While this is not a case of Them vs Us, the concern about how the story will represent Nigeria—not just in its grand mythology but in its smaller, more intimate details—is crucial. There is a reason to believe that the portrayal of Nigerian culture in Children of Blood and Bone will be filtered more through external research than through intuitive, lived-in sensibilities.
In the beginning, Ajoke suddenly wakes up and thoughts of an impending journey to a seer occupy her mind. When...