)
Publishers Weekly
★ 01/01/2018
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. Agent: Alexandra Machinist and Hillary Jacobson, ICM. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
A TIME Top 10 Best YA and Children's Book
A NPR's Book Concierge Great Read
A Bustle Best Young Adults Book
A Paste Magazine Best YA Novel
A Newsweek’s Best Book
A Boston Globe’s Best Children's Book
A Publishers Weekly Best YA Book
A School Library Journal Best Book
A Chicago Public Library Best Book
A New York Public Library Top Ten Showstopper Favorite (Notable 100 Books for Kids)
A TAYSHAS Reading List Selection
A YALSA Best Fiction
A YALSA Teen's Top Ten Book List Selection
“A magnificent, heartrending, earthshaking debut.” —New York Times-bestselling author Daniel José Older
"High stakes, a captivating fantasy landscape, and a brave heroine worth rooting for make Children of Blood and Bone unlike anything I've ever read." —Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Beautiful Creatures and author of The Lovely Reckless
"Powerful, captivating, and raw—Adeyemi is a talent to watch. Exceptional." —Kirkus, Starred Review
"Adeyemi’s devastating debut is a brutal, beautiful tale of revolution, faith, and star-crossed love." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"... 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 Jose´ Older, and Sabaa Tahir." —Booklist, Starred Review
"...A refreshing YA fantasy with an all–West African cast of characters that should be on every shelf." —School Library Journal, Starred Review
"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." —VOYA, Starred Review
"Nigerian culture and geography... give this fantasy a distinct flavor, further distinguished by the intensity of emotion." —Horn Book
“Meet Tomi Adeyemi—the new J.K. Rowling. (Yep, she’s that good).” —Entertainment Weekly
“Poses thought-provoking questions about race, class and authority that hold up a warning mirror to our sharply divided society.” –The New York Times
“A fast-paced, excellently crafted hero's journey…populated with compelling and nuanced black characters.” –NPR
“A debut novel that is nearly impossible to put down.”–USA Today
“Adeyemi’s writing is beautiful and immersive.” –Tor.com
“A miraculous achievement.” –The Guardian
School Library Journal - Audio
07/01/2018
Gr 9 Up—After King Saran brutally murdered the maji (or "maggots," according to the king), Orïsha is no longer a magic-filled world of Burners, Healers, Reapers, and Connectors, and Zélie and her older brother Tzain struggle to make ends meet. Zélie's white hair marks her as a divîner, with potential for magic, and she trains and plots against Saran's heavy-handed rule. When King Saran's daughter, in possession of a stolen scroll, begs for Zélie's help, the two go on the run with Tzain as an initially reluctant accomplice. The trio risk their lives on the seemingly impossible task of uniting the scroll with sacred objects, which will restore magic to the world. Working against them is the crown prince, Inan, tasked by the king to retrieve the scroll at any cost. Gory killings erupt throughout, with a final battle drenched in blood. Narrator Bahni Turpin juggles voices as Zélie, Amari, Tzain, and Inan alternate as narrators, along with many secondary characters. Turpin slides easily from rolling r's to a lilting cadence to distinguish one from another. VERDICT Adeyemi's epic fantasy delivers an Afrocentric world of jungles and oceans, leopanairs and coconut boats. Consider for high school and public libraries.—Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley Sch., Fort Worth, TX
School Library Journal
★ 03/01/2018
Gr 9 Up—Zélie Adebola, 17, remembers the night of the raid in her village 11 years earlier. Her mama was chained by her neck and lynched with other maji by the forces of ruthless King Saran of Orisha. King Saran hates magic and considers it the source of all evil, so he targets and exterminates the maji, who worship ancestors and practice magic. Now, they live hopelessly as servants, slaves, stockers, and prisoners. Zélie strives to bring back magic in Orisha, so she becomes the main target of King Saran's maji cleansing campaign. She sets out on her spiritual journey with her athletic brother Tzain and pet lioness Nailah. They encounter an unexpected ally. Princess Amari of Orisha escapes from her estate of Lagose after witnessing the murder of Binta, her maji best friend and handmaiden, at her father's merciless hands. Zélie, Tzain, and Amari go on the run to restore magic in Orisha. Adeyemi's debut and series opener is a revelation. She has brilliantly woven the Yoruba language and culture into a complex and epic tale. Readers will appreciate the intergenerational cast. Teens won't feel lost in this lengthy tome because of the excellent use of flashbacks and backstories. The violence can be extreme at times, but it doesn't feel exploitative, and themes of female empowerment make this especially relevant. VERDICT This extraordinary literary work offers a refreshing YA fantasy with an all—West African cast of characters that should be on every shelf.—Donald Peebles, Brooklyn Public Library
MARCH 2018 - AudioFile
Bahni Turpin’s breathtaking narration of this exhilarating novel will keep listeners rooted to their seats, listening intently. The story is told through the shifting perspectives of three teenagers in a West-African-inspired world that had magic until it was stolen away by a fearful and destructive king. Zélie is a diviner, a white-haired, black-skinned girl who is destined to help restore magic to Orïsha. Turpin imbues her with an impassioned voice, artfully portraying her rage, fear, hope, and determination. Turpin’s distinctive voices for Princess Amari and Prince Inan change as they grow in their strength and convictions, though on divergent paths. Turpin’s captivating narration, with incantations sung in Yoruba, intense battles, and lively, devastating dialogue, makes this an audiobook not to be missed. E.E.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2018 Best Audiobook, 2019 Audie Award, 2019 Audiobook of the Year © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2018-02-05
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 allegiances 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)
