Children of Blood and Bone is a fantasy set in the fictional kingdom of Orïsha. In this society, two ethnic groups have been at war for centuries: the kosidáns, who cannot perform magic, and the diviners, who have the potential to do magic. When the book begins, the kosidáns have eliminated magic and subjugated the diviners. But a few brave young people realize they have a chance to bring magic back. To do so, they must face many dangerous challenges and learn a lot about themselves.

In this book, the visual appearance of the characters is very important. White hair shows that a character is a diviner. When diviners fulfill their magical potential and become magi, their hair becomes curly. Ethnic markers like hair color and skin tone and styles of dress have a huge effect on how characters are treated by others. They can read so much about each other’s feelings and intentions through facial expressions and body language. Tattoos and traditional garments are used to celebrate culture and history, while scars serve as inescapable reminders of trauma.