…electrifying…Adeyemi brings a new maturity and depth to the series…With a rich world, new characters, a deep dive into the maji's power and a complex story about how we fight for justice, Adeyemi has sparked magic once again.

12/09/2019

This sequel to Children of Blood and Bone picks up three weeks after the clash that dispatched Zélie's father and brought loss to Orïsha's royal family. Zélie hoped that restoring magic to Orïsha would end the subjugation of its white-haired maji clans; regrettably, however, Zélie's ritual also triggered the latent abilities of nobles with maji ancestry, including Princess Amari and the tyrannical Queen Nehanda. These "tîtáns" need no incantations to wield magic, rendering them unspeakably powerful—and dangerously volatile. With a civil war brewing, Amari makes a bid for the crown, promising peace and equality; Nehanda enthrones another, however, and contrives to use an army of tîtáns to eradicate the maji. Meanwhile, maji rebels dubbed the Iyika aim to assassinate Orïsha's nobles and install Zélie as queen. Adeyemi's thrilling second Legacy of Orïsha novel ups the stakes and expands the series' mythology while extolling unity and illustrating the futility of hatred and retribution. Shoehorned romance and manufactured friction between protagonists aside, Adeyemi delivers a vivid, visceral tale studded with action and capped with a literary gut-punch. Ages 14–up. Agent: Alexandra Machinist and Hillary Jacobson, ICM Partners. (Dec.)

A TIME Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time

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A NPR Best Book

"Relentless even beyond its finish, this is a sure-fire hit. Definitely have more than one on hand." —Booklist, Starred Review

"Adeyemi's thrilling second Legacy of Orïsha novel ups the stakes and expands the series' mythology while extolling unity and illustrating the futility of hatred and retribution... a vivid, visceral tale studded with action and capped with a literary gut-punch." —Publishers Weekly

"The passion and drama in the writing are as powerful as ever...Readers delighted by the complex, politically sophisticated kingdom of Orïsha will cheer its return in this alluring sequel." —Horn Book

Praise for Children of Blood and Bone:

“Adeyemi taps into a rich imaginative lineage as she weaves West African mythology into a bespoke world that resonates with our own.” –The Atlantic

“Propulsive pacing and richly imagined world.” —Vox

“Adeyemi’s writing is beautiful and immersive.” –Tor.com

“A miraculous achievement.” –The Guardian

“The epic I’ve been waiting for.” —New York Times-bestselling author Marie Lu

“You will be changed. You will be ready to rise up and reclaim your own magic!” —New York Times-bestselling author Dhonielle Clayton

“A magnificent, heartrending, earthshaking debut.” —New York Times-bestselling author Daniel José Older

"High stakes, a captivating fantasy landscape, and a brave heroine worth rooting for make Children of Blood and Bone unlike anything I've ever read." —Kami Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Beautiful Creatures and author of The Lovely Reckless

"Powerful, captivating, and raw—Adeyemi is a talent to watch. Exceptional." —Kirkus, Starred Review

"Adeyemi’s devastating debut is a brutal, beautiful tale of revolution, faith, and star-crossed love." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"... Adeyemi keeps it fresh with an all-black cast of characters, a meaningful emphasis on fighting for justice, a complex heroine saving her own people, and a brand of magic made more powerful by the strength of heritage and ancestry." —Booklist, Starred Review

"...A refreshing YA fantasy with an all–West African cast of characters that should be on every shelf." —School Library Journal, Starred Review

"This is an exceptional debut from the author and will have a huge audience desperately waiting for more." —VOYA, Starred Review

"Nigerian culture and geography... give this fantasy a distinct flavor, further distinguished by the intensity of emotion." —Horn Book

★ 03/01/2020

Gr 9 Up—Readers return to Orïsha in Adeyemi's second book in the trilogy. Zélie and Amari have succeeded in returning magic to maji and, surprisingly, some nobles now known as tîtán also have gained powers. As they plan for maji to regain their power and have Amari ascend the throne after her father's death, Amari's mother presents a challenge with her army of tîtáns, starting a civil war between the nobles and the maji. Zélie is accepted as the natural leader of the Iyika, the rebel maji who are fighting the nobles for power in Orïsha. This creates a rift between Zélie and Amari, who both originally thought Amari would regain the throne and reunite Orïsha. As the war continues, the characters delve into the value of relationships, honor, and the challenge of choosing what is right over what has been done in the past. The story in alternating viewpoints is read by Bahni Turpin, whose narration ensures that every character is unique and distinguished from the others. VERDICT Listeners will be taken into the land of Orïsha and experience the magic through the gorgeous storytelling combination of Adeyemi's writing and Turpin's flawless voice acting. Essential for middle school and high school libraries.—Erica Coonelly, Monroe Township Middle School, NJ

Bahni Turpin exquisitely narrates the second book in this fantasy series, Legacy of Orïsha. Her steady pace and West African accent draw us into the story of Zélie, a Maji warrior, and Princess Amari— both of whom fight against a monarchy that threatens to destroy the people of Orïsha. Turpin manipulates her voice in a variety of ways to convey raw emotion in the characters who unfold this story. Just when conflict is about to subside, either Zélie or Amari does something else to change the course of events. The listener is able to connect and sympathize with these two magical beings, even after they have made terrible decisions that produce violent consequences. They are relatable, overwhelmingly passionate, and humanly flawed. A riveting audiobook! T.E.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

2019-11-24
In this follow-up to Children of Blood and Bone (2018), Zélie and company are back, and the future of Orïsha hangs in the balance.

Zélie, now a maji Reaper, has achieved her goal and brought magic back to Orïsha, but at great cost. Grief and loss are strong themes throughout the book, compounded by guilt for Zélie, who feels responsible for her father's death. Zélie and her older brother, Tzain, try to help Princess Amari ascend the throne, believing her family dead—but Queen Nehanda, Amari's mother, is very much alive and more formidable than they could imagine. The trio join the Iyika, a band of rebel maji working to protect their persecuted people from threats new and old. Though the characters' trauma reads as real and understandable, their decisions don't always feel sensible or logical, often stemming from a lack of communication or forethought, which may leave readers frustrated. Though still commendable for its detailed worldbuilding, with an ending compelling enough to keep fans interested in the next installment, much of the book feels like navigating minefields of characters' ill-advised decisions. All characters are black except for a secondary character with silky black hair, tan skin, and gray eyes "like teardrops."

Second installments in trilogies sometimes slump—here's hoping the third book is a return to the vibrancy of the first. (Fantasy. 14-18)