Children of Blood and Bone is a fascinating novel that explores the themes of colorism, prejudice, and power. The story is set in a fantastical city inspired by, I imagine, Lagos, Nigeria, where magic has been outlawed and the diviners, people with magical powers, are oppressed and discriminated against. The protagonist, Zelie, is a diviner, a person that possesses magical abilities, and the story is told primarily from her perspective. We also get the perspective of Amari, a princess from “Lagos” who is also struggling against the prejudices of her own family. Amari has darker skin than what is valued in her family, and her mother even implies that she would like for her daughter to lighten her skin tone. This colorism and prejudice are prevalent throughout the society from people of the high class to the low class in this world.

Spoilers ahead!

In particular, people of royal lineage are expected to have brown skin and darker skin is not valued. We see Amari’s mother, the queen, imply that she would like for her to lighten her skin. This occurs when a guest of high status with light skin comes to town and Amari’s mother can’t help but praise this guest for her skin tone. Amari though is unsettled by this bias, though.

The diviners are forced to live in the slums of Lagos, and they are constantly under the threat of being sent to prison camps. In fact, Zelie notices that a disproportionate number of diviners are young indicating that its nearly impossible for them to reach adulthood. The king, who is strict and angry, believes that the diviners are a threat to society and that they will attack everyone else, and thus must be controlled or eliminated.

Amari’s turning point in the story comes when her servant, who is also a diviner, is taken by the king. The king’s son, who is also the admiral of the guards, goes on a mission to find ancient relics that were once used by Magi or diviners who have developed their magical powers. One of these artifacts is a scroll, and when Amari’s servant touches it, a burst of colors emanates from it, causing chaos and fear. In that fear, the girl is stabbed, worried about her newfound powers.

Thus far, the story is full of action and adventure, with fantastical creatures such as lions and panthers as tall as small houses. Tomi Adeyemi creates a vivid and immersive world, exploring important themes and issues through the eyes of her diverse characters.

First draft written in 2019.

Feature Image: Zelie – Children of Blood and Bone by JoPainter, Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License