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booknerdery's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Violence, Colonisation, Child death, Body horror, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Gore, and Gun violence
Moderate: Animal death and Cancer
linhsreadinghour's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Finally a fantasy book inspired by Vietnamese culture and written by a Vietnamese author.
I loved this, the representation and worldbuilding was so easy to understand. It was great to see my culture represented in a fantasy world, I loved it. Very apt homage to Vietnamese culture in so many ways.
Inspired by Vietnamese culture, this book has such a unique medical/biological magic system, murder mystery, tension and small romance subplot. It’s underpinned by themes of continuing one’s family legacy and identity.
I enjoyed this so much, a great YA fantasy novel. I was gripped and intrigued throughout the story. Need the second book soon because cliffhanger is HANGING 😫
Check TW warnings though, lots of medical content - if you’re squeamish, take care reading this!
I loved this, the representation and worldbuilding was so easy to understand. It was great to see my culture represented in a fantasy world, I loved it. Very apt homage to Vietnamese culture in so many ways.
Inspired by Vietnamese culture, this book has such a unique medical/biological magic system, murder mystery, tension and small romance subplot. It’s underpinned by themes of continuing one’s family legacy and identity.
I enjoyed this so much, a great YA fantasy novel. I was gripped and intrigued throughout the story. Need the second book soon because cliffhanger is HANGING 😫
Check TW warnings though, lots of medical content - if you’re squeamish, take care reading this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Medical content, Child death, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Murder, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Colonisation, and Grief
mikasana's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Pretty solid for a debut novel and I love how unique it is.
This originally felt like a fantasy novel but it soon quickly became more of a murder mystery with elements of fantasy set in an old timey city where horses were still occasionally used to pull carriages.
My only main grievances were the romance and the engagement towards the end. The beginning sucks you in so well and you lose a lot of steam in the middle and end. It’s still great, but it could have been so much more if that same momentum kept going or even built up. The romance was very underwhelming. Yes there were some hints that something was blooming but when it did happen it felt like it came out of left field. It felt off.
The story as a whole was as wonderful as it felt it was a dedication. A love letter written not only to culture and family but to the healers of the world and to the commitment they vow to life itself.
And that ending??? Ohhh man. There’s that momentum again. I look forward to the final installment.
This originally felt like a fantasy novel but it soon quickly became more of a murder mystery with elements of fantasy set in an old timey city where horses were still occasionally used to pull carriages.
My only main grievances were the romance and the engagement towards the end. The beginning sucks you in so well and you lose a lot of steam in the middle and end. It’s still great, but it could have been so much more if that same momentum kept going or even built up. The romance was very underwhelming. Yes there were some hints that something was blooming but when it did happen it felt like it came out of left field. It felt off.
The story as a whole was as wonderful as it felt it was a dedication. A love letter written not only to culture and family but to the healers of the world and to the commitment they vow to life itself.
And that ending??? Ohhh man. There’s that momentum again. I look forward to the final installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Trafficking, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Murder, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Torture, Death of parent, Grief, and Drug abuse
roseleebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I really liked this book. Nhika is my favorite type of MC, someone doing what they have to to survive, but still holding to certain ideals. Her POV was really great to read.
The plot is part mystery/thriller, part medical drama in a fantasy setting and I am impressed by how well it all worked in this book. Kochin also was a great counter to Nhika. Their relationship does seem to develop and change very quickly, I was wishing there were more interactions between the two of them.
I would love to read another book in this world. The ending was phenomenal and the characters well developed. A great read!
The plot is part mystery/thriller, part medical drama in a fantasy setting and I am impressed by how well it all worked in this book. Kochin also was a great counter to Nhika. Their relationship does seem to develop and change very quickly, I was wishing there were more interactions between the two of them.
I would love to read another book in this world. The ending was phenomenal and the characters well developed. A great read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Trafficking, Murder, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Xenophobia, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Genocide, and Gun violence
lexihworth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I want to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a free arc of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, blood, injury, gore, medical trauma, the use of weapons, and kidnapping.
This book had a ton of the trappings of what I love in a dark fantasy novel. It was well written without being overly flowery in language. It was easy to follow. The characters were interesting. I found the premise intriguing and the fast-paced plot kept me entertained. What set this book apart for me was the setting and atmosphere of the world in which the story took place. I was captivated by this city with its old-world high society classism, and polite smiles hiding mistrust, treachery, and unwarranted fears of the “foreign” or “unknown,” all of which were juxtaposed with futuristic automatons and medical advancements. The influence of Vietnamese mythology on this book kept it from falling too far into the cliches of steampunk but still managed to capture the duality of future tech and antiquated society that most punk-type genres aim for. Along with the protagonist’s modern sense of justice, a mystery plot to solve, and the beautiful lore-rich magic system, this was almost a 5-star read for me.
My only critiques are with some of the interpersonal relationships between the characters. I liked the characters themselves, but some of the dynamics that the heroine had with them just didn’t feel grounded enough for me. The main romance had a great “rivals to lovers” style build-up in the first half, but it felt very rushed after the characters made their first major turning point. The payoff was lessened for me by the way it kind of felt underdeveloped. That being said, this is the first in a duology, so the second may alleviate some of that tension for readers.
Our protagonist’s relationships with her employers also felt underdeveloped. There was a lot of tension about whether or not they were ever going to give her their trust, but I had hoped that tension would feel a little bit more resolved. Their reticence was believable and even sometimes understandable, but I grew more frustrated as the narrative went on that the tension there was neither escalating nor dispersing. It plateaued the plot momentum a bit for me.
The narration of the audiobook was well done. I tend to prefer audiobooks because I sometimes struggle to sit still without anything to occupy my hands. Listening to an audiobook while playing an idle game or doing a craft project is my ideal. Sometimes if a narrator's voice is too monotone or they don’t pause for punctuation. I can struggle to keep focused on the story. I didn’t have that problem at all with this text. However, I did listen to it on 1.5x speed, as the regular narration speed was just a little too slow for me (but I almost always have to speed up narrations, so that’s not really a complaint). I thought the narrator’s voice was a perfect fit for the characters and I never had any trouble discerning which character was speaking.
I rated this book 4.5 stars on Storygraph, and 4 stars on Goodreads. In the system that I use for my reading statistics, I rated “The Last Bonecarver” as 8.9 out of 10.
With that rating, I would recommend this book to readers who love fantasy stories with fast-paced mystery plots, magical adventures, and dark themes.
If that sounds like you, “The Last Bonecarver” by Vanessa Le will be officially published in just a few days– March 19, 2024– so add it to your TBR or order it now.
Content Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, blood, injury, gore, medical trauma, the use of weapons, and kidnapping.
This book had a ton of the trappings of what I love in a dark fantasy novel. It was well written without being overly flowery in language. It was easy to follow. The characters were interesting. I found the premise intriguing and the fast-paced plot kept me entertained. What set this book apart for me was the setting and atmosphere of the world in which the story took place. I was captivated by this city with its old-world high society classism, and polite smiles hiding mistrust, treachery, and unwarranted fears of the “foreign” or “unknown,” all of which were juxtaposed with futuristic automatons and medical advancements. The influence of Vietnamese mythology on this book kept it from falling too far into the cliches of steampunk but still managed to capture the duality of future tech and antiquated society that most punk-type genres aim for. Along with the protagonist’s modern sense of justice, a mystery plot to solve, and the beautiful lore-rich magic system, this was almost a 5-star read for me.
My only critiques are with some of the interpersonal relationships between the characters. I liked the characters themselves, but some of the dynamics that the heroine had with them just didn’t feel grounded enough for me. The main romance had a great “rivals to lovers” style build-up in the first half, but it felt very rushed after the characters made their first major turning point. The payoff was lessened for me by the way it kind of felt underdeveloped. That being said, this is the first in a duology, so the second may alleviate some of that tension for readers.
Our protagonist’s relationships with her employers also felt underdeveloped. There was a lot of tension about whether or not they were ever going to give her their trust, but I had hoped that tension would feel a little bit more resolved. Their reticence was believable and even sometimes understandable, but I grew more frustrated as the narrative went on that the tension there was neither escalating nor dispersing. It plateaued the plot momentum a bit for me.
The narration of the audiobook was well done. I tend to prefer audiobooks because I sometimes struggle to sit still without anything to occupy my hands. Listening to an audiobook while playing an idle game or doing a craft project is my ideal. Sometimes if a narrator's voice is too monotone or they don’t pause for punctuation. I can struggle to keep focused on the story. I didn’t have that problem at all with this text. However, I did listen to it on 1.5x speed, as the regular narration speed was just a little too slow for me (but I almost always have to speed up narrations, so that’s not really a complaint). I thought the narrator’s voice was a perfect fit for the characters and I never had any trouble discerning which character was speaking.
I rated this book 4.5 stars on Storygraph, and 4 stars on Goodreads. In the system that I use for my reading statistics, I rated “The Last Bonecarver” as 8.9 out of 10.
With that rating, I would recommend this book to readers who love fantasy stories with fast-paced mystery plots, magical adventures, and dark themes.
If that sounds like you, “The Last Bonecarver” by Vanessa Le will be officially published in just a few days– March 19, 2024– so add it to your TBR or order it now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Gore, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Classism, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Animal death
bibliomich's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It’s been a minute since I’ve read YA fantasy, but Vanessa Le’s The Last Bloodcarver was a fun reintroduction to the genre! The book follows Nhika, a master of “heartsoothing” (a healing practice passed down from her ancestors), also known by the more derogatory name of bloodcarving. Most of the fantasy elements are built around this practice, which involves the protagonist entering the body of her patient via touch in order to heal their ailments. Nhika’s powers are either feared or taken advantage of, primarily due to racism and classism within her world. When Nhika is hired by a well renowned family to help heal a patient (and in doing so, solve a mystery), she finds herself navigating a new social world that is simultaneously intoxicating, inviting, and potentially dangerous.
What I enjoyed:
- The fantasy world that Le has built is unlike any that I’ve read before, and it was easy to get swept up in the fast-paced story.
- I appreciate that while this book is marketed for young adults, I also think the content could absolutely be appropriate for a middle grade library (pending teacher/parent judgment). I’ve already recommended the book to a few of my students whom I believe would appreciate the story and the medical/scientific aspects of the novel.
- The ending took me by surprise, and I actually really enjoyed the direction that Le chose to take the story.
What didn't quite work for me:
- The romance element was sweet, but it felt a little rushed. I wish it had been developed out a bit more.
- Le can get a little in the weeds with medical terminology; at times, it felt like she was showing off her own medical knowledge in a way that didn't seem to advance the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my advanced listener copy.
What I enjoyed:
- The fantasy world that Le has built is unlike any that I’ve read before, and it was easy to get swept up in the fast-paced story.
- I appreciate that while this book is marketed for young adults, I also think the content could absolutely be appropriate for a middle grade library (pending teacher/parent judgment). I’ve already recommended the book to a few of my students whom I believe would appreciate the story and the medical/scientific aspects of the novel.
- The ending took me by surprise, and I actually really enjoyed the direction that Le chose to take the story.
What didn't quite work for me:
- The romance element was sweet, but it felt a little rushed. I wish it had been developed out a bit more.
- Le can get a little in the weeds with medical terminology; at times, it felt like she was showing off her own medical knowledge in a way that didn't seem to advance the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my advanced listener copy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Medical content, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Racism
devynreadsnovels's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Genocide, Classism, Colonisation, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Physical abuse, War, Gore, Medical trauma, and Murder
Minor: Alcohol, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, and Emotional abuse
allisonisabel's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
A sweeping debut that blends magic, science, and familial ancestry in a Vietnam inspired fantasy world, The Last Bloodcarver is definitely worth the read.
By far, my favorite part of this book was the magic system. The way in which medicine is blended with magic is so fascinating and truly so so creative in a way I haven’t seen in a long time. I may be biased as I’m a pre-med student but it was still so cool. The pages long descriptions of Heartsoothing and the intimate connection with the body were gripping and engaging to read. I also enjoyed the hints at a larger society, with mentions of a technocracy, automatons, and a looming war based around colonization. The line level writing was quite beautiful at times and I truly felt that Nhika’s character development was both realistic and well handled.
The plot provided a solid anchoring to carry you through the book, and I felt that in many parts, tension was adequately maintained, although I did guess what I’ll call one of two twists that are revealed about 60% through. That’s nothing against the author, however.
I think my only complaint lies in the development of the romantic relationship. I won’t spoil much, but the ending for me fell a bit flat as I did not fully believe in the relationship in relied on. I wish we could’ve seen more establishment of that. However, I did enjoy the development of platonic relationships although I also would’ve wished for a bit more set up from those. I also slightly wish we could’ve seen more about the world and the greater issues going on that I mentioned above.
All that is to say, this was a very good book. If you’re looking for a diverse fantasy that blends magic, medicine, and murder mystery in a technocratic society, then this book is perfect for you. I enjoyed it, and I hope you will too.
Thank you again to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
A sweeping debut that blends magic, science, and familial ancestry in a Vietnam inspired fantasy world, The Last Bloodcarver is definitely worth the read.
By far, my favorite part of this book was the magic system. The way in which medicine is blended with magic is so fascinating and truly so so creative in a way I haven’t seen in a long time. I may be biased as I’m a pre-med student but it was still so cool. The pages long descriptions of Heartsoothing and the intimate connection with the body were gripping and engaging to read. I also enjoyed the hints at a larger society, with mentions of a technocracy, automatons, and a looming war based around colonization. The line level writing was quite beautiful at times and I truly felt that Nhika’s character development was both realistic and well handled.
The plot provided a solid anchoring to carry you through the book, and I felt that in many parts, tension was adequately maintained, although I did guess what I’ll call one of two twists that are revealed about 60% through. That’s nothing against the author, however.
I think my only complaint lies in the development of the romantic relationship. I won’t spoil much, but the ending for me fell a bit flat as I did not fully believe in the relationship in relied on. I wish we could’ve seen more establishment of that. However, I did enjoy the development of platonic relationships although I also would’ve wished for a bit more set up from those. I also slightly wish we could’ve seen more about the world and the greater issues going on that I mentioned above.
All that is to say, this was a very good book. If you’re looking for a diverse fantasy that blends magic, medicine, and murder mystery in a technocratic society, then this book is perfect for you. I enjoyed it, and I hope you will too.
Thank you again to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Trafficking, Medical content, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
Moderate: Colonisation, Gore, and Car accident
Minor: Animal death
shimmeringice's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
One of the coolest depictions of blood magic I've ever read, set in vaguely 1920s steampunk-y SE Asia. I wish I loved the characters and their relationships more, but this was an incredibly solid debut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Trafficking
Moderate: Colonisation, Death of parent, Child death, Chronic illness, and Grief
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, and Animal death
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