“I won't let your ignorance silence my pain”
Ignorance has often been used as an excuse to shy away from taking a stand on issues that matter, be it racism, homophobia, sexism or classism. While it may have been overlooked earlier, today, in the digital age, such a stance is not acceptable simply because the injustice in the world is as apparent as the nose on our face. Ignorance cannot, does not and should not stand in the way of bringing to light centuries worth of exploitation that needs to end now. This is the idea that now drives all movements and their demand for justice - your ignorance will no longer smother my voice.
"Children of Blood and Bone" is a fantasy book inspired greatly by West-African mythology, in particular Nigerian culture and mythology. The story is set in a world where magic is forbidden and descendents of the magi are systematically oppressed under a violent regime. This story is explored from the perspective of three characters; Zelie, who is a maji and lost her mother to the violent oppression of her people carried out by the ruler of the land. The other character is Amari, daughter of the evil king who runs away with Zelie and Inan, the king’s son who is tasked with hunting down his runaway sister. Narrated from these alternating perspectives, the book weaves together an adventure to complete a ritual to restore the lost magic of the world, while trying to fend off the forces that wish to see it fade away forever.
The pacing of the book is just right, in our opinion and the action sequences are perfectly written. While action scenes can usually become distracting elements in the plot, sometimes being so convoluted in fantasy novels that it takes away from its impact. “Children of Blood and Bone” does not run that risk, and while there are times the book drags, the writing is consistently good. It is also incredible to read book that has a diverse cast of characters and the overarching theme of institutional racism create a platform for a thoughtful perspective on race, discrimination and prejudice, while also providing a glimpse of culture. The world-building in this book is well done, with intricate references to Nigerian culture and mythological elements. However, we do wish that the fast-paced plot allowed for further detailed exploration of the fascinating world it is set in. A similar issue is that the magical system is quite vague, with quite a few inconsistencies. Perhaps this might be because this book is the first in the series, but there are several instances where certain phrases were used on the assumption that readers would figure out the mechanism of it themselves.
Another criticism for us while reading this book was the execution of the romance plot, which felt incredibly heavy-handed. Granted, “Children of Blood and Bone” is in a genre that almost always incorporates romantic subplots, but it is not necessary that all protagonists and characters need to be paired off in the story, which is what happens. The romance is cheesy and sometimes overdramatic , which takes us to the next bone (haha, get it) we have to pick with this book. A lot of the narration from the characters involves exposition on their motives and missions and rehashing the same events from their own perspectives. Instead of using different perspectives to narrate different events or things, this book circles around the same event from three angles unnecessarily. The characters themselves are relatable and perfect YA protagonists, which is what also makes them fall flat. “Children of Blood and Bone” has an important and ambitious story to explore, something bigger than the high fantasy world it is set in. It explores social power, racial prejudices, systemic oppression which mirrors the times we currently live in. While these are incredibly important themes alongside the diversity of this book, it is marred by flat characterisations, unnecessary romances, repetitive and dramatic passages.
We make it a point to research the books we read, including feedback it has received. “Children of Blood and Bone” is inspired by Nigerian mythology and set in a fictional recreation of the same country. Since this is not our culture, it is incredibly important to us as reviewers that we use our platform to amplify voices of those reviewers to whom this culture and representation belongs. While the Nigerian representation has been appreciated by many OwnVoice readers, it has also been criticised for not being properly detailed and often completely inaccurate, especially locations mentioned in the books. There are also criticisms from readers within the community who believe that the exploration of Yoruba mythology and cultural elements is lazy, and the usage of linguistic elements is also haphazard. While it is a commendable effort and Adiyemi’s intentions were absolutely great, the representation and diversity this book is pulled down by the predictable YA plot and trope it is created within. Compressing entire cultural and lived histories is a daunting task, but according to several Nigerian readers, “Children of Blood and Bone” invariably is an American YA book with some African cultural influences. We cannot really pass judgement or comment on this criticism since, it is not our culture being represented through the book. “Children of Blood and Bone”, however, is a novel that was heavily anticipated as a fantasy steeped in African mythology, a huge shift from the typical Roman, Greek or biblical themes common in YA. Therefore, we feel it is imperative to listen to the feedback of African and Nigerian readers, for whom this book details their culture and the story of their people.