Fantasy is usually full of knights or elves, right? Not here. Tochi Onyebuchi didn't just write another YA novel with Beasts Made of Night; he built a world out of guilt and hunger. It’s gritty. If you haven't read it yet, you're missing out on a story that basically treats magic like a terminal illness.
In the city of Kos, sin isn't just a concept. It’s a physical creature. When people commit crimes, a mage pulls a "sin-beast" out of them. But someone has to deal with that beast. That’s where the tajick come in. They eat the sins. They fight these shadow monsters, get bitten, and the sin literally tattoos itself onto their skin. Tajick like the protagonist, Taj, end up covered in ink that represents other people’s filth. It’s a heavy metaphor for class struggle, and honestly, it’s one of the most original magic systems I’ve seen in years.
The Brutal Reality of Being a Sin-Eater
Living as a tajick is a raw deal. Think about it. You’re saving the souls of the wealthy, but they treat you like trash. You are essentially a walking dumpster for the city's moral decay. Onyebuchi draws heavily from his Nigerian heritage here, creating a setting that feels like a bustling, dusty, high-stakes version of Lagos.
The magic system in Beasts Made of Night isn't sparkly. It’s painful. When Taj eats a sin, he feels the guilt of the person who committed it. If someone killed a person, Taj feels that murderous intent. If someone stole, he feels the desperation. This isn't "chosen one" stuff; it's "exploited worker" stuff. The author uses this to talk about how society pushes its trauma onto the most vulnerable people. It’s a cycle. The rich stay "pure" because the poor literally carry their darkness.
Why the Tajick Matter More Than Ever
We talk a lot about "empathy" these days. Taj is the extreme version of that. He can't look away from what people have done because it’s etched into his arms and chest. The ink doesn't just sit there; it changes him. It weighs on his mind. Most fantasy novels focus on the power of the magic, but Onyebuchi focuses on the cost.
- The Physical Toll: Every fight leaves a mark.
- The Mental Burden: Imagine carrying the shame of a hundred strangers.
- Social Isolation: Taj and his friends are outcasts, living in a place called the Association.
It’s a lonely existence. You’ve got these kids—and they are kids—basically sacrificing their futures so the aristocracy can keep their hands clean. It’s a brutal look at systemic inequality disguised as a monster-hunting book.
✨ Don't miss: Cómo salvar a tu favorito: La verdad sobre la votación de La Casa de los Famosos Colombia
The World-Building of Kos
Kos is alive. You can smell the suya and the dust. You can hear the chaos of the markets. Onyebuchi’s writing is incredibly sensory. He doesn't just tell you the city is crowded; he makes you feel the heat of the bodies and the tension in the air. This isn't some sterile European castle. It’s a vibrant, terrifying, beautiful African-inspired metropolis.
But the city is also broken. The monarchy is corrupt, and the religious leaders are arguably worse. They use the tajick as tools. When a royal commits a sin, it's a "state secret" that a tajick has to swallow. The power dynamics are messy. There’s no clear-cut "good vs. evil" here because everyone is stained by something. Even Taj isn't a perfect hero. He’s survival-oriented. He’s angry. He’s tired.
Magic, Guilt, and the Nigerian Influence
You can't talk about Beasts Made of Night without mentioning the cultural roots. Tochi Onyebuchi is a Nigerian-American author, and he weaves Igbo culture and Nigerian aesthetics into every page. From the food to the linguistic rhythms, it feels authentic. It’s not "window dressing." The way the characters interact, the importance of family (even found family), and the skepticism toward authority all feel deeply rooted in a specific cultural consciousness.
It’s refreshing.
For a long time, the fantasy genre was basically just "Lord of the Rings" clones. Then we got a wave of diverse voices, and Onyebuchi is at the forefront of that. He isn't interested in making magic easy. In many ways, the "beasts" are a literalization of the trauma and corruption found in real-world history and modern politics.
🔗 Read more: Cliff Richard and The Young Ones: The Weirdest Bromance in TV History Explained
Misconceptions About the Series
Some people go into this expecting a standard action-adventure. It has action, sure. The fights with the sin-beasts are intense. They’re shadowy, shifting creatures that take the form of animals—hyenas, leopards, birds. But if you're looking for a lighthearted romp, keep looking. This is a dark story. It deals with depression, self-loathing, and the feeling of being trapped by your circumstances.
Another misconception? That it’s just for "young adults." While it’s marketed that way, the themes are incredibly mature. It asks hard questions about whether we can ever truly be "clean" if we live in a society built on exploitation. It’s a book that stays with you. You’ll find yourself thinking about Taj’s tattoos long after you finish the last page of the sequel, Crown of Thunder.
The Evolution of Taj
Watching Taj change is the best part of the journey. He starts off just trying to get through the day, maybe make enough money to help his friends. But as the stakes get higher—as he gets involved with Princess Irayo—he has to decide if he’s going to keep being a victim of the system or if he’s going to break it.
His relationship with Irayo is interesting because it’s not a simple "princess and the pauper" romance. It’s complicated by the fact that her family is the reason he suffers. How do you love someone who represents your oppression? Onyebuchi doesn't give us easy answers. He makes us sit in the discomfort.
Why You Should Care About the Beasts
The "beasts" aren't just monsters. They are us. They are our secrets. By making sin a literal creature, the book forces the reader to confront their own mistakes. What would your sin-beast look like? Would it be a massive, snarling beast or something small and biting?
💡 You might also like: Christopher McDonald in Lemonade Mouth: Why This Villain Still Works
The brilliance of Beasts Made of Night is that it makes the internal external. It takes the feeling of a heavy conscience and turns it into a physical weight. That’s why it resonates. Everyone knows what it’s like to carry something they wish they could forget. Taj just happens to have to fight his in an alleyway with a jagged blade.
Real-World Impact and Reception
Since its release in 2017, the book has become a staple in discussions about diverse fantasy. It’s frequently cited alongside works by N.K. Jemisin and Tomi Adeyemi. Critics have praised it for its unflinching look at justice. It’s not just a "cool story"; it’s a critique of the criminal justice system. If you look at how we treat people who have "sinned" in the real world—how we mark them and keep them from succeeding—the tajick start to look a lot more familiar.
Moving Forward With the Story
If you’re diving into this world for the first time, keep a few things in mind. First, pay attention to the descriptions of the sins. They aren't random. They tell you everything you need to know about the person they came from. Second, don't expect a "happily ever after" in the traditional sense. This is a story about survival and the slow, painful process of revolution.
To get the most out of the experience, read the books back-to-back. The transition from Beasts Made of Night to Crown of Thunder is a massive escalation. The world opens up. We see what’s outside Kos, and the stakes go from personal to global.
- Step 1: Grab a copy of the first book and pay close attention to the "Association" chapters. That’s where the heart of the story lives.
- Step 2: Look up the different Nigerian dishes mentioned. It adds a whole new layer of immersion if you can visualize (or even taste) what Taj is eating during his few moments of peace.
- Step 3: Reflect on the ending. It’s divisive for some, but it’s honest to the characters’ journeys.
The legacy of these books is the way they bridge the gap between high-concept magic and the very real, very human experience of guilt. Taj’s ink might be fictional, but the weight he carries is something we all understand.
The most important takeaway from Onyebuchi's work is the realization that we can't keep pushing our darkness onto others. Eventually, the beasts come home to roost. Whether we fight them or feed them is up to us.