Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Children of Virtue and Vengeance, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Power and Systems of Oppression
Cycles of Violence
Tradition and History
Love vs. Duty
Summary
Analysis
Once Zélie finds her voice, she accuses Amari of betraying the Iyika. She doesn’t believe Inan when he says he came alone, since he’s betrayed her so many times before. Amari pleadingly says that Inan brought a treaty, but Zélie insists that the maji won’t be free until the monarchs are all dead, including Amari—Zélie doesn’t trust Amari anymore. Zélie begins to conjure shadows, but Amari asks Zélie to think of the Reapers that will die. When Amari begins to conjure her own ashê, Zélie backs down. Inan steps toward Zélie and says that he knows she’s terrified. Zélie thinks he’s right: now, she’s afraid of losing her Reapers and Mama Agba. Inan promises he’s genuine and steps forward until they’re touching.
Because Zélie has seen little from Inan that’s believable or trustworthy, it’s even more unthinkable to her that Amari would betray them—it seems, to Zélie, that Amari is prioritizing love for Inan over the responsibility she has to the maji as the Connector elder. Zélie’s hatred and fear of Inan, however, is magnified because, like Amari, she’s focusing on her love for and duty to her Reapers, who are just as important to her as her remaining blood family.
Themes
Inan insists that he’s king now, so he has the power to make good on his promises. Zélie thinks of Màri and Mâzeli and remembers how she used to love Inan. Inan offers Zélie the treaty and Zélie desperately wants to think that this is the right thing to do. She skims it and says it’ll be enough to open negotiations, but a horn blares from the Iyika sanctuary. Zélie lifts herself on shadows and sees Nehanda and her army marching toward them.
Inan’s insistence that he can do what he wants because he’s the king now reads as naïve, given that he’s not been able to do anything he really wants to do thanks to Nehanda and Jokôye’s villainy and constant insertions into his plans. Further, the arrival of Inan’s army makes it clear that Inan isn’t trustworthy, no matter what he says.
Themes
