Children of Blood and Bone

Children of Blood and Bone

by

Tomi Adeyemi

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Zélie Character Analysis

Zélie, the protagonist of the novel, is Tzain’s younger sister and Mama and Baba’s daughter. Ever since the Raid, when her mother was violently killed before her eyes, Zélie has lived in a state of perpetual fear and anger. She has trained with the staff so that she can defend herself and her family against attack. Even amidst the unfair taxes that King Saran constantly levies against divîners and their families, Zélie has worked hard to feed her family. Despite these noble intentions, Zélie is also headstrong and short-tempered, especially with guards who threaten or harass her, and this attitude has put her family in danger. Zélie feels as if she is never doing enough to keep her family safe. At the same time, she knows that she is part of a wider cause: the only way to end the oppression of divîners like her is to overthrow the monarchy and put power back in the hands of those who can do magic. Because of this violent past, Zélie is reasonably mistrustful of nobles like Amari and Inan, though Zélie and Amari eventually develop a deep friendship, and Zélie and Inan share a brief romance. Zélie slowly lets her guard down once she sees that other people have good intentions. Zélie is also guided by her love for her mother and the traditions of magic and faith that bind them together. Harnessing the power of all her ancestors, Zélie succeeds in restoring magic in the kingdom.

Zélie Quotes in Children of Blood and Bone

The Children of Blood and Bone quotes below are all either spoken by Zélie or refer to Zélie. 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:
Prejudice and Inequality Theme Icon
).
Chapter One Quotes

Deep down, I know the truth. I knew it the moment I saw the maji of Ibadan in chains. The gods died with our magic.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Mama Agba
Page Number: 15
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Two Quotes

He wants to believe that playing by the monarchy’s rules will keep us safe, but nothing can protect us when those rules are rooted in hate

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Tzain
Page Number: 27
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Five Quotes

You must protect those who can’t defend themselves. Mama Agba’s words from this morning seep into my head.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Amari, Tzain, Mama Agba
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Thirteen Quotes

I arch my eyebrow at Amari and think back to her mention of a training accident. I assumed the scar came from her brother’s sword, but was she holding a sword, too? Despite her escape from Lagos, I can’t imagine the princess locked in battle.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Amari, Inan
Page Number: 129
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Twenty-Five Quotes

After I perform the ritual and bring magic back, after Baba is safe and sound. I’ll rally a group of Grounders to sink this monstrosity into the sand. That announcer will pay for every wasted divîner life. Every noble will answer for their crimes.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Baba
Page Number: 212
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Thirty-Nine Quotes

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), Zélie, King Saran
Page Number: 286
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Forty-Seven Quotes

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: 324
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Fifty-One Quotes

Zu’s tears make my own eyes prickle. Kwame’s face pinches with pain. I want to hate him for what he did to Tzain, but I can’t. I’m no better. If anything, I’m worse. If Inan hadn’t stopped me, I would’ve stabbed that masked divîner to death just to get answers.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Amari, Inan, Tzain, Kwame, Zu
Page Number: 343
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Fifty-Four Quotes

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: 364
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Fifty-Six Quotes

The children of Orïsha dance like there’s no tomorrow, each step praising the gods. Their mouths glorify the rapture of liberation, their hearts sing the Yoruba songs of freedom. My ears dance at the words of my language, words I once thought I’d never hear outside my head. They seem to light up the air with their delight. It’s like the whole world can breathe again.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker)
Page Number: 377
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Sixty-Three Quotes

“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), Zélie, King Saran, Kwame
Page Number: 412
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Sixty-Six Quotes

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: 432
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventy-One Quotes

The ache that cuts through me is sharper than the blade that cut through my back. It’s like losing Mama all over again.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Mama
Page Number: 456
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventy-Four Quotes

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), Zélie, King Saran
Page Number: 476
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventy-Five Quotes

I don’t want to be alone. Not when tonight could be my last night. Blind faith in the gods may have taken me this far, but if I’m going to get on that island tomorrow, I need more.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Amari
Page Number: 481
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventy-Eight Quotes

Minutes stretch into hours, an eternity that drags like death. Each second that passes is another second my mind tumbles in guilt What if they’re captured? What if they die? I can’t have more people perish for this. I can’t have more blood stain my hands.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker)
Page Number: 494
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventy-Nine Quotes

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, King Saran, Baba
Page Number: 499
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eighty Quotes

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: 503
Explanation and Analysis:
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Zélie Quotes in Children of Blood and Bone

The Children of Blood and Bone quotes below are all either spoken by Zélie or refer to Zélie. 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:
Prejudice and Inequality Theme Icon
).
Chapter One Quotes

Deep down, I know the truth. I knew it the moment I saw the maji of Ibadan in chains. The gods died with our magic.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Mama Agba
Page Number: 15
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Two Quotes

He wants to believe that playing by the monarchy’s rules will keep us safe, but nothing can protect us when those rules are rooted in hate

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Tzain
Page Number: 27
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Five Quotes

You must protect those who can’t defend themselves. Mama Agba’s words from this morning seep into my head.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Amari, Tzain, Mama Agba
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Thirteen Quotes

I arch my eyebrow at Amari and think back to her mention of a training accident. I assumed the scar came from her brother’s sword, but was she holding a sword, too? Despite her escape from Lagos, I can’t imagine the princess locked in battle.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Amari, Inan
Page Number: 129
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Twenty-Five Quotes

After I perform the ritual and bring magic back, after Baba is safe and sound. I’ll rally a group of Grounders to sink this monstrosity into the sand. That announcer will pay for every wasted divîner life. Every noble will answer for their crimes.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Baba
Page Number: 212
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Thirty-Nine Quotes

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), Zélie, King Saran
Page Number: 286
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Forty-Seven Quotes

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: 324
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Fifty-One Quotes

Zu’s tears make my own eyes prickle. Kwame’s face pinches with pain. I want to hate him for what he did to Tzain, but I can’t. I’m no better. If anything, I’m worse. If Inan hadn’t stopped me, I would’ve stabbed that masked divîner to death just to get answers.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Amari, Inan, Tzain, Kwame, Zu
Page Number: 343
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Fifty-Four Quotes

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: 364
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Fifty-Six Quotes

The children of Orïsha dance like there’s no tomorrow, each step praising the gods. Their mouths glorify the rapture of liberation, their hearts sing the Yoruba songs of freedom. My ears dance at the words of my language, words I once thought I’d never hear outside my head. They seem to light up the air with their delight. It’s like the whole world can breathe again.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker)
Page Number: 377
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Sixty-Three Quotes

“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), Zélie, King Saran, Kwame
Page Number: 412
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Sixty-Six Quotes

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: 432
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventy-One Quotes

The ache that cuts through me is sharper than the blade that cut through my back. It’s like losing Mama all over again.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Mama
Page Number: 456
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventy-Four Quotes

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), Zélie, King Saran
Page Number: 476
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventy-Five Quotes

I don’t want to be alone. Not when tonight could be my last night. Blind faith in the gods may have taken me this far, but if I’m going to get on that island tomorrow, I need more.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker), Amari
Page Number: 481
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventy-Eight Quotes

Minutes stretch into hours, an eternity that drags like death. Each second that passes is another second my mind tumbles in guilt What if they’re captured? What if they die? I can’t have more people perish for this. I can’t have more blood stain my hands.

Related Characters: Zélie (speaker)
Page Number: 494
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Seventy-Nine Quotes

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, King Saran, Baba
Page Number: 499
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Eighty Quotes

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: 503
Explanation and Analysis: