The anticipation for the third book in Tomi Adeyemi’s trilogy has flickered at the pit of my stomach like a stubborn flame refusing to go out.
My mind has been overflowing for four years with questions about how the story of Orisha will continue. Will the characters I’ve grown attached to have their victory? Will they finally replenish their souls with the joy, love, and peace they seek?
After years of theorizing what would happen, I finally got my answers when the third book, Children of Anguish and Anarchy, was released.
Here is my review of how Adeyemi has brought their trilogy to a close.
What to Expect from Children of Anguish and Anarchy
I’m happy that Adeyemi still delivers the impeccable, imaginative, descriptive writing she exhibited in the first two books. Her words paint a clear picture of the imaginary worlds, taking the readers to the faraway lands of Orïsha. You can tell that every word in the text was carefully chosen, crafted, and matched together to continue this epic story.
If it’s been a while since you read the second book,
Children of Virtue and Vengeance was released in 2019, so to help readers follow along with the storyline, Adeyemi intentionally weaves in information from the second book. These references come about as memories or personal reflections from the characters to help fill in the gaps of what readers might not remember.
Like the other books, Adeyemi doesn’t take long to get into the action. Almost every chapter leaves you wanting to know what will happen next. There is shock and surprise at every turn, along with new characters, threats, and enemies.
The action scenes seem noticeably different from the first two books. The third book triumphantly brings a little more gore. While reading through the various battles, images of knives and swords slashing through bodies flashed in my mind. The imagery of the characters slicing through flesh and bone and the way blood was described pouring out onto the crimson-stained floor made me feel the vengeance that these characters had.
Because of the prevalence of violence, you realize that these characters aren’t merely teenagers on the cusps of their youth. They have become warriors and adults, making decisions that affect not only them but the future of an entire nation and groups of people.
Character play-by-play
Since the book has chapters dedicated to each character, I will briefly describe what to expect from each of the main characters.
Inan: I’ll be honest. Inan was never my favorite character, but he earned some brownie points from me by the end of the book. In my opinion, Inan’s story is filled with constant trial and error. For the last two books, he went through an identity crisis, denying his magic, then accepting and trying to be the middleman between two groups of people who hate each other. Despite this, he has a good heart, and most of his journey has been spent trying to do the right thing.
In the third book, we continue to see Inan trying to do right by Zelie and the depth of his love for her. What was once a story of a prince trying to be a king, we finally see him focused on his mission: protecting Zelie. I can honestly say I am proud of the way he’s looked after her in the third book.
Amari: I’ve always admired Amari from the moment she escaped the castle. She’s always had it in her heart to do the right thing, even though she’s made some questionable decisions in the past. In the third book, we see a different side of Amari, a softer side that, at times, is paralyzed by fear. For most of the book, she keeps her magic dormant, afraid of what damage she might be unwilling to do. We also see how this new enemy has almost completely broken her spirit. But don’t worry. If you’re an Amari fan like me, she gets it together in the end and becomes the fearless warrior princess we all know and love.
Additionally, I feel Adeyemi could write a one-off book series focusing on Amari because of a couple of loose ends regarding family, the full capabilities of her powers, and her role in a new society. When we were first introduced to Amari, we learned that she spent most of her life behind the castle walls. Now that she’s gone miles beyond the fortress, she transforms, similar to a phoenix rising from the ashes. Along with this change comes what could be a new love interest.
Tzain: I loved the personal transformation Tzain went through. Adeyemi drives Tzain to the edge of emotional pain and growth. With him, we see this untapped rage we never really saw before. A rage that came from losing both his parents, almost losing his sister, and watching the world as he knows it falls apart. Yet, instead of letting his anger consume him, instead of relying on his anger as his strength, he reconnects to the love that he felt before his sadness and anger. Ultimately, love gives him the power he needs to fight his enemy. We also see him overcome trauma and grief, and he finally starts a process of healing.
Zelie: The fierce warrior, the champion, and the leader with silver eyes. She has had it rough since book one, Children of Blood and Bone. Unfortunately, life doesn’t get easier for her in book three. Her faith and abilities are tested. She becomes a prisoner again, and even when she is set free, the enemy still has an invisible chain around her neck that causes her to doubt herself. Despite her despair, the warrior we all know and love never stops fighting. Ultimately, she makes an unbelievable sacrifice to save the people she loves.
Children of Anguish and Anarchy is available wherever books are sold.
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