Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 15

Something YA this way comes (again)!

Children of Blood and Bone (Mar. 6, 2018) by Tomi Adeyemi.

*This is the first novel in a trilogy.*

There is no magic left in the world, but there are still repercussions stemming from the Raid. Eleven years ago, King Saran, a merciless tyrant, destroyed magic and had all maji massacred, including Zélie Adebola’s mother, a great Reaper. Zélie is not off the hook, either. Although magic is gone, she remains visible with the white hair of divîners, those descendants of maji that could’ve one day become maji, wielders of their respective magics. Her brother, Tzain, is not a divîner, but a kosidán (someone without magic). Zélie’s life is further complicated when a young woman desperately reaches out to her to escape, as she is being pursued for an artifact (scroll) she has stolen. This young woman is Orïsha’s Princess Amari, daughter of Saran. What she has stolen could help restore magic back to the world. Amari, Zélie and Tzain, with the Adebola’s family lionaire, Nailah, set off to collect two other holy artifacts (a bone dagger and a sunstone) and reach “a sacred island off the northern coast of the Orinion Sea” and complete the ritual before the centennial solstice. Close on their trail is Amari’s older brother, Crown Prince Inan, who’s always looked for his father’s approval and has even gone so far as to physically maim his only sister. His hatred of magic runs deep, but fate is going to throw a wrench into his life in a very big way. Denial won’t help. The harder he fights it, the tougher it will be on him. Is Inan’s heart as hardened as Saran’s?

            Although the starter in the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy, it already feels epic. In this YA novel featuring a complex cast of West-African characters (who speak the Yoruba language), a captivating and variegated narrative, and an Atlas-like weight-of-the-world on Zélie’s shoulders, this debut is worthy of any and all accolades. The novel is presented in an expansive and immersive landscape with themes current to our world despite its fantasy setting. It evokes the conscience, but instead of brutality revolving around race or religion or sexual orientation, it stems from hatred of those who wield magic or potentially can wield it. Still, justice is needed as much here as in any non-magical society. This story is not always easy to read, but it’s a literary achievement of imagination, emotion, grit and more than one strong female. If you’re a YA reader, and this isn’t on your shelf, it should be!

Finale (May 7, 2019) by Stephanie Garber.

*This is the final novel in a trilogy.*

The Fates are free. Considering how long they’ve been trapped in a special Deck of Destiny, they are not running around wreaking havoc right away, as their powers are weak, but it’s obvious when it begins. A family enjoying an outside dinner is frozen; Scarlett can see their feelings vividly (The Poisoner). Paid servants are forced to dance endlessly along invisible strings; most are no longer conscious, as they were probably animated a full day previous when their employer was killed in a horrible manner (Jester Mad). But Scarlett and Donatella’s mother is also free, and that’s what matters to Tella. Unfortunately, the Fallen Star – the Fate at the top of the totem pole – seems to have come back strong. Certain Fates are less terrible than others, though one would never call them friends. Friendly acquaintance would also be a stretch. Scarlett, Julian, Tella and Legend must find a way to outwit the Fallen Star. Can they do so before utter chaos and irreversible damage descend upon Valenda? Because it isn’t just the four of them that will suffer, but Valenda’s residents, too. And when Scarlett learns a life-changing truth, will she harness it willingly or by force?

            I know I mentioned it for the previous book, “Legendary,” but I do not care for Tella. This remains true for this final installment in the Caraval trilogy. She grates on my nerves, and because I don’t care for her, I don’t see why one boy loves her, much less two. I think it’s her lack of maturity compared to her older sister, Scarlett, which annoys me.

            Negatives aside, I remain a spellbound fan of this trilogy. It ensnared me in its magical force much like Erin Morgenstern’s “The Night Circus” and may also appeal to anyone who enjoyed the lesser-known film “Stardust.” I like that this novel features the perspectives of both sisters. It is darkly lustrous and ominously enchanting. Imagine glitter and beauty and a façade of opulence where the likes of black diamonds and blood-red gems twinkle with millions of sparkles that could hurt you as they mesmerize you. It is a spectacle for the imagination, and I hope the author has a new series brewing.

The Red Scrolls of Magic (Apr. 9, 2019) by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu.

*This is the first novel in a trilogy.*

The High Warlock of Brooklyn, Magnus Bane – suave, stylish and hedonistic – wants nothing more than to enjoy a fabulous European vacation with his boyfriend, Alexander “Alec” Lightwood, a shy yet fierce Shadowhunter whose blood caries that of angels (Nephilim). Magnus’ plans are waylaid almost from the get-go when he is told by a trusted friend that a cult known as the Crimson Hand has been sacrificing faeries in order to raise Asmodeus, a Greater Demon/Prince of Hell. Asmodeus has significance in Magnus’ life, though none of it is positive. Unfortunately, all Magnus remembers of the Crimson Hand is that he founded it as a drunken joke; his other memories of the cult appear to be missing. The Spiral Labyrinth, the warlock’s mysterious underground headquarters, will not be forgiving to Magnus if the Crimson Hand, with Magnus as their rumored leader, continues as is. He teams up with Alec and a Korean warlock they encounter along the way named Shinyun Jung, who has a storied past with the cult. When Alec goes to the Rome Institute, he falls into step with Shadowhunters Aline Penhallow (lives in Alicante, the capital and only city of Idris, the Shadowhunters’ home country) and Helen Blackthorn (of the Los Angeles Institute). With destructive demons and questioning Shadowhunters, Magnus and Alec’s romance will be tested … through battle, pain and fire. Can such a new love overcome such obstacles?

            According to the acknowledgements, this story falls chronologically during “City of Fallen Angels” (2011), the fourth novel in The Mortal Instruments series. “The Red Scrolls of Magic” launches the first in The Eldest Curses trilogy, Clare’s collaboration with Chu. Magnus and Alec are far more star-crossed than Romeo and Juliet; there’s Downworlder and Shadowhunter, immortal and mortal in play here. Action and adventure is plentiful in this installment of secrets, magic, new love, combat, self-doubt and compassion. It is compelling and thrilling, and considering when the story takes place, it’s nice to encounter a certain familiar character in all his sarcastic, undead form (I’m talking about you, Raphael Santiago). I so appreciate the ethnic diversity of this series, especially in introducing a Korean character, but I didn’t choose it for the diversity or the LGBTQ+ representation. At its core, I’m a fan of Clare’s work, and Magnus is my favorite of her characters. He is “a blazing riot of life and color, a source of joy for everyone around him” (p. 204). This includes us as readers!