Tomi Adeyemi on the film of her hit novel Children of Blood and Bone: ‘I don’t plan to watch it’
Her debut earned a record-breaking YA book deal – then came her fallout with Hollywood. The author talks about the pressures of success and why she is pictured on the cover of her new novel
TL;DR
- Tomi Adeyemi uses her author portrait on the cover of her new novel, 'The Siren,' as a personal statement of ownership after feeling that her identity was interpreted by others during the success of 'Children of Blood and Bone.'
- The film adaptation of 'Children of Blood and Bone' has been a source of profound distress for Adeyemi, leading her to describe the process as 'the worst thing I have ever had to live through' and stating she has no plans to watch the finished movie.
- Adeyemi's debut novel, 'Children of Blood and Bone,' achieved significant success, making her a literary star and a symbol for the next generation of Black YA literature, a role she felt a heavy weight of responsibility for.
- Her new novel, 'The Siren,' shifts to contemporary fiction and is described as deeply personal, with the protagonist Emery embodying Adeyemi's 'inner teen.'
- Adeyemi's career path was not straightforward, facing parental expectations for a more traditional career and experiencing 63 rejections for her first manuscript before writing 'Children of Blood and Bone.'
- The author addressed public discussions around colorism in the film adaptation, stating that the director makes all decisions for the film, not her, and that the choices made were not hers.
- Adeyemi is proud of the impact her debut had in increasing the visibility of dark-skinned protagonists in YA literature and feels she has 'changed things.'