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Chapter Thirty-Nine
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
The explosion when Jokôye’s wind meets Kenyon’s fire shakes the entire temple. Ojore drags Inan back as Nehanda summons her magic. Amari, however, summons blue magic and sends pain into Nehanda and the other soldiers. She locks eyes with Inan but doesn’t hurt him. Ojore drags Inan into a room and they hear the Iyika thunder past. Inan tries to pull Zélie into his dreamscape, but the attempt hurts. Ojore tells Inan to stay put. Inan fingers his bronze coin and then races after Zélie.
Here, Inan’s coin reminds him of Zélie and again, of the human cost of what Nehanda and Jokôye want to do to the maji. Choosing to run after her makes it clear that Inan is far more interested in coming up with a peace plan than fighting, which shows growth and recognition that violence shouldn’t be the answer—but given who surrounds him, it’s unsure if Inan can succeed.
Themes
