One-word review: Extensive. Let's get one thing out of the way first: I haven't read The Dresden Files . I don't even really know what The Dresden Files are about. Bottom line, I'm incredibly intimidated by The Dresden Files . So, now that I've used the words "The Dresden Files" in four consecutive sentences, I will not be using them again. If you're looking for any comparison between Butcher's old (and much more famous) book series and this one, look elsewhere. Commence review: In my mind, there are three ways to write a book set in a new fantasy/sci-fi world. There is the rare standalone novel like Good Omens or Elantris , there is the exceptionally common trilogy-setup-where-the-whole-series-should-be-one-book (which, keep in mind, includes heavy hitters like The Fellowship of the Ring ), and, finally, there is the epic series starter. As far as books that I have reviewed so far on this site go, The Aeronaut's Windlass i
I love fantasy, and, as I've said several times before, specifically young adult fantasy. People may accuse it of having kitschy plots and overused tropes, but I always find myself coming back to the genre because of those tropes, not despite them. That being said, when a truly unique book comes around and defenestrates some of the most hardened, "must-have" tropes out there, it becomes exactly what I said - a breath of fresh air.
Don't get me wrong, Children of Blood and Bone hits pretty much every single YA fantasy note out there, especially when it comes to the characters.
And romance.
And magic.
But I swear we are about 30 years overdue a for solid, YA title that takes a look at the white, medieval European backdrop and just says, "nah." And with this book, Adeyemi doesn't just say "nah," she gives that flavor of worldbuilding a solid "no, and constructs a wondrous world, teaming with life, magic, and politics, all in a fictional sub-Saharan African setting. I could write this entire review on just how much I enjoyed the setting of Orïsha. From the African-inspired animals to the unique cities to the fact that for once the characters in a book I read are of a different race than myself, every part of this world hits its marks. This world, for me at least, was enhanced greatly by Bahni Turpin's narration (gasp, yes, I listened to this as an audiobook). Turpin makes the characters and world come to life even more, particularly when she uses the sorcerer's language in the story (all around she's simply an incredibly talented audiobook narrator).
Within this world, we get the story of Zélie, a girl who would otherwise have been able to do magic if the evil king hadn't taken her powers away from her. She and an unlikely gang travel across the world seeking to restore her magic, chased by a crazed prince seeking to regain his honor by capturing them. They ride on their animal-hybrid mount, always outrunning the prince until he ultimately turns on his father and joins... their... team........
Is the plot of this book just Avatar the Last Airbender?
I digress.
Not wanting to get away from every YA trope, this book still manages to have characters that quite often make cripplingly stupid decisions, trust far more readily than their backstories would imply, and are able to unlock amazing powers that were previously ~unthinkable~.
Examples of this being when Zélie is able to miraculously recover from using blood magic in the arena (and again in the temple) and when Amari is able to best her father in a sword fight.
There are fight scenes in the book that can be skipped in their entirety, and a large portion of the book is a MacGuffin hunt. But, as I said before, it's things like that that kinda, maybe, sorta keep bringing me back to this genre, so I really can't complain that much. And, furthermore, what the book may lack in this department is more than made up for in the statements that it makes against racism, and the subtext of black empowerment that practically drips from every page. I can only imagine what an experience this story must be for an actual young adult who may never have felt represented in this genre.
To wrap up - don't miss this book. If you love new takes on this genre, really don't miss this book. Despite some of the pitfalls that every YA fantasy author falls into now and again, Adeyemi has crafted an instant classic, and a fresh type of worldbuilding I'm sure we'll see more of.
And really, do yourself a favor and listen to Bahni Turpin read it.
