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Children of Blood and Bone

Legacy of Orisha (Book 1)

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What to expect

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.

Critics Review

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.
The New York Times
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.
The Observer
Epic fantasy YA debut of magic and war.
The Guardian
A hugely enjoyable escapist story that makes you re-examine the world around you. It is a miraculous achievement.
The Guardian
Hugely gripping and original… Three perspectives, complex world-building and superlative characterisation make this a must for fantasy fans.
Metro
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.
Irish Independent
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.
BuzzFeed
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 Bookseller
The Harry Potter I should have had.
MostlyLit Podcast
All our bookselling instincts tell us Children of Blood and Bone is a book apart.
Waterstones Loves
This year’s big fantasy breakout... [an] epic story of family, love and magic.
Stylist
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.
Yorkshire Evening Post
Immerses you in a fantasy world of magic and myth.
Belfast Telegraph
A meaty, multi-voiced epic with a west African-inspired setting.
The Guardian
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.
i News
Author Tomi Adeyemi
Narrator Bahni Turpin
Series Legacy of Orisha
Duration 17 hours and 44 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781529000559
Format Audiobook
Publisher Pan Macmillan
Genre Children’s / Teenage fiction: Action and adventure stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Dark fantasy, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Magical realism, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Mythic fantasy / Myths and Legends fiction, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Diversity and inclusion, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Racism, YFHB
Collections Afro Fantasy Fiction, Better In Audio, Boredom Busters
Availability GB, IE

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