Abstract

In Tomi Adeyemi's The Children of Blood and Bone, magical realism interlaces themes of power, identity, and cultural heritage within a vividly imagined West African landscape. This paper critically examines how Adeyemi employs magical realism to underscore the tensions between oppressive regimes and marginalised communities striving for autonomy. Through the lens of magical realism, the novel's depiction of magic as both an instrument of oppression and a means of liberation reveals the intricacies of reclaiming power and forging identity in post-colonial contexts. The interplay of myth, magic, and politics in The Children of Blood and Bone accentuates the potency of cultural narratives in shaping resistance and resilience. Analysing the narrative strategies and thematic implications of magical realism via a Postcolonial Theoretical Framework, this paper discovers that Adeyemi's work illustrates the significance of cultural memory in empowering marginalised voices. The findings suggest that magical realism serves as a powerful narrative tool for exploring identity, power struggles, and cultural heritage. This paper concludes that Adeyemi's novel offers a compelling exploration of how marginalised voices reclaim agency through the interplay of magic and memory.