About This Book:
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.
Following one girl’s journey of magic, injustice, power, and revenge, Deborah Falaye’s debut novel, inspired by Yoruba-Nigerian mythology, is a magnetic combination of Children of Blood and Bone and An Ember in the Ashes.
*Review Contributed by Olivia Farr, Staff Reviewer*
BLOOD SCION is a riveting and atmospheric YA dark fantasy. Sloane is nearly 15 years of age when she is assaulted by a soldier while she searches for her mother’s body. She escapes when her magic fends him off for her, and she returns to her village. She is a Scion, a descendant of the Yoruba people gifted with magic from the Orisha, and currently hunted by the Lucis. If anyone knows of her powers, it could mean death for her and her family. As the next day dawns her 15th birthday, she becomes eligible for the military draft – and when some boys try to flee theirs, she is one of the names chosen to become a child soldier for the Lucis.
Trying to escape her fate in the military would mean death not only for her, but for all the people she cares about. Although tempted to run by the village boy she loves, Sloane knows that her fate is at Avalon, where they train child soldiers for their army to serve as fodder against the shadow rebels fighting against the Scion and Yoruba genocide. As she joins the army and is forced to do and witness unspeakable things while suppressing her magic and her humanity, Sloane will become the weapon they are creating her to be – but who will she be fighting for when the dust settles?
What I loved: This is a complex story with intricate and compelling characters as well as multi-layered world-building. Although the book moves quickly, the reader is given enough information to understand this world, its mythology, and its troubled history that has led to the horrific present, a genocide against the Yoruba people and particularly Scions – as well as the forced military servitude of children. The Lucis are rather goal-oriented, seeking to break and destroy among their army as much as their enemy. This is a brutal and raw story that does not hold anything back.
Many of these themes are common amongst wars, bred of hatred with oppressors writing the history they deem fit. The story includes some thought-provoking insights into child soldiers, propaganda, the tactics used to create soldiers, and the political context that can make such atrocities possible. These themes as well as those around humanity, corruption of power, the challenges around separation from one’s heritage and culture, the suppression of the parts that seem “other” (here, magic) to survive, impossible decisions, and the morality around trust/betrayal with life or death consequences make this a really heavy and important story that hold a mirror to real-world scenarios. This would make for a really provocative discussion.
Sloane is a really compelling and complex character. Through her eyes, the reader sees the truths and consequences of the world built as it is but also how such atrocities remain and thrive. Sloane often feels visceral and raw as she is pulled apart by the world around her and the decisions that have been taken from her. At the same time, her spirit and character remains central to the story and really powerful. Her story is emotional and absolutely riveting. She comes to life throughout the book, and it was hard to say goodbye with the ending pages – this is definitely a book that will stick with the reader and leave them eager for the next installment.
The ending shocked me, and I was surprised by all the twists and turns taken throughout the book in a really good way. This was a book that kept the readers on their toes. The mythology and background in combination with the powerful characters and themes really make this a potent read that is sure to leave readers reeling.
Final verdict: With atmospheric world-building, intricate plotting, and heartfelt characters, BLOOD SCION is a riveting and compelling YA dark fantasy that will leave readers reeling and eagerly awaiting the next installment. Highly recommend for fans of BEASTS OF PREY, WINGS OF EBONY, and SONG OF BLOOD AND STONE.
*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*
