King Saran Character Analysis in Children of Blood and Bone

The iron-fisted ruler of Orïsha, King Saran carried out the deadly Raid against the divîner people and continues to do everything in his power to destroy all traces of magic in the kingdom. He even murders his daughter’s servant and only friend, Binta, when he discovers that she can do magic. He is obsessed with making sure his family is physically strong enough to protect themselves, and forces his children, Amari and Inan, to fight each other with real swords. He only cares about Admiral Kaea, who also despises magic and is comfortable with violence. Amari eventually murders Saran when she realizes the extent of his cruelty and bloodthirstiness.

King Saran Quotes in Children of Blood and Bone

The Children of Blood and Bone quotes below are all either spoken by King Saran or refer to King Saran. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Growing up, Father led me to believe that those who clung to the myth of the gods were weak. They relied on beings they could never see, dedicating their lives to faceless entities.

Related Characters: Inan (speaker), King Saran

Page Number and Citation: 210

Explanation and Analysis:

In the temple at Chândomblé, Inan comes across a mural depicting the gods. He is overwhelmed with their beauty and power: they seem so real and alive. Previously, Inan didn’t question his father’s attitude towards the gods. Driven by his intense fear of magic and hatred for those who practice it, Saran always taught that magic was evil and dangerous, and the religion associated with it was foolish, a sign of weakness. Inan has always trusted his father, but now that he has strayed from the palace, he has begun to gain a deeper and more nuanced perspective on life Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi ne

I don’t know what disturbs me more: that I killed him, or that I could do it again. Strike, Amari. A thin whisper of father’s voice plays in my ears.

Related Characters: Amari (speaker), King Saran

Page Number and Citation: 261

Explanation and Analysis:

After the dramatic battle in the arena in Ibeji, Amari is haunted by memories of the captain she killed. His death is deeply disturbing to Amari for a few reasons. Having seen the pain and anguish her father’s violent tactics have caused throughout the kingdom, Amari has always tried to willfully choose another path. When she was young, she refused to fight her brother, although her father commanded it. Now that she has left home, Amari has grown even more convinced that her father’s cruelty is not just or productive. She is reasonably afraid of fighting and does not like Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Expl

“Those are Father’s words, Inan. His decisions. Not yours. We are our own people. We make our own choices.”

“But he’s right. Inan’s voice cracks. “If we don’t stop magic, Orïsha will fall.”

Related Characters: Amari (speaker), Inan (speaker), King Saran

Page Number and Citation: 275

Explanation and Analysis:

After many days of pursuit, Inan startles Amari and the others when he comes upon them in the jungle. He is ready to carry out his goal of killing Zélie in order to ensure that magic never makes a comeback. However, Amari steps forward to try to stop him. She wants to show him that there is an alternative to their father’s hate. Instead of falling to the blind fear and prejudice that motivates their father, Amari wants to communicate that Inan, like her, can take the time to learn about magic and decide for himself. Since Amari has left Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae vo

Zélie’s memories don’t hold the villains Father always warned of. Only families he tore apart. Duty before self. His creed rings through my ears. My father. Her king. The harbinger of all this suffering.

Related Characters: Inan (speaker), King Saran, Zélie

Page Number and Citation: 286

Explanation and Analysis:

When Inan and Zélie finally meet and face off, Inan is shocked by what happens: because of his newly acquired magic, which allows him to access memories and dreams, he sees a rush of memories from Zélie’s past. As often happens when memories and perspectives are shared, the rush of images inspires newfound empathy and awareness in Inan. Unwittingly, he has opened himself to a perspective other than his father’s, and it changes how he feels about Saran’s rule. Inan sees that his father’s policies have brought great pain in the name of supposed peace. He also sees that his Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eu

This pawn was the only piece I managed to salvage. Shame ripples through me as I stare at the tarnished metal. The only gift he’s ever given me, and at its core is hate.

Related Characters: Inan (speaker), Zélie, King Saran

Related Symbols: Majacite Pawn

Page Number and Citation: 324

Explanation and Analysis:

As Zélie and Inan prepare to try to attack the encampment and rescue their siblings, the tensions between them boil to the surface. When Inan says that he hates who he is because of the magic he possesses, Zélie points out that the game piece he carries with him as a reminder of his father is made of majacite, a special metal used to hurt divîners. The realization changes how Inan sees his relationship to his father. Inan always believed that is he worked hard enough and exhibited enough loyalty to his father—even by going against his own desires and Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium es

A pit of guilt opens in my chest, tainted with the smell of burning flesh. The fires I watched from the royal palace resurface, the innocent lives burned before my young eyes. A memory I’ve pushed down like my magic, a day I longed to forget. But staring at Zélie now brings it all back: the pain. The tears. The death.

Related Characters: Inan (speaker), Zélie, King Saran

Page Number and Citation: 364

Explanation and Analysis:

In the dreamscape, Zélie and Inan talk about life before the Raid. Inan had grown up with a single perspective on the violence carried out against divîners in Orïsha. He trusted the monarchy’s rule, which held that the Raid was a necessary evil to bring safety and stability to the kingdom. But speaking with Zélie, Inan sees the violence of the Raid not as an abstract tool of politics but as a horrific act of genocide with an intense human cost. Zélie’s perspective forces him to question the logic put forth by his father. It makes him see the murdered Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omni

“I thought things could be different. I wanted them to be different. But after what we just saw, we have no choice. We can’t give people that kind of power.”

Related Characters: Inan (speaker), King Saran, Kwame, Zélie

Page Number and Citation: 412

Explanation and Analysis:

Trying to talk Zélie into destroying the scroll to save herself from captivity—and torture—Inan reveals that is some ways, he now agrees again with the monarchy. Seeing Kwame erupt into flames, killing himself and many guards around him, Inan now believes that magic is just as dangerous as his father always said, if not more so. His fear reveals the ongoing fight over how magic is perceived. Some, like Inan, fear that it creates a power imbalance which drives cycles of violence and suffering. But others, like Zélie, know that that view is steeped in prejudice against divîners and unfounded Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perfer

In that instant it hits me: Zulaikha’s death. Zélie’s screams. They don’t mean a thing to him. Because they’re maji, they’re nothing. He preaches duty before self, but his Orïsha doesn’t include them. It never has.

Related Characters: Inan (speaker), Zélie, King Saran

Page Number and Citation: 432

Explanation and Analysis:

After his harsh interrogation and brutal torture of Zélie, Saran calls Inan into a command room to debrief. Thinking of the pain he just witnessed, and seeing his father’s crossed out map of the divîner encampment, Inan suddenly realizes the extent to which his father devalues divîners’ lives. That realization allows Inan to see why his father’s philosophy will never work. In the past, Inan found it difficult to recognize his father’s wrongs and distance himself from them because in theory, Inan and his father shared a goal: for a peaceful and unified Orïsha. Saran always said that goal should Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut

Binta’s voice rings loud. The sight of her blood fills my head. I can avenge her now. I can cut Father down. While the maji take out the guards, my sword can free Father of his head. Retribution for all his massacres, every poor soul he ever killed […].

Related Characters: Amari (speaker), King Saran, Binta

Page Number and Citation: 443

Explanation and Analysis:

As Amari and her new friends storm the fortress where Zélie is being held to try to free her, Amari is suddenly confronted by the sight of her father. Usually loath to use a sword, Amari seriously considers striking him down then and there. Amari’s conviction shows a major shift in her attitude in the beginning of the book. Not only did she fear her father, but she also associated the use of violence with him, since he had tried so hard to instill his own ruthless bloodlust in his children. Every time she found herself forced to fight, even Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asper

I stare at the blade; the inscription gleams in the moonlight. Its words simplify my mission, creating space for my pain. A soldier. A great king. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to be. Duty over self. Orïsha over Zélie.

Related Characters: Inan (speaker), King Saran, Zélie

Page Number and Citation: 476

Explanation and Analysis:

Unexpectedly, Inan’s father seems pleased with the ways in which Inan has changed and grown since he left home. Saran presents his son with the blade that Inan always keeps by his side, a sword inscribed with the motto, “Duty before self.” It provides yet another challenge and opportunity for Inan as he tries to determine which aspects of his father’s philosophy he agrees with. His father’s gift is a rare sign of his approval, something that Inan has always craved. It challenges his recent conclusion that Saran’s vision of peace is incompatible with his own. Inan rationalizes that both Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque

As I approach Inan, Baba’s shaking grows frantic. I can’t let him break my resolve. I don’t want them to win, Baba. But I can’t let you die.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Inan, Baba, King Saran

Page Number and Citation: 499

Explanation and Analysis:

At the last minute, Inan, Saran, and a group of guards burst into the chamber where Zélie is about to attempt the ceremony. With them is a secret weapon: they have Baba prisoner. The sight of him freezes Zélie in her tracks, and her resolve melts away. Immediately, she abandons the idea of attempting the ceremony. In this moment, her single-minded aim is to protect her family from harm. Ever since the Raid, Zélie and her family have survived only by banding together and putting their own safety first. In this critical moment, when Zélie must choose between her blood Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae volu

As long as we don’t have magic, they will never treat us with respect, Baba’s spirit booms. They need to know we can hit them back. If they burn our homes—I burn theirs, too.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), King Saran, Baba

Page Number and Citation: 503

Explanation and Analysis:

As Zélie attempts to perform the ceremony, she senses her father’s powerful spirit surrounding her. His spirit delivers a clear and powerful message. Zélie realizes anew that the divîners need to have the power to strike back in order to combat the ruthless oppression enacted by the monarchy. Even though there are dangers and drawbacks to magic, ultimately it is the best and most powerful tool the divîners have to overthrow their oppressors and to build their own communities and support one another. The prejudice against divîners seems likely to continue unabated unless the divîners can overthrow those in power Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. V

I cannot end it like this. If I do that, I’m no better than him. Orïsha will not survive by employing his tactics. Father must be taken down, but it is too much to drive my sword through his heart—Father pulls back his blade. Momentum carries me forward. Before I can pivot, Father swings his sword around and the blade rips across my back.

Related Characters: Amari (speaker), King Saran, Inan

Page Number and Citation: 513

Explanation and Analysis:

As Amari spars with her father, she grapples again with the question of when—if ever—it is appropriate to kill someone. Just as she has an opportunity to strike the killing blow, she holds back, thinking that killing Saran would be perpetuating the exact same violence he creates and encourages. She thinks that his violence has only created pain and inequality in Orïsha, and this fight is a microcosm of that. If she kills him, she will be accepting the same conclusion that he has drawn: that killing is the only way to solve conflict. If nothing else, Amari’s travels have Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dict

King Saran Character Timeline in Children of Blood and Bone

The timeline below shows where the character King Saran appears in Children of Blood and Bone. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...maji suddenly lost their power eleven years ago. On that day, known as the Raid, King Saran took over, and Zélie’s mother was taken. Although they no longer have magic, those... (full context)

...warns Amari that Binta, a divîner servant and Amari’s only friend, was escorted to Amari’s father, King Saran. (full context)

Worried that Binta may be in trouble with her father, King Saran, Amari excuses herself from the room and sneaks into a hiding spot in... (full context)

Suddenly, King Saran stabs Binta in the chest with his sword, killing her instantly. Amari runs out... (full context)

Inan heads inside to face his father, King Saran, preparing for his wrath. He is intercepted by his mother, who pulls him... (full context)

Inan suddenly remembers Zélie’s face, and feels a sensation like electricity under his skin. The King orders Inan’s mother to leave, and she does so. Both she and Inan fear that... (full context)

Inan braces himself for punishment. Instead, King Saran tells him that he knows only Inan can catch the fugitive. He reveals the... (full context)

Inan is shocked that Amari is the fugitive who took the scroll. King Saran says that in the past, his own father tried to be fair to the... (full context)

Heeding these warnings, Saran began to use the alloy majacite, a special metal that burns magic users. But it... (full context)

...shocked: shocked to find that the gods are real, and shocked to discover that his father was able to take magic away. He asks why Saran still killed so many in... (full context)

Saran says that Inan must go with Admiral Kaea, his second in command, to find Amari.... (full context)

...only their home in flames, she assumes the worst. When she thinks her brother and father have perished, she tries to drag Amari into the flames so that King Saran, too,... (full context)

...horribly awry. He watches as villagers weep among the ruins and corpses. Thinking of his father, King Saran, he repeats to himself, “Duty before self.” He must put the safety of... (full context)

...raid. Zélie says yes. Amari begins to apologize, saying she understands why Zélie hates her father, King Saran, and, by extension, her. Zélie feels herself softening towards Amari, but fights it. (full context)

Zélie asks Amari about her scar. Amari reveals that Saran forced her and Inan to fight with real swords to make them stronger, because his... (full context)

...vision she saw outside—of Chândomblé full of other people. Amari realizes with horror that her father, Saran, destroyed this place, filling her with shame. Moved by Zélie’s words, the man removes... (full context)

...and the bone dagger must be carried to a sacred temple for the binding ritual. King Saran found out about the ritual and slaughtered the sêntaros before carrying out the Raid,... (full context)

Inan has a vivid memory of Saran telling him to fight Amari. Amari refused to raise her sword, which Saran took as... (full context)

...witnessed magic for the first time, Inan stands shocked. He feels that he finally understands Saran. He knows Orïsha cannot survive if that kind of power exists—but, he also thinks he... (full context)

...privileged life in the palace, where she sipped tea while others suffered deeply. She sees King Saran’s royal seal etched into the wall, depicting a snow leopanaire. (full context)

...enters the room decorated with murals of the gods and is shocked by their beauty. Saran always said that the gods were weak and immaterial, but here they appear beautiful and... (full context)

...fights it back. He must focus on his mission. He looks at the sênet pawn Saran gave him, a reminder to stay focused and kill Zélie. (full context)

...summon her to the dream space. Zélie taunts him, asking if he’s proud that his father, the king, destroyed Chândomblé. He fights back the shame he feels, reminding himself, “duty before... (full context)

...Amari. Inan, she says, is a liability. She must force him to return to the King, because it is her duty. (full context)

...Her hair is full of turquoise crystals, a mark of Inan’s magic. Inan knows his father will never forgive him now. (full context)

...There are three times as many boats as the day before. She wonders if her father, King Saran, knows or cares about these brutal games. (full context)

Amari is frozen in the chaos. Even though her father trained her to fight, she feels motionless and weak. As Amari cowers, Tzain blocks an... (full context)

...an imposter. She is disturbed by the fact that she killed someone, an echo of King Saran’s commands. (full context)

...She says that they won’t hurt each other, and that fear of magic is their father’s burden, not theirs. She says that they can make their own decisions for themselves, as... (full context)

...him, showing him a powerful vision of Zélie’s life. He sees the incredible pain his father’s rule caused Zélie. (full context)

King Saran’s instructions ring in Inan’s ears. But with this new perspective, he can’t bear to... (full context)

...his eyes off of Zélie. He suddenly knows he cannot be a king like his father, Saran. His father is everything he doesn’t want to be. (full context)

...because it is the root of all Orïsha’s problems. But she counters that it is King Saran, not magic, that causes so much suffering. Inan maintains that his father did the... (full context)

...of Zélie’s memories of the Raid, he remembers the admiration he once had for his King Saran’s strength. (full context)

...fighting who he is. Even the pawn that he carries as a reminder of his father, King Saran, is inflicting more than emotional harm. It’s made of majacite, a special metal... (full context)

Inan remembers how he got the pawn. He and his father, King Saran, used to play sênet every week before the Raid, a special time when... (full context)

...who will always hate him for who he is. Inan tosses the pawn aside, realizing Saran’s lies. Though magic is dangerous, the way his father has tried to eradicate it has... (full context)

...was difficult to hold onto the feeling that magic was beautiful in the face of Saran’s hatred. (full context)

...about to strike her with the bone dagger, but she thinks of all the pain Saran’s violence has brought. She cannot be like him. Instead, she knocks the girl unconscious. Amari... (full context)

...the encampment’s gate, his hands ablaze. He is a Burner, like the maji who incinerated Saran’s first family. As Zélie drops the sunstone, the Burner catches it, and his entire body... (full context)

...heals him, Zu begins to explain that she and a few others barely escaped after Saran attacked. Inan and Amari exchange guilty looks. (full context)

...since Sokoto. They talk about his new status as a maji and the fact that Saran would kill Inan if he knew. Amari asks how she can trust Inan after all... (full context)

...of her past. He says that seeing those memories made him realize how wrong his father, King Saran, is. (full context)

...see that Inan is infatuated with her, but she warns that his loyalty to their father is stronger. Despite her instincts, Zélie maintains that she trusts Inan now, and thinks that... (full context)

Inan thinks they can convince King Saran to give up his fear and violence toward the maji. He thinks they can... (full context)

...is forgetting that and putting them all at risk, as well. Suddenly, horns sound. The King’s men have arrived. (full context)

Watching Tzain mourn Zélie, Amari is wracked with shame. She wonders how many families her father, King Saran, has destroyed like this, and how much she is to blame. The thought... (full context)

...much time, and Zélie has to tell him how he can destroy the scroll. Otherwise, Saran will kill her. (full context)

Zélie knows that destroying the scroll won’t solve anything—Saran won’t stop until he’s wiped out the divîners entirely. Now, she says she will die... (full context)

King Saran enters, overwhelming Zélie with memories of the Raid. But her desire for vengeance outweighs... (full context)

Saran asks if she killed Kaea or knows who did. Zélie thinks about revealing Inan, but... (full context)

Zélie yells that Saran has murdered and exploited her people, thinking they would never fight back, but now they... (full context)

Saran calls in a physician who injects a serum into Zélie’s neck while Inan watches, horrified.... (full context)

Saran scoffs at Inan, who feels the sting of his father’s disappointment. The guards pull Inan... (full context)

...who she is. Crying, she says she can’t feel anything. Watching Zélie, Inan thinks of Saran’s refrain: “duty before self.” He thinks of Kwame bursting into flames. He realizes he must... (full context)

...says that seizing magic is the only way for the divîners to fight back against Saran and avoid being killed themselves. But first, they must save Zélie. (full context)

Inan feels Zélie’s pain like a lingering presence. He enters King Saran’s office, and sees that his father is calm and collected: harming Zélie is all... (full context)

Saran says that Inan disgraced him, expecting Inan to cower. But for once, Inan talks back,... (full context)

Saran says that they must go to these lengths to keep the kingdom safe. Other kingdoms... (full context)

Saran says that Zélie deserves to be killed because she killed Kaea. He holds up a... (full context)

After they kill Zélie, says Saran, they will parade her body around Orïsha to put down any thoughts of rebellion. He... (full context)

Saran gives Inan an unexpected and unwanted hug, and Inan remembers when he hurt Amari as... (full context)

...sneaks into Zélie’s cell. Zélie is bloodied and almost lifeless, in chains. Inan wonders how Saran can think the maji are animals when he behaves this way himself. Inan unlocks her... (full context)

...She feels surprised by the venom in her voice; it reminds her only of her father, Saran. (full context)

Suddenly, Saran appears, flanked with guards. He is enraged when he sees Amari. But for the first... (full context)

...him, terrified. He thinks it is a slaughter rather than a fair fight. He feels Saran was right—if magic is allowed to return, the kingdom will fall to slaughter and chaos. (full context)

...Inan says he must stay to try to help them from inside the monarchy, since King Saran does not yet know that Inan’s allegiance has shifted. Privately, he thinks that his... (full context)

...Inan approaches gingerly, and all Zélie can think is that she can’t reveal how much Saran has broken her. She sees pity in his eyes, and it makes her furious. Wanting... (full context)

Zélie awakens, awash with confused memories of Inan, Saran, and the scars on her back. The girl who healed Zélie enters, smiling brightly. She... (full context)

...stop thinking about Zélie, and he can’t shake the feeling that he’s lost her forever. Saran approaches and sees that Inan is wavering. Inan himself looks to the skies, wishing he... (full context)

Saran surprises Inan by saying that he, too, wavered once. As a young prince, he watched... (full context)

Hearing his words, Inan pictures the death and destruction he witnessed at the Gombe fortress. Saran says that Inan, too, must now choose duty and kingdom before himself. Saran presents Inan... (full context)

...in the other warships. However, she is no longer driven by revenge. She must stop Saran so that he doesn’t destroy the rest of her people. (full context)

...she used to think Amari was weak, because she was so obviously afraid of her father, King Saran. But now, Zélie says, beginning to cry, she, too, feels like Saran is... (full context)

...apologizes that it took both her and Inan so long to realize just how wrong Saran was, and to begin to right his wrongs. She thinks of Binta, and, in her... (full context)

...she has seen a change in herself. Where before she cowered at the thought of King Saran and the damage he could inflict on her, when she saw him in the... (full context)

...Amari hands her the artifacts and she prepares to attempt the ceremony. At that moment, Saran and his men jump out from hiding places around the room. Inan is there, too,... (full context)

...scroll in front of him and watches as the magic rips it apart. Zélie screams. Saran turns to his son with pride. (full context)

A mercenary approaches King Saran from behind. Without thinking, Inan kills the mercenary with his magic. His father is... (full context)

Amari sees Inan crumble, pierced by Saran’s sword. Amari runs towards her father. The king says that the gods have cursed him... (full context)

Amari thinks about all the fighting Saran forced her and Inan to do as children, pitting them against each other so that... (full context)

Amari says that Saran raised her to fight monsters, but only now is she realizing that he is the... (full context)

Amari realizes Saran does not care about spilling his own children’s blood. This is his choice. She plunges... (full context)

King Saran Character Analysis

King Saran Quotes in Children of Blood and Bone

Chapter Twenty-Four Quotes

Chapter Thirty-Four Quotes

Chapter Thirty-Six Quotes

Chapter Thirty-Nine Quotes

Chapter Forty-Seven Quotes

Chapter Fifty-Four Quotes

Chapter Sixty-Three Quotes

Chapter Sixty-Six Quotes

Chapter Sixty-Eight Quotes

Chapter Seventy-Four Quotes

Chapter Seventy-Nine Quotes

Chapter Eighty Quotes

Chapter Eighty-Three Quotes

King Saran Character Timeline in Children of Blood and Bone