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Children of Blood and Bone

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An Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller
A TIME Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time
A New York Times Notable Children's Book
A Kirkus Prize Finalist
With five starred reviews, Tomi Adeyemi's West African-inspired fantasy debut, and instant #1 New York Times Bestseller, conjures a world of magic and danger, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Sabaa Tahir.

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

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie's Reaper mother summoned forth souls.
But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.
Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.
Praise for Children of Blood and Bone
"A phenomenon." Entertainment Weekly
"The epic I've been waiting for." New York Times-bestselling author Marie Lu
"You will be changed. You will be ready to rise up and reclaim your own magic!" New York Times-bestselling author Dhonielle Clayton
"The next big thing in literature and film." Ebony
"One of the biggest young adult fiction debut book deals of the year." Teen Vogue

This title has Common Core connections.

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The Complete Legacy of Orïsha Series:


Children of Blood and Bone
(Book 1)
Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Book 2)
Children of Anguish and Anarchy (Book 3)

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  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from January 1, 2018
      Eleven years ago, King Saran cemented his grip on the throne by banishing magic from Orïsha and slaughtering the realm’s maji—Zélie Adebola’s mother included. The maji’s descendants—dark-skinned, white-haired people called divîners—have lived under tyranny ever since, but now there is cause for hope. Thanks to information gleaned from Saran’s kindhearted daughter, Amari, 17-year-old Zélie has a chance to restore magic to Orïsha and activate a new generation of maji. First, though, Zélie, Amari, and Zélie’s brother Tzain must outrun the crown prince, Inan, who is determined to finish what his father started by eradicating magic for good. Book one in the Orïsha Legacy trilogy, Adeyemi’s devastating debut is a brutal, beautiful tale of revolution, faith, and star-crossed love. By making tangible the power that comes from embracing one’s heritage, Adeyemi conjures a story that resonates with magic both literal and figurative while condemning apathy in the face of injustice. Complex characters, colossal stakes, and a kaleidoscopic narrative captivate, and the book’s punishing pace catapults readers to a jaw-dropping conclusion that poses as many questions as it answers. Ages 14–up. Agent: Alexandra Machinist and Hillary Jacobson, ICM.

    • School Library Journal

      March 1, 2018

      Gr 9 Up-Zélie Adebola, 17, remembers the night of the raid in her village 11 years earlier. Her mama was chained by her neck and lynched with other maji by the forces of ruthless King Saran of Orisha. King Saran hates magic and considers it the source of all evil, so he targets and exterminates the maji, who worship ancestors and practice magic. Now, they live hopelessly as servants, slaves, stockers, and prisoners. Zélie strives to bring back magic in Orisha, so she becomes the main target of King Saran's maji cleansing campaign. She sets out on her spiritual journey with her athletic brother Tzain and pet lioness Nailah. They encounter an unexpected ally. Princess Amari of Orisha escapes from her estate of Lagose after witnessing the murder of Binta, her maji best friend and handmaiden, at her father's merciless hands. Zélie, Tzain, and Amari go on the run to restore magic in Orisha. Adeyemi's debut and series opener is a revelation. She has brilliantly woven the Yoruba language and culture into a complex and epic tale. Readers will appreciate the intergenerational cast. Teens won't feel lost in this lengthy tome because of the excellent use of flashbacks and backstories. The violence can be extreme at times, but it doesn't feel exploitative, and themes of female empowerment make this especially relevant. VERDICT This extraordinary literary work offers a refreshing YA fantasy with an all-West African cast of characters that should be on every shelf.-Donald Peebles, Brooklyn Public Library

      Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      Starred review from February 1, 2018
      Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Magic is gone in Zelie's kingdom; it was violently eradicated by power-hungry King Saran, and anyone with the capacity for magic abilitiesthe maji, who all have snow-white hairis now a second-class citizen. But Zelie holds tight to the old stories, and she's secretly learning to fight, unwilling to take the unjust treatment of her people lying down. Meanwhile, Saran's daughter, Amari, has escaped her cruel father's palace with a relic containing the power to reignite magic among maji, and after a chance run-in with Zelie and her brother, Tzain, the trio traverses the kingdom, hoping to use the relic to restore magic to every maji. But Amari's own brother, Inan, who's convinced magic is too dangerous to permit, is hot on their trail. Adeyemi's expansive debut plunges readers into a dense, vivid world full of intriguing politics, evocative magic, and brutal violence. Cinematic pacing, alternating viewpoints, and well-choreographed action make the pages fly toward the cliff-hanger ending, which will surely leave readers eager for the next installment. Though she often uses tried-and-true fantasy tropes, Adeyemi keeps it fresh with an all-black cast of characters, a meaningful emphasis on fighting for justice, a complex heroine saving her own people, and a brand of magic made more powerful by the strength of heritage and ancestry. Perfect for fans of the expansive fantasy worlds of Leigh Bardugo, Daniel Jose Older, and Sabaa Tahir. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This debut trilogy opener is already building lots of buzz, thanks to a movie deal in the works and a huge marketing campaign.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from April 23, 2018
      Turpin’s bold reading of Adeyemi’s Afro-futurist fantasy solidifies her reputation as one of the best voice actors working today. Since he took power 11 years earlier, King Saran has brutally suppressed the use of magic in the fictional African kingdom of Orïsha. When his 17-year-old daughter, Amari, is motivated by her father’s violence to flee the palace and head for the unknown, she teams up with the embattled teen diviner Zélie to restore magic—and justice—to Zélie’s people. Turpin is a star at voicing the novel’s characters, but the contralto depth she employs for Zélie stands out—particularly during religious rituals, in which Zélie cries out to the gods for help in her quest. Turpin’s sonorous incantation of prayers, as well as her brisk pacing during exciting moments of danger, will have listeners on the edge of their seats. Her depiction of the king’s rage is also downright terrifying, as Turpin is unafraid to roar. Her hypnotic performance is one to be reckoned with. Ages 14–up. A Holt hardcover.

    • The Horn Book

      July 1, 2018
      Amari, daughter of maji-persecuting King Saran, has stolen a magical scroll, which awakens divnner Zilie's latent maji power to command the dead. Joined by Zilie's brother Tzain and pursued by Amari's brother Inan, the young women set out to restore magic to the kingdom of Orosha. References to Nigerian culture and geography give this fantasy a distinct flavor; impassioned prose evokes intense emotion.

      (Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

    • The Horn Book

      May 1, 2018
      When magic suddenly disappears from the kingdom of Or�sha, King Saran seizes the chance to murder all the maji (rare and powerful magic-wielders), leaving alive only the div�ners (children born to be maji but too young to have yet developed their powers). Eleven years later, Z�lie, a div�ner whose mother was murdered in the raid, is at the market when Saran's daughter Amari begs for her help. The princess has stolen a magical scroll, which, when Z�lie touches it, awakens her power to command the dead. Joined by Z�lie's brother Tzain and pursued by Amari's brother Inan (whose own power comes to life when he accidentally touches the scroll), Z�lie and Amari set out to use the scroll to restore magic to Or�sha permanently. Z�lie, Amari, and Inan share narrative duties, and each has a compelling growth arc, particularly Z�lie, whose initial self-doubt is eased by reliance on her hard-won martial skills and her increasing love of magic, but who suffers a paralyzing crisis of confidence at the climax. The delicious romantic tension that develops between Z�lie and Inan and between Amari and Tzain adds extra layers of complication and reader engagement. References to Nigerian culture and geography (Yoruba is the language of magic here) give this fantasy a distinct flavor, further distinguished by the intensity of emotion evoked by the impassioned (if occasionally overly dramatic) prose. anita l. burkam

      (Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

    • Kirkus

      Starred review from February 15, 2018
      Seventeen-year-old Zelie and companions journey to a mythic island seeking a chance to bring back magic to the land of Orisha, in a fantasy world infused with the textures of West Africa.Dark-skinned Zelie is a diviner--someone with latent magical abilities indicated by the distinctive white hair that sets them apart from their countrymen. She saves Princess Amari, who is on the run from her father, King Saran, after stealing the scroll that can transform diviners into magic-wielding maji, and the two flee along with Zelie's brother. The scroll vanished 11 years ago during the king's maji genocide, and Prince Inan, Amari's brother, is sent in hot pursuit. When the trio learns that the impending solstice offers the only chance of restoring magic through a connection to Nana Baruku, the maternal creator deity, they race against time--and Inan--to obtain the final artifact needed for their ritual. Over the course of the book allegiances shift and characters grow, change, and confront traumas culminating in a cliffhanger ending that will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next installment. Well-drawn characters, an intense plot, and deft writing make this a strong story. That it is also a timely study on race, colorism, power, and injustice makes it great.Powerful, captivating, and raw--Adeyemi is a talent to watch. Exceptional. (Fantasy. 14-adult)

      COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • School Library Journal

      Starred review from March 1, 2018

      Gr 9 Up-Z�lie Adebola, 17, remembers the night of the raid in her village 11 years earlier. Her mama was chained by her neck and lynched with other maji by the forces of ruthless King Saran of Orisha. King Saran hates magic and considers it the source of all evil, so he targets and exterminates the maji, who worship ancestors and practice magic. Now, they live hopelessly as servants, slaves, stockers, and prisoners. Z�lie strives to bring back magic in Orisha, so she becomes the main target of King Saran's maji cleansing campaign. She sets out on her spiritual journey with her athletic brother Tzain and pet lioness Nailah. They encounter an unexpected ally. Princess Amari of Orisha escapes from her estate of Lagose after witnessing the murder of Binta, her maji best friend and handmaiden, at her father's merciless hands. Z�lie, Tzain, and Amari go on the run to restore magic in Orisha. Adeyemi's debut and series opener is a revelation. She has brilliantly woven the Yoruba language and culture into a complex and epic tale. Readers will appreciate the intergenerational cast. Teens won't feel lost in this lengthy tome because of the excellent use of flashbacks and backstories. The violence can be extreme at times, but it doesn't feel exploitative, and themes of female empowerment make this especially relevant. VERDICT This extraordinary literary work offers a refreshing YA fantasy with an all-West African cast of characters that should be on every shelf.-Donald Peebles, Brooklyn Public Library

      Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
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  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:4.8
  • Lexile® Measure:670
  • Interest Level:9-12(UG)
  • Text Difficulty:3

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