Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi Summary

Children of Anguish and Anarchy is the final book in Tomi Adeyemi's Legacy of Orïsha trilogy, following Zélie and her companions after they're captured by King Baldyr and his warriors, the Skulls. Trapped on foreign ships and trafficked across the seas, Zélie must search for allies in unknown lands while Baldyr seeks to harness her magic to conquer civilizations. The story culminates in a battle to save Orïsha from total annihilation.

Tomi Adeyemi is a #1 New York Times bestselling author who debuted with Children of Blood and Bone in 2018, launching the Legacy of Orïsha trilogy. The series is a West African-inspired fantasy following maji (magic users) fighting against oppression in the fictional land of Orïsha. Adeyemi is credited with paving the way for mainstream Black-led fantasy novels. Children of Anguish and Anarchy, published June 25, 2024, concludes the trilogy after a 4.5-year wait.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy is best suited for readers who've completed the first two Legacy of Orïsha books and want closure to the series. Fans of immersive world-building, multiple character perspectives, and West African-inspired fantasy will appreciate Adeyemi's vivid landscapes and cultural richness. However, readers sensitive to graphic violence and gore should approach cautiously, as the book contains explicit and intense battle scenes. Young adult fantasy enthusiasts seeking diverse representation will find value in the story's themes.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy received mixed to negative reviews, with many readers finding it disappointing after the long wait. Critics noted that introducing a completely new villain, King Baldyr, undermined the tension built in previous books and made the conclusion feel disconnected from the trilogy's core conflicts. Reviewers felt relationships and plot resolutions happened too quickly and weren't earned. However, readers who appreciate Adeyemi's world-building skills and character development from teen to hardened warrior may still find value.

King Baldyr is the primary antagonist in Children of Anguish and Anarchy, ruler of the Skulls—warriors with iron skulls who traffic people across the seas. Baldyr seeks to harness Zélie's magical strength to ravage civilizations and expand his conquest. As a completely new villain introduced in the final book, his sudden appearance frustrated readers who expected resolution of conflicts from the first two novels. Baldyr's quest drives the plot as he closes in on Orïsha's shores.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy follows four perspectives: Zélie, Amari, Tzain, and Inan, who are all captured by the Skulls and forced onto foreign ships. The characters mature from "bumbling teens to hardened warriors forged by loss, pain and the weight of choices". Amari explores her sapphic longings through a romance with Mae'e, a new character and fellow target of Baldyr's conquest. Unfortunately, this development leaves Tzain heartbroken as his romantic hopes are dashed.

Mae'e is a new character introduced in Children of Anguish and Anarchy, an extraordinary young woman from New Gaīa who becomes another target of King Baldyr's thirst for conquest. Mae'e serves as Amari's love interest, allowing Amari to finally embrace her sapphic identity. Despite the risk of introducing a new major character in the final book, Adeyemi makes Mae'e an immediate favorite with a remarkable story arc about finding strength. Mae'e provides insights into the previously unexplored country of New Gaīa.

Critics of Children of Anguish and Anarchy felt the book introduced a completely new villain instead of resolving conflicts from the previous two novels, making it feel disconnected from the trilogy. Reviewers found the pacing too fast, with relationships and plot points resolved in single lines without feeling earned. The graphic violence was deemed excessive and gratuitous for young adult fiction, including explicit torture scenes. Many longtime fans described the conclusion as "underwhelming," "disappointing," and feeling like "the author gave up on this series".

Children of Anguish and Anarchy differs drastically from Children of Blood and Bone, the acclaimed trilogy opener that inspired readers with its magical storytelling and world-building. While the debut was widely praised, the finale disappointed fans by abandoning established conflicts and character arcs. Reviewers recommend reading Children of Blood and Bone as a standalone magical experience but warn against continuing to Children of Anguish and Anarchy, which will "leave you feeling dismayed and disheartened beyond redemption". The tonal shift toward graphic violence also contrasts sharply with the first book.

The Legacy of Orïsha trilogy by Tomi Adeyemi should be read in publication order: Children of Blood and Bone (2018), Children of Virtue and Vengeance (the second installment), and Children of Anguish and Anarchy (2024). Starting with the first book is essential, as the trilogy follows Zélie, Amari, Tzain, and Inan's ongoing struggle to restore magic to Orïsha. However, many reviewers suggest stopping after Children of Blood and Bone, as the sequels received significantly more negative feedback.

Yes, Children of Anguish and Anarchy contains extensive graphic violence that many reviewers found excessive for young adult fiction. The book includes explicit torture scenes aboard slave ships, with Adeyemi "sparing no details when depicting the horrors". Specific examples include characters being brutally injured with incessant gore throughout the narrative. Readers sensitive to blood, brutality, and graphic battle descriptions should approach cautiously, as the violence serves as a significant portion of the book's content and was cited as a major disappointment by multiple reviewers.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy explores themes of resistance against oppression, with Zélie fighting to prevent King Baldyr from enslaving her people. The narrative addresses slavery's horrors through the depiction of the Skulls' trafficking operations and slave ships, establishing stakes for Zélie's battle. Character maturation from youth to warriors "forged by loss, pain and the weight of choices" represents growth through trauma. LGBTQ+ representation emerges through Amari's sapphic romance with Mae'e. The book also examines colonization, conquest, and the cost of protecting one's homeland from annihilation.