Children of Blood and Bone

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.

Book club questions for Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

What mythologies are you familiar with and what do you know about them? What role do mythologies play in their cultures?

What is a tyranny? Can tyrannies be justified? What are possible ways to change such a government?

Describe Zélie’s background and personality. What are her strengths and weaknesses? How does she change over the course of the book, and what causes the changes? Discuss why she characterizes her past as a “lifetime of mistakes” (p. 375). Do you agree with her assessment of herself?

Amari embraces Zélie’s cause wholeheartedly but Inan wavers. What makes the siblings different in this regard? Talk about Inan’s characteristics and how his father influences him. Analyze the symbolism of Inan carrying his father’s pawn.

Point to times and relationships in the novel where trust is a significant issue, especially among the four main characters. When is trust justified among the characters? When is trust betrayed? Why is trust such a central issue under a tyranny like King Saran’s?

Anger is also heightened under a tyranny. Who is angry in the novel, and why? Is the anger justified? How does anger fuel some of the important action in the plot?

What challenges do Zélie, Amari, and Tzain face in their quest to save their country? What physical obstacles do they have to overcome on the journey? What are their worst setbacks, and how do they deal with them?

Talk about the world building in the novel, which draws on West African history and culture but transforms them and adds magic. What kind of information and descriptions create the convincing, multifaceted fictional world? Find places where the author effectively weaves in information about the setting without slowing down the story.

Analyze the prologue and epilogue, and think about why the author chose to include them. Discuss the first line of the prologue and that of the first chapter. Discuss the last line of the last chapter and the last line of the epilogue. Explain how the lines relate to the novel as a whole.

Discuss the Author’s Note at the end of the book. What real-world parallels can you draw between the challenges in this book and the challenges minorities face today? Why do you think the author chose to portray these challenges through a fantasy lens?

Children of Blood and Bone Book Club Questions PDF

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“Featuring a cast of strong characters richly developed, and fantastic world building, the storytelling is fast-paced, vivid and full of passion. Adeyemi's nod to West African folklore has succeeded in nurturing cultural pride and bolstering self-worth for young black readers starved to see images of themselves in literature. Well done!” —hideTurtle, 10/10 stars

“A phenomenon.” —EW

“Storms the boundaries of imagination.” —The New York Times

“Bursting with action.” —BuzzFeed

“A masterpiece.” —Refinery29

“Excellently crafted.” —NPR

“It lives up to the hype.” —Cosmopolitan

“Impossible to put down.” —USA Today