Scan barcode
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
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
actual_hobbit's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy!
This book was not what I expected but in a very good way! Though this is classified as YA, I would recommend this to adults and fantasy-lovers looking for something completely original. I especially would recommend this to fans of Six of Crows.
The Last Bloodcarver has a unique concept, a compelling storyline, amazing world building - and a snarky, unrelenting MC you can't help but love. I was on Nhika's side from page one and loved watching her grow and learn to trust.
The author does not hold back on showing violence or how insidious people can become, even when they believe their motives are justified. To me, this unsettling portrayal is what elevates the story beyond a survival or love story.
I really enjoyed the side characters of the Congmi family and would have even loved more of their relationships and dynamic. Unfortunately Kochin fell short for me as a romantic interest. I didn't really buy his character both before and after we learn about his past. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop, unable to trust him. If we had more exposure to him early on, or alternatively, if he hadn't shown kindness in the very beginning, it would have felt less disjointed.
That being said... The ending made my jaw drop!
This book was not what I expected but in a very good way! Though this is classified as YA, I would recommend this to adults and fantasy-lovers looking for something completely original. I especially would recommend this to fans of Six of Crows.
The Last Bloodcarver has a unique concept, a compelling storyline, amazing world building - and a snarky, unrelenting MC you can't help but love. I was on Nhika's side from page one and loved watching her grow and learn to trust.
The author does not hold back on showing violence or how insidious people can become, even when they believe their motives are justified. To me, this unsettling portrayal is what elevates the story beyond a survival or love story.
I really enjoyed the side characters of the Congmi family and would have even loved more of their relationships and dynamic. Unfortunately Kochin fell short for me as a romantic interest. I didn't really buy his character both before and after we learn about his past. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop, unable to trust him. If we had more exposure to him early on, or alternatively, if he hadn't shown kindness in the very beginning, it would have felt less disjointed.
That being said... The ending made my jaw drop!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Medical content, Hate crime, and Torture
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Death, Child death, and Racism
elee2013's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This really missed the mark for me. It’s nearly a bully romance, which I can’t get behind. I can’t forgive deliberate cruelty.
And the ending was oddly drawn out… and then everything all at once! And then the book is over! Artificial suspense with no falling action. For all the explaining the book does (I do think it came across a bit heavy handed) we get to the end and there’s no reflection whatsoever.
It’s disappointing because so much of the rest of the book is so good!! The “magic”, the steampunk, the colonialism, the hints at the upcoming conflict with Nazi-ish standins (don’t think I didn’t notice the Mengele reference), the medical mystery Nhika is working to solve in the first half. Awesome start! But it lost me in the final act. I won’t be continuing with the series.
And the ending was oddly drawn out… and then everything all at once! And then the book is over! Artificial suspense with no falling action. For all the explaining the book does (I do think it came across a bit heavy handed) we get to the end and there’s no reflection whatsoever.
It’s disappointing because so much of the rest of the book is so good!! The “magic”, the steampunk, the colonialism, the hints at the upcoming conflict with Nazi-ish standins (don’t think I didn’t notice the Mengele reference), the medical mystery Nhika is working to solve in the first half. Awesome start! But it lost me in the final act. I won’t be continuing with the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical trauma, Grief, Violence, Gun violence, Bullying, Death of parent, Medical content, Animal death, and Colonisation
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
thebookkeepers's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was riveting and impossible to put down. The mechanical and steampunk elements reminded me of Cinder as well as some Frankenstein retellings I’ve read, especially with the medical focused magic system. Some other books this reminded me of was The Poppy War (colonialism) and Belladonna (murder mystery). While I could see different elements that reminded me of a lot of my other favorite books, this story felt fresh and original all on its own with the world.
I always enjoy a magic system that comes with a cost to the user like this one did and is one of the many reasons I loved the magic & world building. A few plot reveals I was able to predict but not in an overly apparent way. The ending was wild and definitely increased my overall rating. I don’t necessarily love what the epilogue suggested…but I’ll still read book 2 to see what comes next.
This book does contain blood - think surgery, medical, and gun violence scenes.
LGBTQ + rep: male/male relationship with side characters
I always enjoy a magic system that comes with a cost to the user like this one did and is one of the many reasons I loved the magic & world building. A few plot reveals I was able to predict but not in an overly apparent way. The ending was wild and definitely increased my overall rating. I don’t necessarily love what the epilogue suggested…but I’ll still read book 2 to see what comes next.
This book does contain blood - think surgery, medical, and gun violence scenes.
LGBTQ + rep: male/male relationship with side characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gun violence, Medical content, Gore, Death of parent, Torture, Violence, and Colonisation
Moderate: Child death and Animal death
Minor: Cannibalism
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
More...