One of the most fascinating reads for me this year is Tomi Adeyami’s Children of Blood and Bone! It is the first book in the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy. It is a New York Times best seller, but what really interests me is a fantasy world in a different culture than the standard European tradition. The other part is the upcoming movie that is set to be released on January 15, 2027! This is from director Gina Prince-Bythewood. She is the director of The Woman King (2022) which covers the West African warrior women, Agoji, of Dahomey. They are the inspiration for the Dora Milaje in Black Panther (2018). It starred Thuso Mbedu whose performance made me want to follow her work.
Mbedu plays the protagonist, Nawi, in the Children of Blood and Bone movie. She is a young woman who refuses marriage and finds her place with the Agojie. Both films also star Viola Davis and Lashana Lynch. Some of the actors, Prince-Bythewood’s direction, and the setting is a start for what to expect in the film so give it a view plus it’s a great drama. The Woman King is currently streaming on Hulu, fubo, and pay per view. This book club will share break down the book, what we like or know about it, share what is known about the movie, and expectations for it.
So let’s start out with getting our copy of the book, the book is the best form since your imagination will create your perspective on the setting and characters. The audio book is narrated by Bahni Turpin which is fantastic! Still, I would read the book and set how you see characters and how they speak. Do not worry if it takes you some time to read, the film does come out in two years, so you can return to the next part when you have started! If you have begun the book, the book club will go chapter by chapter, I’m currently on chapter 23. Re-reading the book is an enjoyable experience.
Here are the caveats, there may be cultural and magical words that might be unknown to you, and the pronunciation of words too, but there is enough context clues that you can easily move through the chapters. I’m unfamiliar with the culture so the audio book helped me with names and words. I will try to help with pronunciations, but I’m no expert so if I make mistakes, correct them! There will be analysis of concepts, I know some mythology and fantasy, but will rely on a technique called reading reflection. This is reading and explaining how you feel, difficulties, and thoughts while reading. Ready? The way to the world of Orïsha is open!
First, the cover, we have a mysterious illustration by Rich Deas, white hair waving from a woman. We see her focused blue eyes, gold tatoos on her forehead, beaded bands of red and white, and a single blue stone in the center. She wears a red head scarf and behind her is darkness with red sparks. This is our protagonist, Zélie (Zay-lee). Most likely there will be the standard photo collage for the movie poster, but I hope there is something more artistic like the orange filter for The Woman King and some African graphics around it. The title page has an illustration of a sword, crossed blades and gem above it. There is a map of Orïsha, I recommend casually looking at it, we’ll look back to find places, but it does have spoilers!
Then, we have the Maji Clans, more important as we go on, we’ll need it for later. So we’ll begin with the beginning section all in italics. It begins, “I try not to think of her.” This is personal like a diary or journal. It makes me think of a memory that is slowly fading. It goes on that Mama “smelled like jollof rice.” I think memories when you are young go to certain memories and sensations. Jollof rice is a West African food made of rice, tomatoes, chilies, and onions, delicious! It instantly makes me think of Chicken Yassa. I’ve tried it as a frozen meal from Ayo Foods which is no longer at my market. If we have a group we should meet at a West African restaurant.
The other part that stands out for me is Mama’s dark skin “glowed like the summer sun.” There are descriptions of skin colors in the book that are beautiful. Then, she mentions her smile made Baba happy, obviously her father. Mama tells her myths and then Tzain, her brother, played “agbön”, a sport, this is original and is also the name of a kingdom. Baba cries out and also Mama screams as soldiers put a chain is put around her neck. This is the only sounds in this memory, childhood that turns into nightmare. Mama says incantations, the magic words, so she is magical like a wizard. She has the “magic of death”, which is usually necromancy. Her body hanged from a tree, a brutal image, not for younger readers.
Then, she thinks of the “king” who took her mother. This is a pivotal memory for Zélie, but not in the audiobook. It is in nine sections like a nonet, nine-line poem. The first chapter has the character, in this case, Zélie, all told from first person perspective. Her first thought is in all caps, forceful, in italics which carries over from the prologue. She says she tries not to scream, again an echo from her parents’ screams, and her fingers dig into the Marula oak. This is a tree that is found in West Africa and is known for its green fruit. It is dawn as Zélie waits and she tucks away her “snow-white hair.” The description does make me think of a certain princess. I like that the passage of time is “moon after moon”, the moon has a feminine connection.
Mama Agba is making the selection. The character is played by Viola Davis in the film. Adeyami said Davis would be in her dream cast for a movie. “Agba” is a term used by the Yoruba people to speak to an elderly person. Her acting is always powerful and she doesn't need to be elderly, Davis is vibrant as a person. She has a shaved head and wears a kaftan, it is a robe with long sleeves. There is another girl, Yemi, in the ahéré, “ah-hair-e”, a hut in the Yoruba language. Yemi is an overly confident girl who has passed the test. Zélie is ready and called on by Mama Agba. She notes that there are fifteen other girls, so eighteen in the ahéré. Zélie walks out to the mat, Yemi bows, but she does not return the bow. This disrepect in a fighting match was shocking to me, but it is a trait of Zélie.
Again and again, Zélie internalizes actions and makes decisions to what she thinks is right, which is common with young people. It is her flaw, but Zélie is still developing as a person, give her time. Mama Agba tells her to bow, but Zélie just straightens up. She looks to Yemi who has black hair and “coconut-brown skin” which Zélie thinks is from noble birth. She thinks people like Yemi look down on divîners. “Diviners” in regards to divination are ones who can look into the past and future. Here it is different. Mama Agba forcefully tells Zélie to bow or leave the mat. She does so with Yemi telling her, “If you’re going to lost, do it with pride.” There are giggles from the other girls. Mama Agba tells them, “Commence!”, and they begin the duel with staffs. Interesting. The other duel with staffs is with Robin Hood and Little John. Besides Robin Hood films, fighting with staffs is in martial arts movies like Once Upon a Time in China II (1992).
#ChildrenOfBloodAndBone, #TomiAdeyemi, #GinaPrinceBythewood, #ThusoMbedu, #ViolaDavis, #LashanaLynch, #BahniTurpin, #RichDeas, #Zelie, #Mama, #Baba, #Tzain, #MamaAgba, #Yemi
No comments:
Post a Comment