Reviews

The Bone Queen by Alison Croggon

fai_aka's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars.

I expected to read Cadvan’s journey towards becoming a Bard so I’m a bit disappointed when I find out that’s not the case. But I still enjoyed reading about young Cadvan, especially about his friendship with Dernhill.

Spoiler

It made me feel more sad about Dernhill’s death. I didn’t really care about it in The Naming because we hardly got to know Dernhill before he died.

However, sometimes I think the solutions for some troubles came too easily that it became anticlimactic to me.

fionagsweeney's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

4.75

heartmomreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

nastia_werner's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional lighthearted tense medium-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

4.75

lauramcc7's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Grief, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

lizbethandthelifeinbetween's review against another edition

adventurous slow-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

4.0

It's been such a long time since I've read a book in this series and I was putting it off in case it wasn't as good as I remember. Fortunately, I loved this! Very engaging, and I was reading in large chunks every time I sat down. I found the pacing a bit slow.

emiann2023's review

5.0

Definitely a treat to come back and revisit this world. Also fun to read about Cadvan before he met Maerad (and the dream!!). Seeing the events that shaped him and the people was a nice treat. Particularly Milana and Dorn. Do happy I hunted this book down!

nraucardon's review

5.0

I think Alison Croggan is an exceptional writer. I love how she writes, I love her characters, and I love her worlds.

snowkab's review

5.0

I'm the first to admit that Alison Croggon has a unusual writing style that doesn't appeal to everyone, and I do agree with the other reviewers that this could be a difficult book if you hadn't already read the main series. That being said, I loved it.

It was just right with the drama, and the angst, and the hope. I love the lyrical quality of her writing and her world-building. I loved the Books of Pellinor, and this book felt like coming home. That doesn't happen very often for me, so this was a real treat.

sauna_mc's review against another edition

4.0

Croggon is the best current High Fantasy author and deserves more recognition for her work. The Pellinor series is often compared to Tolkein, and although it's clear that his writings have influenced her style and worldbuilding, allegations or plagiarism the series has attracted are unfair and unfounded. The quest narrative has been existence since people started telling stories, and it's common knowledge that Tolkein himself drew on mythologies and social structures of Ancient Norse and Medieval European societies. Croggon reworks the classic fantasy tropes (chivalry, Good Vs Evil themes, quest narrative, unlikely hero) which Tolkein made popular to produce a tale that is ultimately richer and more accessible than The Lord of Rings.

The Bone Queen is an excellent introduction to the series, developing some of the key characters and setting up the events of the later books whilst still telling its own story. Well paced and unpredictable, it completely draws you into the world Croggon constructs. It's given me the bug to re-read the whole series again. Have yet to find another fantasy series that compares to this one.