Blood Scion (Blood Scion, #1)
by Deborah FalayePublished by: HarperTeen on March 8, 2022
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 432
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
This is what they deserve. They wanted me to be a monster. I will be the worst monster they ever created.
Fifteen-year-old Sloane can incinerate an enemy at will—she is a Scion, a descendant of the ancient Orisha gods.
Under the Lucis’ brutal rule, her identity means her death if her powers are discovered. But when she is forcibly conscripted into the Lucis army on her fifteenth birthday, Sloane sees a new opportunity: to overcome the bloody challenges of Lucis training, and destroy them from within.
Sloane rises through the ranks and gains strength but, in doing so, risks something greater: losing herself entirely, and becoming the very monster that she ahbors.
Following one girl’s journey of magic, injustice, power, and revenge, this deeply felt and emotionally charged debut from Deborah Falaye, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, is a magnetic combination of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin and Daughter of Smoke and Bone that will utterly thrill and capture readers.
Content Tags:
Perfect for readers who want:
- A high fantasy world based on Orisha and Yoruban mythology.
- Strong female characters who are part villain and part hero.
- But, you know, mostly villain.
- A dark fantasy where everyone is pitted against each other.
- A scathing commentary against children soldiers.
Many thanks to Harperteen and Turn the Page Tours for a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
That. Cover. Oh my gosh. I was so determined not to apply for another blog tour when this popped up in my email, and how could I not?! *flails* Not only is that cover absolutely breathtaking and 100% fierce, the story itself is based on Orisha and Yoruban mythology, which is the quickest way to get me to read something. Heck. Yes.
Blood Scion is a hard-hitting fantasy featuring Orisha that’s not for the light of heart. It’s full of love, loss, war, squads, and a determination and fire to stay alive in a world that wants you dead.
I honestly don’t even know what to say about this book. It was fast-paced and heartbreaking and dark and brilliant. I was on the edge of my seat and legitimately worried for this character who is doing her best to not die. The tension was so sharp that I’m pretty sure I’ve got scars from it. Phew. If you’re a fan of high fantasy, this is definitely a book for you.
Blood Scion is not a book for the faint of heart. This world is dark and unforgiving, doing its best to break everyone who lives in it.
By which I mean . . . I’m in love. Oh my gosh. The Lucis have swept across the continent, colonizing the place and slaughtering the indigenous peoples, the Yoruba. The result has been a never-ending war between the two sides, which has led to mass casualties for both. The Scions, descendants of the Orisha, Yoruban gods, have been mostly wiped out, and what remain are forced into hiding for fear of being hunted down by the Lucis. Worst of all, the Lucis draft child soldiers, who are put through rigorous and deadly training and then sent to the front to die.
This world is cold and brutal and living there is likely to result in an untimely death. Yet, there’s still so much love and hope, even when the characters face nothing but despair. They carve out their own little niches and push forward. This is the perfect example of why I love dark fantasy so much, because these characters are incredible.
Falaye turns the forbidden magic trope on its head with magic from the bloods throwing through Sloane’s veins . . . and she doesn’t so much control it as it controls her.
I thought this was such an interesting, unique system, and it’s obvious to see the rich history and mythology that’s gone into this book. In fact, if you’ve never heard of the Orisha, some of the myths and history are shared in this book, so it’d be a great introduction to it. The mythology is so rich and amazing, and the pantheon of Orisha is diverse and intense. Sloane is a descendent of Shango, and if you don’t know anything about the Orisha, that probably means nothing, but if you do . . . enough said.
For a second, the word hovers in the fiery space between us.
Scion. A descendent of the ancient Orisha gods.
Scion. The same people the Lucis have hunted and killed for over three centuries.
Scion. Scion. SCION. The word echoes over and over in my brain. I grasp my head, wanting to claw away the thought, his voice, all of it. I don’t need to hear it to know what I am. Who I am. It’s written in the ase raging inside me, a fire born of Olodumare’s divine energy, flaming bones and blood underneath my skin.
Blood Scion is filled to the brim with strong women who refuse to just lay down and die, even when the world tells them they’re supposed to. And I love it.
I can’t resist strong women who refuse to give up. My favorite thing about Sloane is that she’s not an obvious Chosen One trope. Nothing comes particularly easy for her. She makes mistake after mistake and has to constantly pick herself up, over and over again. It would be so easy for her to just give up and be done with it, but she doesn’t. Somehow, she struggles on, even when things seem impossible. This unconquerable spirit is something that I love in fantasy, and the women in this are just amazing, despite the odds.
Somehow, even in a book where everyone is pitted against each other and survival is never guaranteed, there manages to be the formation of a little squad.
I guess when every day could be your last, there’s no reason not to at least make allies? Even if they may be tomorrow’s enemies. While this is 100% a dark book, there are plenty of light moments in it, too. The few friendships that manage to develop, in spite of the circumstances the characters are forced into, is all the more amazing because of it.
“My mother taught me many things, but none of them involved kissing a stranger’s ass.”
I can’t end this review without mentioning Falaye’s amazing writing! She brings this world to life and pulls the reader right into it, as terrifying a thought as that might be.
The descriptions in this book are just *chef’s kiss*. The writing is incredibly vivid and gorgeous, and I can’t get enough of it. Not only am I ridiculously excited for the next book in this series already, but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for anything else Deborah Falaye writes. She’s obviously an incredibly talented author.
About Deborah Falaye
Deborah Falaye is a Nigerian Canadian young adult author. She grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where she spent her time devouring African Literature, pestering her grandma for folktales, and tricking her grandfather into watching Passions every night. When she’s not writing about fierce Black girls with bad-ass magic, she can be found obsessing over all things reality TV. Deborah currently lives in Toronto with her husband and their partner-in-crime yorkie, Major. Blood Scion is her first novel.
March 7
Turn the Page Tours – Welcome Post
Kait Plus Books – Spotlight
Rampant Reading Reviews – Book Review
Betwixt the Sheets – Top 3 Reasons to Read Blood Scion
March 8
Justice for Readers – Book Review
Radusreads – Book Review
Confessions of a YA Reader – Book Review
Balancing Books and Beauties – Book Review, Top 3 Reasons to Read Blood Scion
March 9
Cocoa with Books – Book Review, Favorite Quotes
The Momma Spot – Book Review
Southern Belle at Heart – Spotlight
March 10
Reading Stewardess – Book Review
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March 11
Whimsical Blessings – Mood Board
Lost in a Bookstore – Book Review, Mood Board
One Book More – Book Review, Top 3 Reasons to Read Blood Scion
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Book Lover’s Book Reviews – Spotlight
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Are there any comparisons of this book to “The Gilded Ones” by Namina Forna?
You know, I’m not really sure! I haven’t read The Gilded Ones yet, so I can’t say. Based on the blurb, I assume they employ some of the same tropes, at the very least.