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The following review is unsponsored. These are my feelings about the book and its contents, not the author themselves although background information about them may be included. This review may include profanity. This review will begin with a brief summary, followed by some vocabulary words I learned along the way, and finish with reflections on direct quotes and/or answers to book club questions (if available from the author). This book review will also include my Amazon affiliate links which, if you choose to purchase from said links, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you!
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Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kindle Unlimited ❌ | Amazon
Summary:
As the second book in the Legacy of Orisha series, this part follows up about a month after the ending of Children of Blood and Bone. The war between the maji and the monarchy is at its peak - how will Zelie lead the elders and the rest of her clan into a righteous finish?
The children go through hoops and develop interesting discoveries and relationships along the way. They have lost a lot of precious lives in this war and must do everything they can to save their rich history and live in peace. But is that really an achievable outcome for everyone? Gear up for a wild ride and have the third book handy because this one leaves a nasty cliff hanger!
Children of Blood and Bone was one of my favorite reads this year, and with the third and final part of the series - Children of Anguish and Anarchy - also being published back in June 2024, I’m eager to dive deeper into the series! My rating was three stars - I liked it. Depending on how the third book goes, I may change my 3 stars into 4. This part of the series felt a little bit like a lul to me and the character development had me STRESSED to my core…so lets talk about it!
*the following may contain spoilers*
C H A R A C T E R A N A L Y S I S
| TZAIN |
He didn’t make as much of an appearance this time around, but when he did, he was Amari’s golden retriever boyfriend. Their relationship had begun to develop in the first book, so I wasn’t surprised to see the “i love yous” in this part. I would have appreciated more brotherly strength from him! When he had to decide between his sister and Amari, he made the right choice (in my opinion)... |
| INAN |
His comeback was unexpected… and also mildly unnecessary? His mother clearly pulled the reins on a lot of major decisions so I would have loved to see her evil perspective at the forefront instead of Inan being indecisive and clueless. He knew what their family was doing, and he knew that their point of views on the maji differed greatly from his! His own soldiers would have turned on him the same way Ojore did. I thought his comeback would lead to the repair of his relationship with Zelie…but we were very far from that. |
| MAZELI |
HE WAS MY FAVORITE!!! Taking him away was absolutely heartbreaking. My big eared reaper was taken too soon. He deserved better. I shed a couple tears - he was set up to do so many incredible things…
|
| ROEN |
Okay hear me out….Roen sounded kinda fine! The perfect bad boy/lover boy combo that I once thought would be Inan. He’s actually the exact opposite of him, truly. His relationship with Zelie felt much more authentic and genuine because it was built off of raw emotions they were experiencing as a unit and I dig that! A LOT!!! The sacrifices he’s made for Zelie make him a much more deserving partner than Inan ever could have been. And now…he’s a cyborg???? I’m not sure how that plays out in the third book… |
| ZELIE |
Ohhhh Zelie. You were so stubborn and full of hatred and pain, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for you constantly. When you needed support, your best friend betrayed you. You lost so many loved ones and had your first breakup all in one setting and for that I give you grace! Zelie was mothering and I witnessed her use her rage to inspire and also warn others. Her passion to provide and save her people was very admirable and I’m hoping she has more wins in the final part of the series. After Mazeli died I was certain she would run away and give up. “I thought victory would only be achieved once I sat on Orisha’s throne, but I suppose there is another victory in what I have already become.”
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| AMARI |
Yeah I saved her for last because she made my blood BOIL. I absolutely hated her development! In the beginning I had high hopes for her, but she quickly became a whiny baby that never knew her place. EVER. No respect for the sacred customs of the maji, no respect for Zelie, and by the time she learned when to shut up, it was nearly too late? When I read Children of B&B, I was so certain she was a white woman. And by forcing myself to remember that everyone is black, I was even more disgusted that she continued to exhibit oppressive behaviors. How dare you become an elder of the maji for the sake of pushing your own agenda? You are the monarchy, and if you want to be an ally for the maji and obviously fall in love with Tzain, why would you jeopardize everything just because you think you know your brother better than everyone else…Inan don’t even know himself! “Would the Iyika follow my command if they knew Zelie’s heartbreak was my fault?”...PROBABLY NOT! Mama Agba was an advocate for her growth and saw something in her. However she didn’t do anything to show me that she is fierce and deserving of the throne either - even in the first book she was very hesitant to make decisions. Now that she confidently makes them…I hate them! I don’t want to see any more of her moving forward. However the kids get off the boat or whatever else happens in the final part, I want zero parts of Amari being involved! |
I have seen a lot of hate for this part of the series, and although I understand the many concerns, I still feel that this is possibly a set up for the main event in the final book of the series. There was a lot of action and imagery, and plenty of heart warming moments that I'll never forget from the story. Would I read it again? Probably not. However, anyone who is interested in reading Children of B&B absolutely should. It would stand alone very nicely!
Thanks for tuning in! Have you read this series already? What were your thoughts? Let us know in the comments! Let’s talk about it….
