Children of Blood and Bone

Children of Blood and Bone
Tomi Adeyemi
Holt, 2018 527 pages
Grades 7-Up
Fantasy
Legacy of Orisha series #1

Multiple points of view trace the journey of Zelie, a young diviner of magical blood in a land where magic is forbidden and no longer exists. She is set apart by her white hair, labeling her as a diviner and the target of government animosity and discrimination. Zelie travels on a quest to gather certain magical relics to perform a very specific ceremony in order to bring magic back. She is accompanied by her brother Tzain and Amari, the sole daughter of King Saran, who is the enemy of all things magical and forbids its existence in his kingdom upon the penalty of death. King Saran sends his son, Prince Inan, with a battalion of soldiers to bring back Amari, confiscate the relics, and destroy Zelie and her brother. Only, Inan carries with him a secret: he is also of the magical blood and a white streak appears in his hair threatening to divulge this forbidden truth. Things get more complicated as Inan meets Zelie in the "dream place" and the two strike up an unlikely relationship. Eventually, magic begins to awaken and Zelie, Inan, and others start to discover and unleash their powers. Will the diviners and their friends survive persecution from the King and bring magic back to the land? On what side of the conflict does Inan really stand? And does young Zelie have what it takes to lead her people to freedom and safety?

Debute author, Adeyemi, draws from her West African roots as she builds a new world filled with mythology, magic, and adventure, creating the hot teen read of 2018. Personally, I found this book to be loooong. It took me all summer to read it. I started listening to the audiobook on CD in my car in June--until I had to return it to the library. Next I went on the waiting list and finally started listening again, this time streaming through my library's app. Still didn't finish and the book disappeared after two weeks. I finally finished reading it the old fashioned way and now it is September. For its length, I can honestly say that the story is never boring and the action never stops. Young readers with more time on their hands will plow through it much quicker than I did and not be able to put it down. The cover is eye catching, making it an easy sell, and it will appeal to both boys and girls. The characters experience much growth throughout the book and all must face fears and moral battles. They are written distinctly and even though the names are unfamiliar and the secondary characters are numerous, it is easy to keep everyone apart. A map at the beginning of the book and a list of the different magical powers helps to alleviate confusion. There is romance within the pages for all four of the major characters, yet this is not the central focus of the novel. An author's note at the end explains Adeyemi's intention to draw parallels to today's society and the discrimination facing African Americans-just in case the audience misses it. Sure to be included in the teen literature cannon, this book has legs and will continue to find a readership for young people who love a big, juicy story in a fresh, new world.