---
title: Notes from Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone
slug: tomi-adeyemi-children-blood-bone
date: "2021-03-02T02:19:56Z"
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I recently read Tomi Adeyemi's _Children of Blood and Bone_, the first in her _Legacy of Örisha_ series. The world is fascinating and rich. It is steeped in African lore and mythology which makes it quite a departure from most fantasy. At the end of the day, I don't think the book's for me. While I enjoyed it's pace and think it will likely make a fun movie when it's made, I struggled to get invested in the characters and their struggles.

There weren't a ton of passages that made me stop, but a few did catch my eye and linger.

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## On the sanctity of life

> Our voices echo the mantra Mama Agba has made us repeat time and time again. "It avoids rather than hurts, it hurts rather than maims, it maims rather than kills--the staff does not destroy."
> Pg. 16

A recurring theme in the book was how life was precious. Early on Zelie is reflecting on this when she recounts the value of the staff. It's a powerful weapon, but by maiming, not killing, it does not destroy.

## On the playing field

> Tzain presses his fists to his forehead as if he could smash through his own skull. He wants to believe that playing by the monarchy's rules will keep us safe, but nothing can protect us when those rules are rooted in hate.
> Pg. 27

While the book was set in Örisha, the problems facing the characters can be seen in our world too. This line reminded me of how important system design is to creating a just world and how its absence can guarantee the impossibility of one.

## On perspective

> My mind paints the flames around his face once more, but somehow they aren't as menacing. His magic made my blood run cold, but he fought for his people. _Our_ people. Even the gods wouldn't fault him for that. How can I?
> Pg. 343

A major theme of the book is this tension between perspectives. Every person believes they are acting rightly and that their actions are justified. This line seems to suggest that motivation matters when determining what is right.