The world was introduced to Tomi Adeyemi and her Legacy of Orïsha series back in 2018 when her debut story, Children of Blood and Bone, took the publishing world by storm. Tomi’s work was at the forefront of a new trend in fiction that reflected readers’ and listeners’ desires to hear more diverse and inclusive stories. Now, Tomi’s trilogy concludes with Children of Anguish and Anarchy, and we’re excited to celebrate her accomplishments in completing this epic series that led the way for so many other wonderful mythology-based stories.

Melissa Bendixen: So, Tomi, how does it feel to be finishing your first series?

Tomi Adeyemi: It feels absolutely incredible. Writing this trilogy has been such a wild ride for me. I often felt like I was on this crazy, euphoric, challenging adventure right alongside my characters. But now that it’s complete, I just feel such a sense of pride and joy and gratitude. Even though they’re three separate books, it feels like one story to me—one tome. I think I dream of one day holding an edition that’s all three stories bound in one manuscript, because this 1,000+ page series (don’t even get me started counting how many hours it is on Audible!) is truly one giant epic and an ode to my childhood and my 20s and the first act of my life.

Where do you feel like you are now versus after the publication of Children of Bone and Blood?

Wow! That is a giant question. I mean, I am a completely different person. I often tell people that writing this trilogy for me felt like being Frodo and having the ring. It was a harrowing adventure. It took so much! I honestly look back at myself and I can’t believe I did this.

I think after the publication of Children of Blood and Bone, I was ecstatic at the reception and the success of my debut novel, but I didn’t feel the pride of having published this story until I turned in the final manuscript for Children of Anguish and Anarchy. While the world was celebrating book 1, I was already deep into writing and stressing about book 2! And it was the exact same experience when Children of Virtue and Vengeance came out.

Now, I’m full of such peace and I’m getting to truly celebrate with people and take this monumental achievement in like never before. I’m incredibly proud of myself, but again, I’m just grateful to have experienced this journey and become the person I am today through it.

Children of Anguish and Anarchy is quite an epic finish. What are you most excited about for fans to hear in Zélie’s finale?

Because this feels like one giant story to me in a way I wasn’t expecting, I can’t wait for my fans to see Zélie’s final moments. To go from the girl who sat in that reed hut with her wooden staff, begging her mentor to pick her, to the sheer goddess warrior who—(I'm avoiding spoilers, but when you hear this scene, you’ll know!)—it’s mesmerizing to me. I can’t wait for my fans to feel that.

Also exciting is Cynthia Erivo as narrator here. Tell us what you’re most looking forward to in her performance.

I love the audiobooks in this series. I have been so blessed to work with talented actresses and narrators such as Bahni Turpin, and I hear from my fans all the time how much these audiobooks mean to them! One fan just shared with me how these audiobooks are a cannon event in her relationship with her boyfriend who just became her fiancé! So when it comes to Cynthia Erivo narrating book 3, I am over the moon. I am forever in awe of Cynthia. On one hand, you have this utterly divine being with a voice from the cosmos. On the other hand, you have this incredibly talented and hard-working actress who has turned herself into a master of her craft. As an artist I admire and look up to so much, I just cannot wait to hear my words and the final chapter of this story through her beautiful creative expression! I know I’m going to cry!

We interviewed you in 2018 before the release of Children of Blood and Bone, and in the interview you said you were believing more and more in the power of stories to save the world. What would you say about the power of stories now?

Stories are everything. Whether they’re the pages of a book or the words of a narrator or the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, as humans, stories are our connective tissue. I don’t just believe in their power more than ever, I understand that stories in all forms and all mediums are the purest expression of humanity that we have.