Lezersrecensie
Magical and Powerful
After reading about it everywhere, I had to get my own copy of Children of Blood and Bone. I didn’t exactly know what to expect of this hyped book, but I must admit.. I am blown away by it.
Children of Blood and Bone is set in the fictional world of Orïsha, inspired by West Africa. The story begins with Zélie, a young girl who lives in Ilorin with her father and brother Tzain. Zélie is a diviner, which means she is a maji whose magical powers have not yet developed. But her magic will not evolve, because 11 years prior King Saran took magic away. This period is known in Orïsha as the Raid and in that time maji people were murdered by the King’s army because of their magical powers. Zélie’s mother was one of the majis who died during the Raid and this is a suffering Zélie, Tzain and their father must live with every day.
King Saran still rules Orïsha. He is a cruel man and he looks down on all diviner children, calling them ‘maggots’. The King has two children of his own, Prince Inan and Princess Amari. Somehow the paths of Zélie, Tzain, Amari and Inan cross and a mission to bring magic back is set in motion.
The world of Orïsha is beautiful and well put together. There are poor villages, a palace, temples, deserts, forests.. Every setting has a different feel to it. The culture and history of Orïsha were very well-thought-out too. This helped with bringing the story and the setting to life.
Another thing that I really liked is that the book switches point of view between three characters; Zélie, Amari and Inan. Because of this I could relate to all three of them. My favorite character is Zélie. She is fierce, smart and she fights for her people and for what she beliefs. She also has her flaws, she sometimes feels insecure about herself and I would say she is a bit naïve at times, but this makes her a realistic character. She isn’t just another heroine. She is a girl on a mission and she is trying and struggling to control her powers and her feelings.
The character-development of Amari is phenomenal.. She starts of as a ‘scared little princess’, but I would call her Queen in the final chapter.
The magic system of Children of Blood and Bone was a bit hard to get my head around at first, but once I really got into the story it all started to make sense. The maji all belong to their own clan and they have specific powers. For example, there are Burners who generate and manipulate fire and Seers who can see into the past, present and future.
The sad truth behind this story is that although it’s a fantasy novel, the pain, fear and loss in this book is real. It is a story about discrimination, racism and oppression. Tomi writes about rising up against oppressors and it’s an important and powerful message.
I loved reading this book and the end left me wanting for more. I can’t wait for the sequel of Children of Blood and Bone!
Children of Blood and Bone is set in the fictional world of Orïsha, inspired by West Africa. The story begins with Zélie, a young girl who lives in Ilorin with her father and brother Tzain. Zélie is a diviner, which means she is a maji whose magical powers have not yet developed. But her magic will not evolve, because 11 years prior King Saran took magic away. This period is known in Orïsha as the Raid and in that time maji people were murdered by the King’s army because of their magical powers. Zélie’s mother was one of the majis who died during the Raid and this is a suffering Zélie, Tzain and their father must live with every day.
King Saran still rules Orïsha. He is a cruel man and he looks down on all diviner children, calling them ‘maggots’. The King has two children of his own, Prince Inan and Princess Amari. Somehow the paths of Zélie, Tzain, Amari and Inan cross and a mission to bring magic back is set in motion.
The world of Orïsha is beautiful and well put together. There are poor villages, a palace, temples, deserts, forests.. Every setting has a different feel to it. The culture and history of Orïsha were very well-thought-out too. This helped with bringing the story and the setting to life.
Another thing that I really liked is that the book switches point of view between three characters; Zélie, Amari and Inan. Because of this I could relate to all three of them. My favorite character is Zélie. She is fierce, smart and she fights for her people and for what she beliefs. She also has her flaws, she sometimes feels insecure about herself and I would say she is a bit naïve at times, but this makes her a realistic character. She isn’t just another heroine. She is a girl on a mission and she is trying and struggling to control her powers and her feelings.
The character-development of Amari is phenomenal.. She starts of as a ‘scared little princess’, but I would call her Queen in the final chapter.
The magic system of Children of Blood and Bone was a bit hard to get my head around at first, but once I really got into the story it all started to make sense. The maji all belong to their own clan and they have specific powers. For example, there are Burners who generate and manipulate fire and Seers who can see into the past, present and future.
The sad truth behind this story is that although it’s a fantasy novel, the pain, fear and loss in this book is real. It is a story about discrimination, racism and oppression. Tomi writes about rising up against oppressors and it’s an important and powerful message.
I loved reading this book and the end left me wanting for more. I can’t wait for the sequel of Children of Blood and Bone!
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Gesponsord
Deze thriller trekt je razendsnel mee in een complot met onbetrouwbare staatslieden met hun eigen agenda's, internationale conflicten en hoogoplopende bedreigingen voor de samenleving.
