Show Notes

Children of Blood and Bone

Children of Blood and Bone is one of the hottest new YA books out there right now. During a season when “Diverse Books” are king, Tomi Adeyemi has knocked it out of the park with this West African mythology-inspired story.

The media has likened Children of Blood and Bone to Harry Potter, the Hunger Games, The Black Panther, The Last Airbender. There are links below to some of the articles.

Although it’s received many accolades, I have to be honest – it took me a while to get into the book. The number of characters overwhelmed me, and I found myself flipping back and forth between pages to remind myself who was who.

Truthfully, I was a little nervous that I had picked it for the Summer Lit Club – it was the only one of the three that I did not read beforehand.

However, I stuck with it and I’m so glad I did – not only did the pace really pick up during the last 2/3rds of the, but I also fell in love with the characters.

The Characters

Zelie, the fiercely determined divîner (a maji child), haunted by her mother’s death

Tzain, the protective older brother, working to safeguard the only family he has left – his reckless sister, Zelie, and his broken father, Baba

Amari, the sheltered princess running from her father, the king, after she witnesses him kill the only person who truly loved her – her maid, Binta.

Inan, the ambitious prince, whose fear and prejudice threaten all the diviners in Orisha

Intertwined Relationships

Each character’s personal journey fascinated me, along with their intertwined relationships.

• Zelie’s quest to bring together all three artifacts by the solstice
• Amari’s transformation from timidity to the confidence to call herself the future queen of Orisah
• The dynamic between each set of siblings – Zelie and Tzain, Inan and Amari
• King Saran’ relationship with his children
• The dark pull between Zelie and Inan

I got caught up in the adventure of it, as Inan chased Zelie, Tzain, and Amari across Orisha, as they discovered their heritage, piece by piece. As they grew and transformed and stepped into their destinies, one decision at a time.

The last half flew by and left me anxious for the next installment of the trilogy (which won’t be out until next year.)

The Impact of Children of Blood and Bone

In What to Say Next and Moxie – the previous two Summer Lit Club Books – I highlighted some very clear issues, things like bullying, family relationships, depression, and sexual harassment.

With Children of Blood and Bone, the adventure of the story moved quickly, and only afterward could I mine the issues from the story. Things like family relationships, courage, emotional and physical abuse, grief, and fear about the future.

Yes, those are all there in the story. Nonetheless, as I’ve reflected on the book, those things are not what impacted me most. The power in this hero’s – or heroine’s – journey is found in the cultural overlay – one that gives it an impact that’s not immediately obvious.

The Issues

In the plight of the maji of Orisha, there are familiar echoes of social injustice. Traces of the prejudice and slurs that are perpetuated in our world are found in those perpetrated by Orisha’s monarchy.

The violence and trauma of the story are a subtle reflection of the same here in our very real, very broken world.

As she weaves her fantastical story, Tomi Adeyemi artfully draws attention to the things happening in our reality, hoping to inspire people to awareness and action.

Though the various characters’ eyes, we see the effects of fear and prejudice – widescale ethnic cleansing; the personal devastation of children who lose parents and friends; the horrific torture of a girl who tries to fight back; the desperate grasps at maintaining power by evil people; the unquenchable hope of an oppressed people.

Connection

This book is the perfect vehicle to talk to your teens about racism, prejudice, and bias. About privilege, opportunity, and equality.

To help you do just that, I created some discussion questions for Children of Blood and Bone. There is a link to download them in the show notes.

If you haven’t yet read Children of Blood and Bone, I highly encourage you to pick it up. It’s an engaging read with a unique world and an impactful message.