I am in love with this book, not only in the story it tells but the powerful way in which it is written. I really couldn't put it down. Tomi Adeyemi, a Nigerian-American author, draws a vivid parallel between Zélie’s experiences of genocide, prejudice and structural inequalities and our world of racial tensions and persecutions. An author’s note tells us Children of Blood and Bone was born out of anger and despite the mythical theme throughout the novel Adeyemi manifests that all of the pain, fear, sorrow and loss in this book is real.
"We have been knocked down for far too long. Now let's rise."
Tomi Adeyemi studied West African mythology, culture and religion and was originally inspired to write this novel after seeing a picture of the Orïsha deities in a gift shop in Brazil. The fantasy novel is set in West Africa with its villages actually sharing the same name as towns and cities in Nigeria, making it unlike any existing teen novel or series of this genre. This tightly plotted, action packed adventure has been used as a teaching resource as there are several instances where comparisons can be made with the slave trade, lynchings, the Holocaust, the nuclear arms race, police brutality, the Black Lives Matter movement, gun violence and mass shootings. The novel also offers excellent talking points about stereotypes, gender roles, and class inequality. It has been written that:
"Our students of colour need to be represented; they need to be able to
see themselves in the story. Whilst our white students need more opportunities
to empathise with characters who do not look like themselves.
Children of Blood and Bone succeeds at both."
This New York Times #1 Bestseller is so special because its characters - including all the main protagonists - are people of colour, something that has been missing from many popular young adult series. It is so compelling, perhaps because deep down we know this isn't just a fantasy. The pain these characters feel mirrors the pain suffered by many every single day in real life. Comparisons have been made between this novel and 'The Hunger Games' both conveying such emotional suffering and loss. With the promise of a second book and a film in the making, I am sure this series will be just as successful!
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