Hi everyone and welcome to my tour stop for Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye hosted through Turn The Page Tours. I’m excited to share my full spoiler-free review and some favorite quotes as part of my stop.
You can check out the full schedule for the tour here.
About the Book
Blood Scion (Blood Scion, #1) by Deborah FalayePublished by HarperTeen on March 8, 2022
Pages: 432
Goodreads
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.
Goodreads | Amazon | HarperCollins
About the Author
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.
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My Thoughts
You have to decide what matters most. Your humanity or your survival.
This YA novel from Canadian, BIPOC author Deborah Falaye is steeped in African mythology, draws on elemental magic, and pull no punches with it’s violent scenes and brutal tone fit right into a world inspired by the brutal reality that is child soldiers in certain parts of Africa even today.
Real monsters are not born, they are made
Blood Scion gave me serious Red Rising and Poppy War vibes, which were both books that I enjoyed. I always appreciate when the main characters isn’t perfect and makes big mistakes as they try to navigate a world that is foreign to them. While Sloane goes into training with a clear objective she makes choices that result in some serious consequences.
With that said, Sloane is fierce and a survivor. She makes mistakes but does not stop pushing herself and fighting for what she believes in.
I also adored the magic and lore steeped in Yoruba myth and culture. Sloane is a scion that can channel and manipulate fire- a reality that could get her killed if she is discovered.
Sloane, as well as the cast of characters around her are diverse and complex. While a YA novel, Blood Scion definitely tackled themes meant for more mature readers. It’s discussions of colonialism and genocide were particularly difficult but handled sensitively and respectfully.
There are a lot of comparisons being made to the Hunger Games. While I see where reviewers are coming from, I think such a comparison does Blood Scion a disservice. Blood Scion. Is a lot grittier, slower and demands more of it’s reader. It is one of the most grown up YA books I have read in a long time.
Overall I gave Blood Scion 4🌟 and would recommend a to anyone who loves the works of Angie Thomas and Tomi Adeyemi or who enjoys books with militaristic themes or set at military schools like The Poppy War. If you love your YA gritty and grown up, don’t sleep on this title!
What About You?
Have you read Blood Scion? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments!
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