Published: 2018 & 2019
Series: Legacy of Orïsha
Author: Tomi Adeyemi
Genres: YA Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Young Adult Fantasy, Romance, Book Club, Adventure, High Fantasy, Africa, Mythology
Audience (Grade Levels): Grades 7-12
Number of Stars: 4-Stars
Goodreads Links: Children of Blood and Bone; Children of Virtue and Vengeance
Triggers: Mass murder/violence, sexual assault, self-harm imagery, death of a parent, torture, oppression, depression, war
Review By: Stacey Seubert
Publisher’s Summary:
Children of Blood and Bone (Book 1): 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.
Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Book 2): After battling the impossible, Zélie and Amari have finally succeeded in bringing magic back to the land of Orïsha. But the ritual was more powerful than they could’ve imagined, reigniting the powers of not only the maji, but of nobles with magic ancestry, too. Now, Zélie struggles to unite the maji in an Orïsha where the enemy is just as powerful as they are. But when the monarchy and military unite to keep control of Orïsha, Zélie must fight to secure Amari’s right to the throne and protect the new maji from the monarchy’s wrath. With civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.
Review:
The writing in this first novel of the series is as beautiful as the cover art. The heroine is one the reader instantly feels connected to and whom we root for every step of the way. She is strong and fierce, yet she has fear and flaws and anger, all of which she must work through as part of her journey. To call this a fantasy novel is not enough. It is so much more. It is a tale rooted in Nigerian mythology with the fast-paced action and drama of stories like Black Panther and the Star Wars saga. Make sure you have the time to dedicate to taking in every word of this 544-page adventure, though, because it DOES require the reader to fully invest themselves. There were times when my own lack of background knowledge prevented me from fully comprehending things until I did some of my own research, and at times, if I had taken too much time between reading sessions, I found it a little confusing to keep all of the characters straight, so I found myself backtracking to refresh. I promise you, though, this story is worth every second devoted to taking it all in.
I have to be honest and say, I liked this book, but I didn’t love it as much as I did the first one. It picks up where the first book left off, and the characters continue their stories, but this one seems to revolve mostly around the fighting and impending civil war. At times, the plot seems somewhat all over the place, and I found myself growing frustrated with the protagonist. Additionally, Amari, once likable and one whom the reader roots for to finally have her moment in the spotlight, becomes someone who is easy to hate. I have no plans to abandon the series when the third and final book is published (hopefully this year!), but I do hope the writing and the story are more like the first book than this one.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- English Language Arts / Literature (Mythological Frameworks & Series Sequencing): This fantasy series provides a brilliant backdrop for analyzing worldbuilding and modern myth-making. Secondary educators can use Book 1 to study how West African and Nigerian folklore can be woven into high-stakes epic fantasy structures, while using Book 2 to analyze how tracking character morality and structural changes across a series sequence affects a reader’s engagement and empathy.
- Social Studies / Political Science (Monarchy, Colonialism, & Civil War Dynamics): The political landscapes of Orïsha mirror deep historical themes of class oppression, military dictatorship, and institutional violence. Teachers can construct a unit around the progression from structural tyranny in Children of Blood and Bone to full-scale civil war and unstable power imbalances in Children of Virtue and Vengeance.
- Social-Emotional Learning (Grief, Flawed Heroes, & Interpersonal Conflict): Both books delve heavily into the raw emotional worlds of their main characters, exploring depression, deep grief, unchecked anger, and moral erosion. Students can discuss the psychological toll of trauma on Zélie and track how Amari’s shift from a victimized princess to an unlikable antagonist demonstrates the corruptive nature of survival and absolute power.
Diversity & Representation:
-
The Legacy of Orïsha series stands as an unmatched cornerstone of Black, African-inspired representation in young adult literature, celebrating Nigerian mythology, hairstyles, and aesthetics. By populating an epic high fantasy landscape with dark-skinned, powerful protagonists navigating systemic oppression, colorism, and historical erasure, Tomi Adeyemi delivers a vital mirror for Black youth and a profound window into intersectional struggles for equity and cultural autonomy.
Readalikes:
- Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
- A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown
- Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
