Reviews with content warning for Drug use - The Bone Season

Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

24 reviews

thecourtofreading's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

"i can die when i want, become a spirit when i want. it makes people afraid of me. it makes me afraid of them."

i really liked the premise of this book. clairvoyants, avoiding the law, criminals, it seemed right up my alley, and the first chapters were; i was hooked almost instantly. i did enjoy this book, but i feel like i would have enjoyed it more if it wasn't set in sheol i and actually set in london and following paige's whereabouts and the gang. they were so much more interesting than the actual plot of the book, which is why i'm glad that the pale dreamer novella prequel is part of this book, because i found that so much more interesting. i also didn't like the romantic turn this book took toward the end. i didn't feel like paige and the love interest really had much chemistry at all and it kind of made me a little uncomfortable, because i just didn't feel like they fit. that's my one critique, i suppose. also that it was a little tiny bit predictable and cliche

Content Warnings

lauramcc7's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Content Warnings

thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

Okay I didn't know what to expect from this book, but wow it delivered! Can't wait to read more about Paige and her friends!

Content Warnings

bookishchef's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious 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? Yes

3.25

Okay. So.

Up until about 60-70% of this book, I was ready to give it five stars.
I absolutely loved it.

But then it slowly but steadily started shitting the bed.

1. The gold cord plot point thing came out of nowhere and was never really explained. It just seemed like a convenient plot device that did not feel like it belonged in the grim world the author has created.

2. The rebound turned SA scene was completely unnecessary, and seemed like a weird attempt to bestow the main character with more trauma than she already had (and make her be pitied by Warden and the reader).

3. Loss of virginity being described as "an uppercut to the stomach". I hate this trope so much. No, having sex for the first time does not feel like dying. It might hurt (for many people it does not even do that). But it won't feel like being torn in half god dammit.
The average period cramp feels way way way worse unless you have a medical condition like vaginismus.

4. The main character falling in love with her captor/slave master does not sit quite right with me. Even if he treated her nicely, that is still a weird power inbalance that should never lead to a relationship.

5. Teenagers falling for century old creatures just makes me roll my eyes at this point. It weirds me out a bit, and it has been done so so so many times at this point.
Maybe I could deal with it if both characters seemed to be at the same level mentally, but Warden is practically a deity compared to Paige. Not immortal, but infinitely more intelligent and quite obviously so so so much older (and not to forget, her literal owner). From the way he behaves, to the way he speaks: it has middle aged man dating teenager vibes.

So yeah. This was a fun but very mixed bag. I ordered book 2 when I was about 60% into the book because I was sure I would love it at that point. But now that love has become a begrudging like.

I enjoyed this book for the most part, but some things cannot be unseen once you see them.

Content Warnings

foxonabook's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

Content Warnings

wiktoria88's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.25

Content Warnings

glenfleskie's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous slow-paced

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

3.0

This book had more potential than it had anything else. Cool ideas, okay execution.

Spoiler for end-is of book

I hate hate hate it when the main character 19 year old girl falls in love with her 200 year old 'master'. Talk about a power imbalance. c'mon, there are humans right there if you want a love interest

,

also minor quibble: it's Éirinn go Brách or Erin go Bragh, not Erie go brah.

Content Warnings