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Children of Blood and Bone

Legacy of Orïsha, Book 1

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Children of Blood and Bone

By: Tomi Adeyemi
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
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Summary

Winner of Audiobook of the Year at the 2019 Audie Awards.

Named one of AudioFile's best audiobooks of 2018

Winner of the Tonight Show Summer Reads with Jimmy Fallon.

Tomi Adeyemi conjures a stunning world of dark magic and danger in her West African-inspired fantasy debut Children of Blood and Bone.

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.
Now we rise.

Zélie remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. When different clans ruled – Burners igniting flames, Tiders beckoning waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoning forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, anyone with powers was targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Only a few people remain with the power to use magic, and they must remain hidden.

Zélie is one such person. Now she has a chance to bring back magic to her people and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must learn to harness her powers and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where strange creatures prowl, and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to come to terms with the strength of her magic – and her growing feelings for an enemy.

The movie of Children of Blood and Bone is in development at Fox 2000/Temple Hill Productions with the incredible Karen Rosenfelt and Wyck Godfrey (Twilight, Maze Runner, The Fault In Our Stars) producing it.

 Action & Adventure Difficult Situations Fantasy Fiction Literature & Fiction Magic Multicultural Racism & Discrimination Royalty Science Fiction & Fantasy Survival Stories Discrimination Epic Fantasy Survival Witchcraft
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Critic reviews

Black Girl Magic indeed! Full of cinematic action sequences (the most memorable of them set underwater and employing an army of the dead) and creatures worthy of Star Wars (horse-sized 'lionaires' have saber teeth and horns), it storms the boundaries of imagination.
Infused with rich mythology of west Africa, Adeyemi’s lush world-building and consummate plotting breathes new life into a YA fantasy epic. Themes of oppression and racism resonate all too strongly in today’s political climate. The cliffhanger ending may leave some readers reeling but, rest assured, this is first in a trilogy.
Epic fantasy YA debut of magic and war.
A hugely enjoyable escapist story that makes you re-examine the world around you. It is a miraculous achievement. (Kiran Millwood Hargrave)
Hugely gripping and original… Three perspectives, complex world-building and superlative characterisation make this a must for fantasy fans. (Imogen Russell Williams)
Tomi Adeyemi has created a lush, vibrant world, full of legend and lore, more than enough to sate even the most ravenous fantasy fan. There are swoony moments, shocking moments, terrifying moments, and heartbreaking moments. (Melinda Salisbury, author Sin Eater’s Daughter)
This highly anticipated fantasy novel earned its 23-year-old Nigerian-American author a seven-figure deal. The first instalment of a three-part young adult trilogy, it draws on African myth and folklore and was reportedly inspired by the Black Lives Matters movement. The film rights were snapped up before the book was even published.
In one of the most highly-anticipated fantasy releases this year, Tomi Adeyemi spins a luxe tale of magic, adventure, and forbidden love. Zélie lives in a world once ruled by magic, but mass-murders decreed by a new king have all but stamped her people out, and she has a narrow window to bring the magic of her lands back to life. Fans of Leigh Bardugo and Game of Thrones will gobble this up.
Epic in scale and size… it’s a whirlwind read thanks to immersive world-building, powerful characters and ferocious plotting. Themes of prejudice and oppression are particularly poignant in the current political climate.
The Harry Potter I should have had.
All our bookselling instincts tell us Children of Blood and Bone is a book apart.
This year’s big fantasy breakout... [an] epic story of family, love and magic.
This book gripped me from page one. The magic, the characters and raw history in this book blew me away. Adeyemi’s world building is fantastic. (Laura Andrews)
Immerses you in a fantasy world of magic and myth.
A meaty, multi-voiced epic with a west African-inspired setting.
We’re in an entirely other culture – a Nigeria-inspired kingdom of magic and mythology – but are utterly at home. The first chapter, alone, is so rich in detail, action, scene and character. And wonderful prose.
All stars
Most relevant
Children of blood and bone was such a captivating story. I thoroughly enjoyed listening and following all of the characters unfold. I can't wait to read the next book.
However, something has to be said for the narrating performance of this story. The entire story happens in West Africa, Nigeria to be exact. The gross mispronounciations of ALL Yoruba words in this book is unacceptable. A lot of the incantation parts of the book had by far lost its meanings. What annoys me most is that publishers would never let English words be bastardised in the same manner and still go ahead with production so why is it acceptable for our stories? Our culture?
Please for the next book, let the narrator get coaching for how to pronounce the words properly so as to better promote the culture and heritage being explored.

Wonderful story - horrible narrating

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A stunning story, characters, scenery... I felt like I was really there in Orisha. The world building and descriptions of magic are wonderful. I couldn’t stop listening. And the narration is just incredible, I have listened to a lot of audiobooks but the narration was the best I have ever heard, full of emotion and perfect for the story. I would recommend to any fantasy or YA fan. I just haven’t heard / read anything quite like it! Now I can’t wait for the second book 🙂

Incredible and stunning

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An amazing story. It was hard to listen to as a Yoruba man though because the narrator completely butchered the pronunciation of the Yoruba language. Why not get a Yoruba person to read the next book?

Great Story

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I absolutely loved this book, listen via audible and purchased. My 15yr old is now reading and will not put it down. Great inspiration for young black readers and future writers. Gives a sense of identity, whilst dealing with topics of love, hate, police brutality, black loves matter and much more when translated in what's happening in today's society, however this does not take away from the feeling and imaginative fantasy throughout the story.

Exceptionally good read

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Bahni Turpin elevates this excellent story to a new level as she captures the sound, the smell and the rhythm of the story with her voice. By far one of the most exciting narrators to listen to.

Excellent story, perfect narrator

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