What a story! I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I checked this one out at the library. The cover is stunning, so that caught my eye immediately. I did read the cover, kind of? I skimmed it, and even saying that is a bit of a stretch. It sounded odd, and a bit "out in left field" for me, but heck, why not?! I was so pleasantly surprised by how this story unfolded!
Magic, that's the #1 motivation here. Zelie Adebola was meant to become a reaper, just like her mother before her. One angry King changed her fate forever. Wiping the kingdom clean of magic and the Maji who are blessed with the power was the Kings only motivation. The devastation, the cruelty, the gut wrenching agony experienced by Zelie, it was all so difficult to experience. Adeyemi did an incredible job portraying prejudices and racial bias. The diviners, the children destined to become Maji in another time, are segregated, looked down on, treated like less than human. If you're in a family with a diviner, or you are seen to be helping them, you will be heavily taxed, and if you can not pay, it's off to the stocks you go. You can feel the tension, the fear. I couldn't imagine a carrying on, making a life under those conditions, but Zelie and her brother Zane do exactly that, and then some!
The creatures Adeyemi has created in her story sound so incredible! I really need this book to be read by whoever it is that creates the POP! vinyl figures, because I need my own personal Nailah the Lionaire stat! The depiction of such powerful creatures, with the potential to be more than just a mount, but a devoted member of a family, now that's a world I was in on! How big must these creatures be, if 3 full size adults can ride them?! Powerful enough to do irreparable damage, yet gentle enough to curl up with at night.
The characters names were a bit tough for me in the beginning, because they are all quite similar, but it didn't take me long to figure it all out. Zelie and Zane were so classically siblings it was laughable. Regardless of the situation, you could feel their connection, and their small digs and pushes at each other. Inan and Amari though, the relationship between them was so very different. You couldn't feel the love, and the reasons for that were really tough for me to swallow. Now, the connections between these sets of siblings when you combine them, that's where the sparks happen! I loved that aspect!
It's difficult to write about a book like this and not want to just discuss the whole thing, word for word. The Gods, the Royals, the trust, the betrayal, the Magic, the loss, what a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences! I loved it, top to bottom, and I absolutely can not wait for the second in this series to come out! I will be right at the front of the line for my copy! 5/5* I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who loves to read something a little different!
#fivestarreview #bookreview #bookblog #childrenofbloodandbone #tomiadeyemi #stunningcover #oineyreadsanother
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